Job prospects First Responder in Ontario

Explore current and future job prospects for people working as a "first responder" in Ontario or across Canada.

Job opportunities in Ontario

These outlooks were updated on November 29, 2023.

Prospects over the next 3 years

The employment outlook will be good for Paramedical occupations (NOC 32102) in Ontario for the 2023-2025 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.

What Types of Employers Are Out There?

• Ambulance service providers

What are the Main Trends Affecting Employment?

• Population growth and aging are expected to increase the need for emergency medical care services, supporting job prospects in this occupation
• Overall public sector funding for emergency services in local areas

What Skills Do I Need to Succeed?

• Completion of an approved college or university paramedic training program
• There are three levels of paramedics in Ontario, namely, Primary Care Paramedic (PCP), Advanced Care Paramedic (ACP), and Critical Care Paramedic (CCP).

Here are some key facts about Paramedical occupations in Ontario:

• Approximately 13,350 people work in this occupation.
• Paramedical occupations mainly work in the following sectors:
  • Ambulatory health care services (NAICS 621): 77%
  • Hospitals (NAICS 622): 7%
  • Local, municipal, regional, aboriginal and other public administration (NAICS 913-919): 5%
• The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
  • Full-time workers: 92% compared to 81% for all occupations
  • Part-time workers: 8% compared to 19% for all occupations
• 80% of paramedical occupations work all year, while 20% work only part of the year, compared to 63% and 37% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 47 weeks compared to 43 weeks for all occupations.
• Less than 5% of paramedical occupations are self-employed compared to an average of 15% for all occupations.
• The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
  • Men: 63% compared to 52% for all occupations
  • Women: 37% compared to 48% for all occupations
• The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
  • no high school diploma: less than 5% compared to 9% for all occupations
  • high school diploma or equivalent: less than 5% compared to 25% for all occupations
  • apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: less than 5% compared to 8% for all occupations
  • college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 66% compared to 22% for all occupations
  • bachelor's degree: 23% compared to 24% for all occupations
  • university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: less than 5% compared to 13% for all occupations

Breakdown by region

Explore job prospects in Ontario 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 "first responder" in Ontario or across Canada.

Learn more