Ontario Nurses Are Facing a Changing Job Market — But Opportunity Is Just Across the Border
For years, the conversation around nursing in Ontario has centred on shortages, burnout and the urgent need to recruit and retain more nurses.
In 2026, however, a very different and seemingly contradictory story is emerging.
While patients continue to need care and experienced nurses remain essential to the healthcare system, hospitals across Ontario are announcing significant cuts to nursing positions as they attempt to manage growing financial pressures.
For Ontario nurses, particularly those worried about job security or wondering what the next few years of their career might look like, it may be time to consider just how valuable their experience is — not only in Canada, but across the border in the United States.
Hundreds of nursing positions are being cut
The scale of the recent announcements is significant.
The Ontario Nurses' Association (ONA) reported in September that more than 215 RN positions had been cut across Ontario hospitals in just the previous two months, affecting facilities including North York General, Halton Healthcare, London Health Sciences Centre, Sunnybrook, Lakeridge Health, Mount Sinai, CAMH, Niagara Health and others.
London Health Sciences Centre has been one of the highest-profile examples.
ONA reported that 288 RN positions were being cut at LHSC, affecting adult ambulatory care, inpatient services and pediatric services. The union estimated that the changes represented more than 562,000 hours of RN care.
The Ottawa Hospital has also faced significant reductions. In April, ONA reported plans affecting more than 200 nursing positions, including RNs, clinical care leaders, nurse specialists and nurse educators.
At Queensway Carleton Hospital, the union representing employees reported the elimination of 101 jobs, including 87 nursing positions, with the hospital citing insufficient funding alongside rising operating costs.
And the pressure is continuing.
In September, Hamilton Health Sciences announced plans to eliminate more than 400 positions as it attempts to address a projected $150 million deficit for 2026-27. Around one-third of those positions were already vacant, but the announcement demonstrates the financial pressures facing some of Ontario's largest healthcare systems.
This is not simply one hospital restructuring its workforce.
ONA said in March that more than 700 nursing and healthcare positions had been eliminated across Ontario since January 2025, affecting areas including surgery, oncology, internal medicine, dialysis, PACU, endoscopy, maternity and mental health.
The financial pressure may not disappear quickly
Perhaps more concerning for nurses is that the current situation may not simply be a short-term correction.
The Financial Accountability Office of Ontario recently examined the province's 2026 healthcare spending plan.
It found that health spending is planned to grow by an average of 3.2% annually between 2025-26 and 2028-29, while the FAO estimates approximately 4.4% annual growth would be required to maintain existing service levels.
Based on the current spending plan, the FAO projects that funding would support approximately 154,540 provincially funded nurses in 2028-29, compared with 157,062 in 2025-26 — a reduction of approximately 2,522 funded nursing positions.
That does not mean 2,522 nurses will necessarily be laid off. Workforce numbers can change for many reasons and government spending plans can change.
But it does demonstrate something important:
Ontario nurses should not assume that the nursing shortage automatically guarantees job security, hours, progression or choice of position.
Healthcare demand and healthcare funding are not always the same thing.
Meanwhile, the United States still needs nurses
Cross the border and the picture looks very different in many parts of the United States.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics currently projects employment of registered nurses to grow 6% between 2025 and 2035, twice the projected growth rate for all occupations.
More importantly, it projects approximately 180,800 RN openings every year, on average, over the decade as the healthcare system expands and replaces nurses who retire or leave the workforce.
Demand is not identical everywhere in America. Some hospitals and markets are more competitive than others.
But there remain significant opportunities for experienced nurses across hospitals and healthcare systems, particularly in areas where recruitment and retention remain challenging.
And Canadian nurses have an important advantage.
Canadian RNs have a unique route into the United States
Registered Nurse is one of the professional occupations eligible for TN status under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
For eligible Canadian citizens, this can provide a much more straightforward route to working in the United States than the immigration pathways available to nurses from many other countries.
There are still important steps involved.
Nurses need to meet the licensing requirements of the state where they intend to work, complete the appropriate credential and immigration requirements, obtain VisaScreen certification where required and secure an eligible U.S. nursing position.
But for the right Canadian RN, working in America is a very realistic option.
And we are already watching nurses do it.
From Ontario to hospitals across America
At Scanscope, we work with Canadian nurses who want to explore opportunities in the United States.
We help nurses navigate the journey from Canada to America — from U.S. licensing and credentialing through VisaScreen, job interviews, TN preparation and ultimately relocation.
We are currently working with hospitals and healthcare facilities across the United States that are actively interested in experienced Canadian RNs.
For many nurses, moving to America isn't simply about finding another job.
It can mean accessing a different healthcare system, experiencing a new working environment, developing specialist experience, progressing their career and creating an entirely new life for themselves and their families.
Most importantly, you don't have to wait until you are affected by a restructuring or layoff before exploring your options.
Your nursing experience has value beyond Ontario
The headlines coming out of Ontario understandably create uncertainty.
Nobody should pretend that relocating to another country is a small decision, and the United States will not be right for every nurse.
But Canadian nurses should know that they have options.
If your position has been affected by the recent cuts, if you're concerned about what is happening within your hospital, or if you've simply wondered whether your nursing career could take you somewhere new, this could be the right time to explore what is available.
Your nursing career doesn't have to stop at the border.
At Scanscope, we're helping Canadian RNs take their experience to hospitals across the United States and supporting them throughout the journey — from licensing and immigration preparation to securing their new position and relocating.
Ready to explore your options in the USA?
Whether you've been affected by the recent nursing cuts or you're simply ready for the next chapter of your career, speak to the Scanscope team.
Your experience is needed. Your skills are transferable. And there are opportunities waiting for Canadian nurses in the United States.
Scanscope — Helping Canadian nurses live and work in the USA.
