Nursing and allied health professionals

How to become a nurse practitioner

Official title: Nurse practitioners

Also called: Nurse practitioner, Advanced practice nurse, Advanced nurse practitioner, Geriatric nurse practitioner, Pediatric nurse practitioner, Acute care nurse practitioner, Adult care nurse practitioner, Anesthesia nurse practitioner, Extended class registered nurse, Cardiovascular nurse practitioner, Primary health care nurse practitioner

Nurse practitioners are registered nurses with additional education, advanced knowledge and nursing experience, and a specialty of practice. They provide a range of health services to patients and deliver preventive and continuous care toward the management of patients' health. Nurse practitioners work in conjunction with physicians and collaboratively with other nursing colleagues and health-care providers, or they may work independently. They are employed in community health centres, hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities, and rehabilitation centres. Nurse practitioners may specialize in primary healthcare or acute care.

Main tasks

Examine patients and take their medical histories and consult with physicians and other medical practitioners to evaluate patients' physical and mental health
Order laboratory tests, X-rays and other diagnostic procedures
Inoculate and vaccinate patients
Advise patients and their families on health care including health promotion, disease, illness and accident prevention
Collaborate with members of an interdisciplinary health team such as family physicians, therapists and nutritionists to plan, implement, coordinate and evaluate patient care in consultation with patients and their families
Perform a patient advocacy role
Prescribe and administer medications
May coordinate or manage primary patient care

How to become one

Nurse practitioners usually require a master's degree in nursing; or completion of a nursing program with additional advanced or extended primary health care nursing education; and several years of practice as a registered nurse. Registration with a regulatory body is required for nurse practitioners in all provinces and territories.

See the full NOC 2021 profile

Ways in

University: Nursing & Midwifery degrees, Offered by 12 universities in Canada
Licence or registration: Registration with a regulatory body is required for nurse practitioners in all provinces and territories.

Pay · Outlook

Median pay: $120,003 a year The middle half earn $104,540 to $131,313.
About 5,600 people worked in this job in 2023, and about 7,500 are projected by 2033. (+33.9%)
Projected labour market to 2033: strong risk of shortage.

Questions people ask

How do I become a nurse practitioner?

How much does a nurse practitioner earn in Canada?

Median full-time pay is $120,003 a year (Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank)). The middle half earn $104,540 to $131,313.

Is a nurse practitioner a growing career in Canada?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 34% by 2033, from about 5,600 to about 7,500 people (Employment and Social Development Canada).

Do you need a degree to become a nurse practitioner?

Usually. 97% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Sources

Statistics Canada: Census 2021: employment by occupation, gender and education (98-10-0449) (2021 Census), Statistics Canada Open Licence, retrieved 2026-10-03
Statistics Canada: National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 (Version 1.0), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
Employment and Social Development Canada: Canadian Occupational Projection System (COPS) (2024 to 2033), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank): Wages by occupation (2025 (revised 2025-11-19)), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03