By Beverly OMalley
An examination of the nurse salary information reveals that the highest paying nursing jobs in Canada are in the northern territories. Registered nurse salaries there can range from $58,000 to $90,000 per annum. Relocation, housing, and northern living allowances can top up a registered nurse salary by another $23,000 per year. Bonuses and allowances are offered as incentives to attract and retain nurses in Canadian nursing jobs in the north.
Are Northern Nursing Jobs in Canada for You?
The three northern territories in Canada have some of the highest nurse to population ratios, but still the population is small so the number of jobs available are not large in comparison to some of the larger urban areas in the western and eastern provinces of Canada.
Many communities in the north are remote and isolated. For example there is a population of 40,000 people living in the 1.17 million square miles of the entire Northwest Territories and only one major city (Yellowknife). There are only 4 hospitals in the entire territory and 28 community health centers.