Northpine Foundation
Refugees
February 28, 2026

Care Careers for Refugee Healthcare Workers

Ivan Franko Homes

Ontario's healthcare system faces a critical worker shortage amid an aging population and post-COVID workforce strains. Yet skilled refugees, many with post-secondary education and relevant experience

Ontario's healthcare system faces a critical worker shortage amid an aging population and post-COVID workforce strains. Yet skilled refugees, many with post-secondary education and relevant experience, are sidelined by certification hurdles, language gaps, and unfamiliar Canadian standards.

This initiative by Ivan Franko Homes aims to prepare refugees for in-demand roles in care, like Personal Support Workers (PSWs), dietary aides, housekeepers, and more. The hands-on program will offer a proven training-to-job pipeline, delivering job-specific modules on regulations, client care, safety, and workplace English, with a partner also offering certified training and exam prep. Successful participants will receive clinical placements, with some finding employment in IFH's expanding homes (160 new beds opening summer 2026).

Northpine Foundation is proud to invest in meaningful employment for refugees, unlocking much-needed talent and easing sector shortages, while building sustainable careers for refugees to contribute and thrive in Ontario's healthcare frontline.

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