More than a third of young nurses in Canada do not renew licences, says think tank

A new report from the Montreal Economic Institute reveals that over 30% of registered nurses in Canada under the age of 35 did not renew their licenses in 2024. This is a decrease from 40% the previous year, according to data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information. Gabriel Giguère, a public policy analyst at the think tank, stated that the report indicates a need for improvement in retaining young nurses.

Factors such as excessive overtime, poor working conditions, high stress, and fatigue may be contributing to the turnover. The report suggests that provinces could encourage more nurses to stay in the profession by offering additional opportunities in the private sector, such as travel nurse agencies, private clinics, or telehealth companies.