Canada is struggling to retain young nurses. A new MEI report released Wednesday shows that the number of Canadian nurses under 35 who leave the profession each year is increasing compared to the number who join it.

In 2023, 40 nurses under 35 left the profession for every 100 new recruits.

In Quebec, there has been a slight improvement. In 2023, 37 nurses under 35 decided not to renew their license for every hundred nurses starting their careers. Ten years earlier, there were 40 departures for every 100 new nurses.

“If we look at the trend across Canada, in 2014, the same ratio—that is, for every 100 nurses under the age of 35 who entered the profession—there were 36 who did not re-register, while in 2023, it rose to 40. Certainly, some provinces have improved, particularly recently, b

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