About personal support workers

As a personal support worker (PSW), you would make a real difference in the lives of the people you care for and their families. You would have a direct impact on their quality of life by:

  • helping with the activities of daily living
  • providing companionship and support
  • building relationships and connections

Training to become a PSW can launch you into an in-demand career, so you can get a job anywhere, anytime. It is a great first step in a lifelong career in health care.

How to know if personal support work is right for you

A career as a PSW may be right for you if you:

  • love to help people
  • are a caring, positive person
  • want to make a difference in someone’s life
  • enjoy variety in your work

Personal support work is a great career choice for someone who is:

  • new to Ontario
  • finishing high school and deciding what to do next
  • looking to change jobs

If you’re interested in meaningful, hands-on work that makes a difference, you should consider a PSW career.

Quick facts

Whether you’re starting your career — or interested in a new career — working as a personal support worker is a meaningful, in-demand job that makes a difference.

As little as

5 months

of training and education

In-demand

career across Ontario

Training and education

Once you have your high-school diploma, or equivalent credits, you can get your personal support worker certificate from:

Training involves classroom learning and a clinical placement. Some certificate programs can be completed in as little as 5 months, others take up to 8 months.

Students who enroll in a district school board program will have their student fees covered. Tuition-free training and financial supports are also available at select Indigenous Institutes.

If you already work in long-term care

If you already work in long-term care, but want to become a PSW, you can take the Learn & Earn Accelerated Program offered by Humber College. Collège Boréal also offers this program to upskill Francophone long-term care staff.

This program offers upskilling so existing employees at long-term care homes across Ontario can become PSWs. The program consists of full-time online coursework followed by a paid on-site clinical placement at the long-term care home where you already work.

Check with your long-term care home for more information.

Graduates of this program who make a commitment to work in a home for 1 year are eligible for the incentives.

Find a job

If you are already qualified for a career as a personal support worker, use these long-term care associations and organizations to help you find your next opportunity:

Help starting your career

As a student or newly graduated PSW, you may be eligible for incentives, including:

Clinical placement

You can get up to $5,400 when you complete your clinical placement in a long-term care home or with a home and community care provider.

You would get this money directly through your employer. To be eligible, your employer must submit an online request for a clinical placement stipend on your behalf through Ontario Health.

Work for 1 year

You can get $10,000 if you commit to working for 1 year in a long-term care home, or with a home and community care provider.

To be eligible you must be a student or have graduated after April 1, 2023. To get this funding:

  1. Complete the PSW Expression of Interest Form, indicating that you will commit to working in a long-term care home for 12 months.
  2. This information will be shared with potential employers.
  3. Once you are hired, you and your employer will sign an agreement and the home will submit it to Ontario Health.
  4. You would receive your payment in 2 instalments, at 6 months and 12 months of work.

Work in a rural, remote and northern location

You can get an additional $10,000 if you work in a long-term care home, or home and community care provider that is in a rural, remote or northern location.

You would receive 3 separate payments:

  • on your first day of employment
  • at 6 months of working
  • at 12 months of working

Learn more about these incentives for new PSW graduates.

Grow your career

Becoming a PSW can launch you into a rewarding career in health care, and Ontario can help you take your next steps.

Support programs for career advancement

The BEGIN initiative provides tuition and other supports for PSWs to pursue further education to become registered practical nurses or registered nurses.

Bridging programs

Bridging programs offered at publicly-assisted colleges and universities across Ontario help prepare students to enter the next education level. There are programs for:

  • PSWs who want to become registered practical nurses and registered nurses
  • registered practical nurses who want to become registered nurses

For people who need to work on their own schedule, the Nursing Program Transformation Initiative provides flexible study options to help: