Job prospects Direct Support Professional in Nova Scotia

Explore current and future job prospects for people working as a "Direct support professional" in Nova Scotia or across Canada.

Job opportunities in Nova Scotia

These outlooks were updated on November 29, 2023.

Prospects over the next 3 years

The employment outlook will be very good for Home support workers, caregivers and related occupations (NOC 44101) in Nova Scotia for the 2023-2025 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.

A growing emphasis on home delivery of health services, in conjunction with an aging population favours opportunities in this occupational group. There is typically a large number of openings, especially in rural areas, though many are part-time in nature. The health-care system is shifting people with chronic illnesses and disabling conditions away from hospitals and institutions towards more community-based home-care settings. This occupation does not include Continuing Care Assistants who work in hospitals and nursing homes, only those who provide care in private homes. Certificates may not be required for occupations in this group which do not provide medical services, such as housekeepers.

Here are some key facts about Home support workers, caregivers and related occupations in Nova Scotia:

• Approximately 2,050 people work in this occupation.
• Home support workers, caregivers and related occupations mainly work in the following sectors:
  • Social assistance (NAICS 624): 44%
  • Nursing and residential care facilities (NAICS 623): 32%
  • Ambulatory health care services (NAICS 621): 15%
• The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
  • Full-time workers: 67% compared to 82% for all occupations
  • Part-time workers: 33% compared to 18% for all occupations
• 56% of home support workers, caregivers and related occupations work all year, while 43% 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 40 weeks compared to 42 weeks for all occupations.
• 12% of home support workers, caregivers and related occupations are self-employed compared to an average of 11% for all occupations.
• The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
  • Men: 11% compared to 51% for all occupations
  • Women: 89% compared to 49% for all occupations
• The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
  • no high school diploma: 11% compared to 10% for all occupations
  • high school diploma or equivalent: 26% compared to 27% for all occupations
  • apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 19% 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: 12% compared to 20% for all occupations
  • university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: less than 5% compared to 10% for all occupations

Breakdown by region

Explore job prospects in Nova Scotia by economic region.

Source Labour Market Information | Prospects Methodology

Labour market conditions over the next 10 years

Explore current and future job prospects for people working as a "Direct support professional" in Nova Scotia or across Canada.

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