NATIONAL OCCUPATIONAL STANDARDS FOR PERSONAL CARE PROVIDERS
Purpose of the NOS
The National Occupational Standard for Personal Care Providers was created to bring greater consistency to the skills, knowledge, and abilities expected of supportive‑care workers across Canada. It serves as a voluntary national guideline to help:
- employers recruit workers with the right competencies,
- educators design curriculum aligned to clear learning outcomes,
- job seekers understand role expectations, and
- internationally trained workers have their skills more easily assessed.
The NOS responds to long‑standing challenges: over 60 different job titles, inconsistent training requirements, and varying scopes of work across provinces and territories.
Who Developed It
The NOS was developed by Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) as part of its national project Building Capacity in Long‑Term Care, funded by the Government of Canada’s Sectoral Initiatives Program.
Its development involved extensive national consultation, including:
- a national working group,
- national advisors, (including CACCE members)
- focus groups across all provinces and territories,
- a national survey, and
- a public review.
More than 600 individuals contributed, including personal care providers, educators, employers, government representatives, and health‑sector stakeholders.
Update
The NOS is now stewarded by the Canadian Association for Long Term Care (CALTC), which maintains the national NOS website and continues to support its use among educators, employers, and workers.
CALTC describes the NOS as a “consistent baseline” for personal care provider education across Canada and is actively promoting its adoption and alignment efforts.
The National Occupational Standard for Personal Care Providers can be accessed here
Historical Documents
