Job prospects Home Support Worker in British Columbia

Explore current and future job prospects for people working as a "home support worker" in British Columbia or across Canada.

Job opportunities in British Columbia

These outlooks were updated on December 11, 2024.

Prospects over the next 3 years

The employment outlook will be good for Home support workers, caregivers and related occupations (NOC 44101) in British Columbia for the 2024-2026 period.

The following factors contributed to this outlook:

• Employment growth will lead to several new positions.
• Several positions will become available due to retirements.
• There are a moderate number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.

Demand for this occupation is expected to grow, as the B.C. senior population increased nearly 20% in 2023-24. Nearly 22% of B.C.'s population will be 65 and older by 2035. 

The 2024 provincial budget included $227 million to add 900 new health-care providers to the workforce to support seniors at home through community-based services and home-support workers. 

In February 2024, the Government of B.C. and the Government of Canada signed an agreement to invest $733 million into aged-care services in the province over five years. The Aging with Dignity Agreement is meant to help expand home and community care services, improve the availability of palliative and end-of-life care, and improve the quality of long-term care services.

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

• Approximately 8,800 people work in this occupation.
• Home support workers, caregivers and related occupations mainly work in the following sectors:
  • Social assistance (NAICS 624): 38%
  • Nursing and residential care facilities (NAICS 623): 22%
  • Ambulatory health care services (NAICS 621): 19%
  • Hospitals (NAICS 622): 7%
  • Private households (NAICS 814): 6%
• The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
  • Full-time workers: 65% compared to 78% for all occupations
  • Part-time workers: 35% compared to 22% for all occupations
• 62% of home support workers, caregivers and related occupations work all year, while 38% work only part of the year, compared to 61% and 39% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 42 weeks compared to 42 weeks for all occupations.
• 20% of home support workers, caregivers and related occupations are self-employed compared to an average of 17% for all occupations.
• The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
  • Men: 12% compared to 52% for all occupations
  • Women: 88% compared to 48% for all occupations
• The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
  • no high school diploma: 7% compared to 8% for all occupations
  • high school diploma or equivalent: 27% compared to 28% for all occupations
  • apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 21% compared to 13% for all occupations
  • college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 24% compared to 17% for all occupations
  • bachelor's degree: 16% compared to 22% for all occupations
  • university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: less than 5% compared to 12% for all occupations

Breakdown by region

Explore job prospects in British Columbia by economic region.

Source Labour Market Information | Prospects Methodology

Job prospects elsewhere in Canada

Explore current and future job prospects for people working as a "home support worker" in British Columbia or across Canada.

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