Social Worker Salary in Canada

In 2025, the median wage for Social Workers was $38.46/hr.

Social Workers in Canada

Social workers in Canada, classified under NOC 41300, help individuals, families, groups, and communities address social and personal challenges through assessment, counseling, resource coordination, and advocacy in areas such as child welfare, mental health, healthcare, and social assistance. Approximately 77,500 people worked in this occupation in 2023, with 23 percent aged 50 and over and a median retirement age of 66. Job prospects show a strong risk of labour shortage nationally through 2033, with about 27,600 projected job openings driven by both employment growth and replacements, roughly matching the expected number of job seekers. Median hourly wages stand at around 38.46 Canadian dollars nationally, with typical ranges from 25 to over 50 dollars per hour depending on experience, location, sector, and education level, often requiring a bachelor’s or master’s degree in social work and provincial registration. Work conditions generally involve full-time hours in offices, hospitals, schools, community agencies, or government settings, though roles frequently include irregular schedules with evenings, on-call duties, client home visits, and emotionally demanding situations, supported by high rates of non-wage benefits such as health coverage and pensions in the public sector.

SOCIAL WORKER (NOC 41300)
2025	Wages/hr
Community/Area	Low	Median	High
Canada	25.00	38.46	50.26
Newfoundland and Labrador	33.65	40.01	47.00
Prince Edward Island	25.33	40.00	46.56
Nova Scotia	24.00	36.26	47.18
New Brunswick	22.50	40.00	45.64
Quebec	25.00	37.00	48.68
Ontario	25.00	38.66	53.32
Manitoba	27.47	35.00	49.00
Saskatchewan	27.08	38.00	46.00
Alberta	23.97	39.60	51.24
British Columbia	26.18	36.81	52.00
Yukon Territory	44.23	47.69	57.44
Northwest Territories	38.88	56.76	77.56
Nunavut	44.64	64.57	78.28
Source: Job Bank. 2026

In Canada, the median wage for social workers was $32.4/hr. in 2016. In 2016, social workers reported higher wages in the Northwest Territories.

SOCIAL WORKERS (NOC 4152-A)
2016	Wages ($/hr)
Province/Territory	Low	Median	High
Canada	19	32.4	45
Northwest Territories	12.5	36.02	53.55
Alberta	20.77	38.46	48
Yukon	13.26	34.42	46.23
British Columbia	19	30.5	46
Newfoundland & Labrador	23	36.92	45.99
Ontario	18.3	33.33	45
Saskatchewan	24.16	33.65	42
Québec	19.94	30	41
Nova Scotia	21	30.77	40.51
Manitoba	19	30.77	40.03
Prince Edward Island	23.08	32.4	39
New Brunswick	16	30.77	38
Nunavut	N/A	N/A	N/A
Source: Job Bank. November 2016

*Wages are reviewed and updated on the Job Bank Web site on an annual basis.

Licensing

Social workers are regulated everywhere in Canada except Nunavut and Yukon.