Canada is facing challenges retaining young nurses, raising concerns about workforce stability as health-care systems across the country contend with staffing shortages, a new report suggests.
Out of every 100 nurses under 35 registering to practice in the country, 34 additional young nurses chose not to renew their registration in 2024, according to a report from the Montreal Economic Institute (MEI), a public policy think tank.
“While this is an improvement over the year before, the ratio remains high and puts undue pressure on our strained system,” MEI senior policy analyst Gabriel Giguère said in the report. “Burning through young nurses today means having fewer nurses for tomorrow.”
Canada has been grappling with a nursing shortage for some time, the report noted. A total of 27,139 nursing vacancies were recorded across the nation in 2025. That’s fewer than in 2023, but is still triple the shortage seen in 2016.
Here’s a look at the numbers for each region of the country.
Atlantic Canada
Newfoundland and Labrador topped the charts with the highest nursing licence non-renewal rate, followed by Nova Scotia.
Newfoundland saw 61 nurses younger than 35 opt out of renewing their credentials for every 100 newcomers joining the workforce in 2024.
“The numbers show a troubling situation in Newfoundland and Labrador, with the province losing its young nurses fast,” Giguère said. “Long-term solutions to stressful working conditions must be found quickly.
For every 100 newly hired nurses in Nova Scotia, 47 professionals under the age of 35 chose to opt out, representing the ninth worst performance among the provinces.
Although this figure has declined compared to the previous year, it sits 2 percent above its 2014 level—a pattern Giguère characterized as “worrying.”
Unlike the other two Atlantic provinces, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island each saw improvements in the retention of young nurses.
The retention of young nurses in New Brunswick has improved substantially, with 34 departures for every 100 newly hired nurses in 2024. This reflects a 46 percent decrease from 2023’s numbers and stands 25 percent below what it was in 2014.
In Prince Edward Island, 33 young nurses left for every 100 who entered the profession in 2024, representing a 30 percent drop from the previous year, and a 28 percent drop from 2014.
Central Canada
Quebec’s nursing sector in 2024 witnessed 37 young nurses under 35 choosing not to renew their licence for every 100 who started their careers—maintaining the same proportion as the prior year.
Quebec stands as one of just two provinces where the outflow-to-inflow ratio did not decline throughout 2024.
Ontario’s young nursing talent showed negative mobility patterns in 2024, with 31 nurses under 35 departing for every 100 fresh entrants to the profession. Although the rate has decreased compared to the previous year, this ratio is still 40 percent above its 2014 level and marks the most significant decline witnessed throughout the entire decade.
Western Canada
British Columbia was the best performer in the country, having cut the young nurses turnover rate by 53 percent since 2014.
Despite that, 26 young nurses not renewing their licence to practice for every 100 that enter the profession, means “more needs to be done to keep nurses motivated and in the profession,” Giguère said.
Alberta’s young nursing workforce saw 36 members exit the profession for every 100 who entered. This departure rate marks a notable 13-percent decline compared to the previous year, alongside a 12-percent decrease when measured against 2014, the report said.
Saskatchewan was lower than the national average at 31 for every 100 young nurses, representing an 18-percent drop from the previous year, and a level similar to what was seen in 2014.
Manitoba had an even lower number with 28 young nurses exiting the profession for every 100 fresh recruits entering in 2024—marking a 19-percent slide from the previous year, yet remaining 10 percent above 2014 levels.
Workplace Complaints
The report detailed data from the 2026 Canadian Federation of Nurses Union’s annual survey to shine a light on ongoing issues in the industry.
It noted that 95 percent of nurses who took the survey had experienced violence or harassment at work in the past year.
Forty-three percent of respondents had been forced to work overtime and 53 percent were showing signs of burnout, while 29 percent met clinical thresholds for anxiety, and 22 percent for depression.
Fatigue was also identified as an issue. Twenty-two percent of nurses said they had worked shifts of 16 hours or longer in the past six months and 99 percent said patient and nurse safety is “put at risk by fatigue-related errors” during extended shifts.
“One potential solution to these problems is to allow nurses more flexibility, letting them work for travel nurse agencies, private clinics, or telehealth companies,” the report said. “This would allow them to better control their hours and maintain a better work-life balance.”
The authors also suggested “loosening the grip of the government monopoly” so nurses could be offered better working conditions.
English (US) · 
Turkish (TR) · 