Job prospects Registered Nurse (R.N.) in Nunavut

Explore current and future job prospects for people working as a "registered nurse (R.N.)" in Nunavut or across Canada.

Job opportunities in Nunavut

The recent trends from the past 3 years were updated on July 25, 2025. The job outlooks over the next 3 years were updated on December 10, 2025.

Very good

The employment outlook will be Very good for registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses (NOC 31301) in Nunavut for the 2025-2027 period.

The following factors contributed to this outlook:

Employment growth will lead to several new positions.
Not many positions will become available due to retirements.
There are a small number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.
High employee turnover in this occupation could lead to additional employment opportunities.

Ongoing staffing shortages in health care and an ageing population will keep demand high for health professionals over the forecast period.
Staffing shortages created periodic disruptions in health care services throughout Nunavut in 2025.
Housing shortages and high travel costs make the recruitment and retention of nurses in Nunavut challenging.
The Government of Nunavut aims to increase the number of Inuit nursing graduates over the forecast period, as outlined in the Roadmap to Strengthen the Nunavut Nursing Workforce (2021-2026).
Permanent and locum nursing positions were available throughout 2025 at the hospital and clinic in Iqaluit, the regional health centres in Rankin Inlet and Cambridge Bay, as well as at community health centres.
Workers in this occupation may be eligible for recruitment bonuses and retention and other allowances in addition to their regular pay.
A new professional organization for Northwest Territories' and Nunavut's nurses will be created in 2026: the Northwest Territories and Nunavut Association of Nurses.
The College and Association of Nurses of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut updated its nursing practice hour requirements in 2025. To be licensed, nurses must now have 1,125 practice hours within the past five years or 450 practice hours within the past two years.

Here are some key facts about registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses in Nunavut:

Approximately 150 people worked in this occupation in May 2021.
Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses mainly work in the following sectors:
- Health care and social services (NAICS 62): 81%
- Public Administration and Defence (NAICS 91): 19%
82% of registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses work all year, while 18% work only part of the year, compared to 72% and 28% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 48 weeks compared to 44 weeks for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
- Men: 16% compared to 51% for all occupations
- Women: 84% compared to 49% for all occupations
The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
- no high school diploma: n/a
- high school diploma or equivalent: n/a
- apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: n/a
- college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 22% compared to 15% for all occupations
- bachelor's degree: 59% compared to 10% for all occupations
- university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 16% compared to 6% for all occupations

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