NOC 31301 · TEER Level 1

Registered psychiatric nurses

Registered psychiatric nurses provide direct nursing care and supportive counselling and life skills programming to patients.

Also known as:mental health nursepsychiatric and mental health nursepsychiatric nurseregistered psychiatric nurse (R.P.N.)Cardiac Care Unit Nurse (CCU Nurse)Cardiac Nurse SpecialistCentral Supply NurseCertified Operating Room Nurse (CNOR)Charge NurseCirculating NurseCommunity Health NurseConsultant Nurse
trending_up

Very good

Market Demand

school

TEER 1

Skill Level

location_on

NL, PE, NS

Top Provinces

What They Do

  • Provide nursing care, supportive counselling and life skills programming to patients in psychiatric hospitals, mental health clinics, long-term care facilities and community-based settings.

Qualifications

  • checkCompletion of a university or college registered psychiatric nursing program is required.
  • checkRegistration with a regulatory body is required in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia and the Yukon.

Market Outlook by Province

NL

Newfoundland and Labrador

The employment outlook will be Very good for registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses (NOC 31301) in Newfoundland and Labrador for the 2025-2027 period.The following factors contributed to this outlook:Employment is expected to remain relatively stable.A moderate number of positions will become available due to retirements.There are a small number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.As the demand for healthcare increases due to the aging of the population, staffing shortages and forced overtime have become more common. A considerable number of vacancies exist for this occupation throughout the province. Recruitment efforts are ongoing, including the hiring of nurses from other countries and a variety of incentives such as cash bonuses.Here are some key facts about registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses in Newfoundland and Labrador: Approximately 6,300 people work in this occupation. Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses mainly work in the following sectors: Hospitals (NAICS 622): 88%Ambulatory health care services (NAICS 621): 5% The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:Full-time workers: 87% compared to 83% for all occupationsPart-time workers: 13% compared to 17% for all occupations74% of registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses work all year, while 26% work only part of the year, compared to 56% and 43% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 45 weeks compared to 40 weeks for all occupations.Less than 5% of registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses are self-employed compared to an average of 8% for all occupations.The gender distribution of people in this occupation is: Men: 8% compared to 51% for all occupations Women: 92% compared to 49% for all occupations The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is: no high school diploma: less than 5% compared to 11% for all occupations high school diploma or equivalent: less than 5% compared to 27% for all occupations apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: less than 5% compared to 17% for all occupations college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 30% compared to 23% for all occupations bachelor's degree: 60% compared to 14% for all occupations university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 6% compared to 7% for all occupations

Very good

Outlook

PE

Prince Edward Island

The employment outlook will be Very good for registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses (NOC 31301) in Prince Edward Island for the 2025-2027 period.The following factors contributed to this outlook:Employment growth will lead to several new positions.A moderate number of positions will become available due to retirements.There are a small number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.Registered nurses and psychiatric nurses continue to face very good employment prospects in P.E.I., with shortages and high vacancy rates across hospitals, long-term care, and community health settings. The province has introduced financial incentives and recruitment programs, including the Transition to Registered Nursing in Canada (TRNC) program, which has already graduated internationally educated nurses to help fill gaps. However, recent media reports show that many new nurses are leaving the system due to workplace pressures, burnout, and heavy overtime, highlighting retention as a challenge. At the same time, the province reports gains in recruitment and continues to build collaborative care teams that expand the roles of nurse practitioners and licensed practical nurses to reduce strain on workers in this occupation. For new graduates and those seeking opportunities, this means strong job security and multiple entry points, especially in rural and community care, though adaptability and resilience are increasingly important as the system evolves to meet the needs of an aging and growing population. Here are some key facts about registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses in Prince Edward Island: Approximately 1,950 people work in this occupation. Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses mainly work in the following sectors: Hospitals (NAICS 622): 84%Nursing and residential care facilities (NAICS 623): 7% The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:Full-time workers: 78% compared to 84% for all occupationsPart-time workers: 22% compared to 16% for all occupations75% of registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses work all year, while 25% work only part of the year, compared to 59% and 41% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 45 weeks compared to 41 weeks for all occupations.Less than 5% of registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses are self-employed compared to an average of 13% for all occupations.The gender distribution of people in this occupation is: Men: 7% compared to 51% for all occupations Women: 93% compared to 49% for all occupations The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is: no high school diploma: less than 5% compared to 11% for all occupations high school diploma or equivalent: less than 5% compared to 28% for all occupations apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: less than 5% compared to 11% for all occupations college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 31% compared to 25% for all occupations bachelor's degree: 57% compared to 17% for all occupations university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 7% compared to 8% for all occupations

Very good

Outlook

NS

Nova Scotia

The employment outlook will be Very good for registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses (NOC 31301) in Nova Scotia for the 2025-2027 period.The following factors contributed to this outlook:Employment growth will lead to a moderate number of new positions.A moderate number of positions will become available due to retirements.There are a small number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.Recent graduates from fields of study related to this occupation have found it easy to find work.Increasing health needs of an aging population favour employment prospects for registered nurses. The work environment for nursing services is changing somewhat as home-care services continue to grow and the province moves toward a collaborative care model (where various health practitioners work together). This is one of the largest occupation groups in the province, so there is a steady, high-volume of postings. Job opportunities also exist in hospitals and long-term care facilities. New entrants to nursing shouldn't have too much trouble finding work.Here are some key facts about registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses in Nova Scotia: Approximately 12,500 people work in this occupation. Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses mainly work in the following sectors: Hospitals (NAICS 622): 79%Nursing and residential care facilities (NAICS 623): 10%Ambulatory health care services (NAICS 621): 7% The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:Full-time workers: 82% compared to 82% for all occupationsPart-time workers: 18% compared to 18% for all occupations72% of registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses work all year, while 28% work only part of the year, compared to 62% and 38% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 45 weeks compared to 42 weeks for all occupations.Less than 5% of registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses are self-employed compared to an average of 11% for all occupations.The gender distribution of people in this occupation is: Men: 8% compared to 51% for all occupations Women: 92% compared to 49% for all occupations The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is: no high school diploma: less than 5% compared to 10% for all occupations high school diploma or equivalent: less than 5% compared to 27% for all occupations apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: less than 5% compared to 12% for all occupations college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 30% compared to 22% for all occupations bachelor's degree: 57% compared to 20% for all occupations university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 7% compared to 10% for all occupations

Very good

Outlook

Find out if demand for this role is strong near you

See outlook data across all 13 provinces and territories.

Unlock Full Outlooklock

Immigration Pathways

TEER 1 occupations typically require a university degree and qualify for Express Entry. These are high-priority for STEM and healthcare category draws.

flight_takeoff

Express Entry (FSW)

check_circleEligible for this TEER level
apartment

Provincial Nominee Programs

infoMay require additional criteria
public

Category-Based Draws

infoMay require additional criteria

Need an LMIA-ready resume for this role?

Get a resume tailored to NOC 31301 with LMIA compliance formatting and employer-specific keywords.

Build LMIA Resumedescription

Top Companies Hiring

Organizations with the most NOC 31301 openings right now.

Hamilton Hea

Hamilton Health Sciences

9 active roles · Hamilton, ON

Fraser Healt

Fraser Health

9 active roles · Chilliwack, BC · Abbotsford, BC

Island Healt

Island Health

9 active roles · Nanaimo, BC · Victoria, BC

Shared Healt

Shared Health

8 active roles · Winnipeg, MB · Steinbach, MB

Trillium Hea

Trillium Health Partners

7 active roles · Mississauga, ON

St. Joseph's

St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton

5 active roles · Hamilton, ON

See which companies are actively sponsoring this role

Get employer insights, sponsorship history, and hiring trends for Registered psychiatric nurses positions.

Unlock Company Insightslock

Recent Job Postings

Jobs matching NOC 31301 posted in the last 30 days.

work_history

See Live Registered psychiatric nurses Jobs

Browse real-time job postings matching NOC 31301 across Canada — filtered to Registered psychiatric nurses roles, including visa-sponsored and LMIA-approved positions.

See Registered psychiatric nurses Jobs in Canadaarrow_forward

Job Boards

Search for Registered psychiatric nurses positions across Canada's top job platforms.

Pro Feature

Get an AI-optimized resume for this career

Our AI builds a resume specifically tailored to NOC 31301 (Registered psychiatric nurses) with the exact keywords and qualifications Canadian employers look for.

Upgrade to Pro
check_circleNOC-specific keyword optimization
check_circleCanadian employer formatting
check_circleATS-friendly templates
check_circleCanadian experience equivalency

Find Registered psychiatric nurses Jobs in Canada

Browse open positions matching this career path and start your application today.

Search Jobs