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Caregiver, Client Care Attendant, Geriatric Health Aide, HCA, Health Care Assistant, Home Support Worker, Institutional Aide, Medical Assistant, Nursing Assistant, Personal Care Attendant, Personal Support Worker, Residential Aide
In Canada, the federal government groups and organizes occupations based on a National Occupational Classification (NOC) system. This alis occupation may not reflect the entire NOC group it is part of. Data for the NOC group can apply across multiple occupations.
The NOC system is updated every 5 years to reflect changes in the labour market. Government forms and labour market data may group and refer to an occupation differently, depending on the system used.
Here is how this occupation has been classified over time.
2006 NOC
2006 NOC-S
2011 NOC
2016 NOC
2021 NOC
2023 OaSIS
Health care aides provide basic health services and support for clients needing assistance. They are supervised by nurses or other regulated health professionals. Health care aides provide physical and emotional support so clients can care for themselves as much as possible. This may be within the community, or in a hospital or long-term care placement.
Health care aides may work with clients who:
Duties vary but, in general, health care aides:
Health care aides may specialize in areas such as:
Working conditions for health care aides vary greatly. Workplaces range from hospitals and care facilities to private homes.
The work can be emotionally and intellectually demanding. Health care aides work with clients who have diverse personalities and are managing a range of personal challenges.
Helping people to move, bathe, dress, and perform other daily tasks also can be physically demanding. Health care aides may have to lift items weighing up to 20 kilograms. They may be on their feet for long periods. They need good general health, knowledge of body mechanics, and awareness of proper lifting techniques.
Hours of work vary. Many employers offer 24-hour service, so they often require health care aides to work shifts including nights and weekends.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2006 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
Interest in assisting hospital staff by carrying messages, reports, requisitions and specimens from one department to another; in providing comfort to patients by answering call signals, making beds and maintaining patients' rooms; in assisting patients with menu selection; and in setting-up and providing leisure activities for patients, and accompanying patients on outside recreational activities
Interest in copying routine procedures to provide basic patient care, supervise patients' exercise routines, transport patients in wheelchairs and stretchers, and supply and empty bed pans; in maintaining inventory of supplies; in reporting or recording fluid intake or output; and in observing or monitoring patients' status and document patient care on charts
Interest in operating medical equipment to take blood pressure, temperature and pulse; in collecting specimens such as urine, faeces and sputum; in administering suppositories, colonic irrigations and enemas; and in performing other procedures as directed by nursing and hospital staff; may perform maintenance tasks such as assist with the set-up and maintenance of traction equipment, clean or sterilize equipment, maintain and repair equipment and assemble, set-up and operate equipment
To identify or change your interest codes, complete the Interests Exercise in CAREERinsite.
The interest code helps you figure out if you’d like to work in a particular occupation.
It’s based on the Canadian Work Preference Inventory (CWPI), which measures 5 occupational interests: Directive, Innovative, Methodical, Objective, and Social.
Each set of 3 interest codes for this NOC group is listed in order of importance.
A code in capital letters means it’s a strong fit for the occupation.
A code in all lowercase letters means the fit is weaker.
To fill in or change the values for your abilities, complete the Abilities Exercise in CAREERinsite.
A Quick Guide
You are born with abilities that help you process certain types of information and turn it into action. These abilities influence which skills you can learn more easily.
The abilities or aptitudes shown for this NOC group come from the General Aptitude Test Battery (GATB). The GATB measures 9 aptitudes. It groups them into 3 categories: mental, visual, and physical.
The abilities scores range from 1 to 5, with 5 being stronger.
Interest in serving - assisting clients by administering bedside and personal care such as aid in walking, bathing, personal hygiene and dressing and undressing; by feeding or assisting in feeding clients; and in demonstrating infant care to new parents
Interest in compiling information to maintain client files and plan meals and special diets
Interest in handling the preparation of meals and special diets; may perform routine housekeeping duties such as laundry, washing dishes and making beds; may perform routine health-related duties such as change non-sterile dressings, administer medications and collect specimens under the direction of a home-care agency supervisor or nurse
To identify or change your interest codes, complete the Interests Exercise in CAREERinsite.
The interest code helps you figure out if you’d like to work in a particular occupation.
It’s based on the Canadian Work Preference Inventory (CWPI), which measures 5 occupational interests: Directive, Innovative, Methodical, Objective, and Social.
Each set of 3 interest codes for this NOC group is listed in order of importance.
A code in capital letters means it’s a strong fit for the occupation.
A code in all lowercase letters means the fit is weaker.
To fill in or change the values for your abilities, complete the Abilities Exercise in CAREERinsite.
A Quick Guide
You are born with abilities that help you process certain types of information and turn it into action. These abilities influence which skills you can learn more easily.
The abilities or aptitudes shown for this NOC group come from the General Aptitude Test Battery (GATB). The GATB measures 9 aptitudes. It groups them into 3 categories: mental, visual, and physical.
The abilities scores range from 1 to 5, with 5 being stronger.
Health care aides need:
Health care aides should enjoy working with and helping people.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
This chart shows which job skills are currently in highest demand for this occupational group. It was created using this occupation's 234 most recent Alberta job postings, collected between Jan 12, 2024 and Nov 20, 2024.
Review these skills to learn:
| Tasks: Make beds and maintain patients' rooms | 194 |
|---|---|
| Tasks: Weigh, lift, turn and position patients | 192 |
| Tasks: Bathe, dress and groom patients | 188 |
| Tasks: Serve meal trays and feed patients | 188 |
| Tasks: Transport patients in wheelchair or stretcher | 165 |
| Tasks: Administer first aid in emergency situations | 156 |
| Attention to detail | 155 |
| Tasks: Take patients' blood pressure, temperature and pulse | 151 |
| Construction Specialization: Client focus | 149 |
| Certificates, Licences, Memberships, and Courses : First Aid Certificate | 149 |
This chart shows which job skills are currently in highest demand for this occupational group. It was created using this occupation's 153 most recent Alberta job postings, collected between Jan 12, 2024 and Nov 20, 2024.
Review these skills to learn:
| Tasks: Perform light housekeeping and cleaning duties | 120 |
|---|---|
| Tasks: Launder clothing and household linens | 109 |
| Construction Specialization: Reliability | 76 |
| Construction Specialization: Organized | 74 |
| Tasks: Vacuum carpeting, area rugs, draperies and upholstered furniture | 72 |
| Tasks: Make beds and change sheets | 72 |
| Tasks: Sweep, mop, wash and polish floors | 70 |
| Tasks: Dust furniture | 66 |
| Tasks: Provide personal care | 65 |
| Tasks: Clean, disinfect and polish kitchen and bathroom fixtures and appliances | 64 |
Education requirements vary from one employer to another. Many private and public post-secondary schools in Alberta offer short programs for health care aides.
The Government of Alberta has developed a standard curriculum for health care aide training. Post-secondary schools offer this training throughout the province.
Program length and delivery options vary. There may be full-time, part-time, distance, in-service, or regional delivery options. Full-time programs range from 15 to 27 weeks.
Some schools offer programs for people already working as health care aides. Some employers partner with post-secondary schools to offer on-the-job training. This allows people to earn a certificate while they work.
Employers may require health care aides to have completed training in first aid and food safety.
The following schools offer programs or courses that are related to this occupation but are not required to enter the field.
To expand or narrow your program options, visit Post-Secondary Programs and start your search with:
Completing a program does not guarantee entrance into an occupation. Before enrolling in an education program, prospective students should look into various sources for education options and employment possibilities. For example, contact associations and employers in this field.
Certification is not required, as there is currently no legislation regulating this occupation. However, many employers require certification as a health care aide as a condition for employment.
Health care aides working for publicly funded employers must be enrolled on the Alberta Health Care Aide Directory. Those working for private employers can enrol in the directory but are not required to. The directory has 3 core statuses for health care aides, related to their level of competency: certified, substantial equivalence, and deemed competent.
To become certified as a health care aide in Alberta, you must:
The other statuses have different requirements. For details about all requirements, visit the Directory and Government of Alberta websites.
Source: 2021-2025 Alberta Regional Occupational Demand Outlook
Health care aides work for:
Some employers hire untrained workers and train them as new health care aides on the job.
Health care aides with experience and additional training may work in more complex settings. They may specialize in areas such as pediatrics or group homes, or end-of-life care, dementia, or brain injury care.
This section shows the industries where the majority of people in this occupation work. The data is based on the 2016 Census.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.
Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates
2016 NOC: 3413
93.5% of people in this occupational group work in:
Home support workers, housekeepers and related occupations
2016 NOC: 4412
77.4% of people in this occupational group work in:
NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For examples, see Note.
This section shows the short-term demand forecasted for this occupation in Alberta over a 3-year period. It also shows the number of people employed in the occupation.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2021 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.
Source: 2023-2025 Alberta Short-Term Employment Forecast
NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For examples, see Note.
To see data for all occupations, visit Occupations in Demand.
This section shows the employment outlook for this occupation in Alberta over a 5-year period.
Employment outlook is influenced by a wide variety of factors including:
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.
Source: 2021-2025 Alberta Regional Occupational Demand Outlook
Annual growth is from 2021 to 2025. New positions created each year are in addition to job openings created by employment turnover.
NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For examples, see Note.
Employment turnover is expected to increase as members of the baby boom generation retire over the next few years.
Salaries for health care aides vary widely depending on the employer and on the employee’s responsibilities, experience, and training.
For information about current collective agreements in the public and not-for-profit sectors, see the Government of Alberta website.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
Unless otherwise noted, the data shown here is for all industries and all regions in Alberta.
All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production), and other forms of compensation.
To see the full survey data for this NOC group, visit the wage profile.
Other wage sources
To make an informed wage and salary decision, research other wage sources [pdf] to supplement this data.
High Reliability, represents a CV of less than or equal to 6.00% and 30 survey observations and/or represents 50% or more of all estimated employment for the occupation.
| Wages* | Low (5th percentile) | High (95th percentile) | Average | Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting | $16.69 | $21.74 | $19.43 | $19.79 |
| Overall | $17.87 | $24.44 | $21.82 | $22.33 |
| Top | $19.73 | $26.26 | $23.94 | $24.95 |
Swipe left and right to view all data. Scroll left and right to view all data.
* All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production) and other forms of compensation.
Pay brackets for hourly wages
| ALL INDUSTRIES | $35,283 |
|---|---|
| Finance, Insurance, Real Estate, Leasing | $35,266 |
| Health Care & Social Assistance | $35,483 |
Unless otherwise noted, the data shown here is for all industries and all regions in Alberta.
All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production), and other forms of compensation.
To see the full survey data for this NOC group, visit the wage profile.
Other wage sources
To make an informed wage and salary decision, research other wage sources [pdf] to supplement this data.
Good Reliability, represents a CV of between 6.01% and 15.00% and/or fewer than 30 survey observations and/or if survey observations represent less than 50% of all estimated employment for the occupation.
| Wages* | Low (5th percentile) | High (95th percentile) | Average | Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting | $15.00 | $20.07 | $16.87 | $16.00 |
| Overall | $17.00 | $22.00 | $18.53 | $17.86 |
| Top | $18.00 | $27.36 | $20.85 | $19.87 |
Swipe left and right to view all data. Scroll left and right to view all data.
* All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production) and other forms of compensation.
Pay brackets for hourly wages
| ALL INDUSTRIES | $31,799 |
|---|---|
| Health Care & Social Assistance | $31,510 |
| Public Administration | $20,740 |
Alberta Health Care Aide Directory website: albertahcadirectory.com
Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) website: www.aupe.org
College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta (CLPNA) website: www.clpna.com
Government of Alberta Health Care Aide Program website: alberta.ca/health-care-aide-program
Get information and referrals about career, education, and employment options from Alberta Supports.
Updated Mar 31, 2024. The information contained in this profile is current as of the dates shown. Salary, employment outlook, and educational program information may change without notice. It is advised that you confirm this information before making any career decisions.
