Job prospects First Responder in Québec

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

Job opportunities in Québec

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 Quebec 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.

This occupation is in high demand, and it depends mainly on the demand for ambulance transport, which is increasing, particularly with the aging population.

In addition, standby shifts are being replaced by hourly shifts in some regions to improve response time and provide better working conditions.

The scope of practice of these workers is expected to expand, particularly in the development of community paramedicine. It aims to treat patients with minor conditions at home or refer them to resources other than emergency rooms.

To enter this profession in Quebec, you must have a college diploma in pre-hospital emergency care and a Class 4A driver's licence (emergency vehicles). In addition, you must be registered with the Registre national de la main-d'œuvre des techniciens ambulanciers du Québec and complete the Programme national d'intégration clinique.

While the employment outlook for this occupation is good at the provincial level, it will be moderate in the Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine region.

Here are some key facts about Paramedical occupations in Quebec:

• Approximately 6,350 people work in this occupation.
• Paramedical occupations mainly work in the following sectors:
  • Ambulatory health care services (NAICS 621): 78%
  • Hospitals (NAICS 622): 10%
• The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
  • Full-time workers: 95% compared to 82% for all occupations
  • Part-time workers: 5% compared to 18% for all occupations
• 79% of paramedical occupations work all year, while 21% 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 47 weeks compared to 43 weeks for all occupations.
• Less than 5% of paramedical occupations are self-employed compared to an average of 12% for all occupations.
• The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
  • Men: 65% compared to 52% for all occupations
  • Women: 35% compared to 48% for all occupations
• The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
  • no high school diploma: less than 5% compared to 12% for all occupations
  • high school diploma or equivalent: 6% compared to 19% for all occupations
  • apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 21% compared to 19% for all occupations
  • college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 66% compared to 22% for all occupations
  • bachelor's degree: less than 5% compared to 17% for all occupations
  • university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: less than 5% compared to 11% for all occupations

Breakdown by region

Explore job prospects in Québec 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 Québec or across Canada.

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