Job prospects Respiratory Therapist in Ontario

Explore current and future job prospects for people working as a "respiratory therapist" in Ontario or across Canada.

Job opportunities in Ontario

These outlooks were updated on December 11, 2024.

Prospects over the next 3 years

The employment outlook will be good for Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists (NOC 32103) in Ontario for the 2024-2026 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.

What Types of Employers Are Out There?

• The majority are employed in hospitals

What are the Main Trends Affecting Employment?

• Increased need for health-related services to support the growing and aging population in Ontario
• Greater demand on the health care system because of a backlog of medical procedures and patient care needs
• Major investments in health care facilities

What Skills Do I Need to Succeed?

• The practice of respiratory therapy is regulated by the College of Respiratory Therapists of Ontario
• Clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists are not regulated professions, however:
• Certification with the Canadian Society of Clinical Perfusion is required for clinical perfusionists
• Registration with the Canadian Association of Cardio-pulmonary Technologists (CACPT) may be required.

Here are some key facts about Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists in Ontario:

• Approximately 3,950 people work in this occupation.
• Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists mainly work in the following sectors:
  • Hospitals (NAICS 622): 80%
  • Ambulatory health care services (NAICS 621): 14%
• The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
  • Full-time workers: 87% compared to 81% for all occupations
  • Part-time workers: 13% compared to 19% for all occupations
• 75% of respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists work all year, while 25% work only part of the year, compared to 63% and 37% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 46 weeks compared to 43 weeks for all occupations.
• Less than 5% of respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists are self-employed compared to an average of 15% for all occupations.
• The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
  • Men: 28% compared to 52% for all occupations
  • Women: 71% compared to 48% for all occupations
• The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
  • no high school diploma: less than 5% compared to 9% for all occupations
  • high school diploma or equivalent: less than 5% compared to 25% for all occupations
  • apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: less than 5% compared to 8% for all occupations
  • college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 42% compared to 22% for all occupations
  • bachelor's degree: 41% compared to 24% for all occupations
  • university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 13% compared to 13% for all occupations

Breakdown by region

Explore job prospects in Ontario by economic region.

Source Labour Market Information | Prospects Methodology

Job prospects elsewhere in Canada

Explore current and future job prospects for people working as a "respiratory therapist" in Ontario or across Canada.

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