Travel Nurse Pay in Canada by Province (2026)

Pay is one of the first questions nurses ask before taking a travel contract, and it varies more between provinces than most people expect. Below are the hourly rates on the contracts Elite Intellicare Staffing is filling as of October 2026. Rates depend on the facility, the unit, the shift and the length of the contract, so treat these as a guide rather than a guarantee.

Registered Nurse (RN) pay by province

• Ontario: around $80 per hour


• Nova Scotia: $60 to $80 per hour


• Saskatchewan: $58 to $75 per hour, plus a $5.94 per diem


• Nunavut and Northwest Territories: $68 per hour, plus an $8 per diem


• British Columbia: $60 to $65 per hour, including hospital contracts in Kamloops, Prince George, Vernon and other northern and interior communities


• Manitoba: $45 per hour, plus a $6 per diem

Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) pay by province

• British Columbia: $48 per hour


• Alberta: $42 per hour, plus a $6 per diem


• Manitoba: $33 per hour, plus a $6 per diem

Care aide pay by province

• British Columbia: $35 per hour


• Alberta: $25 per hour, plus a $6 per diem

What is a per diem?
A per diem is an hourly or daily allowance paid on top of your base rate to help cover the extra costs of working away from home. Whether a contract includes one, and how much, is set out in the contract before you accept it.

Why pay varies so much

• Demand: provinces and regions with the biggest staffing gaps pay more to fill shifts quickly.


• Location: rural, remote and northern assignments usually pay more than urban ones.


• Specialty: emergency, ICU, operating room and maternity nurses are in especially high demand.


• Contract length and shifts: short-notice, night and weekend work often carries a premium.

Before you compare offers
Look beyond the hourly rate. Check how many hours are guaranteed, whether travel and housing are covered, how the per diem is paid, and how often you are paid. A slightly lower rate with guaranteed hours and covered travel can be worth more than a higher rate without them.

You also need to be licensed in the province where you work. Our guide to getting licensed in another province explains how that works.

See current openings and pay
Rates change as contracts open and close. For the latest openings and pay in each province, see nurse staffing by province, or read our complete guide to travel nursing in Canada.