Canadian Armed Forces establishes standalone Nurse Practitioner occupation
October 26, 2026 – Defence Stories
Estimated read time: 1:58
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LCol LeBlanc, Nurse Practitioner, directing team members on safe mobilisation of a simulated trauma victim in the resuscitation bay of a Role 1 during a simulation exercise at CFS Alert, 2021.
Nurses have long played a critical role in ensuring health care access for Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) personnel in Canada and abroad. Like the civilian nursing profession, military nursing has become increasingly specialized. Nurse Practitioners (NPs) have taken on a distinct role as independent health care providers, with advanced education, a separate licence, and a broader scope of practice than Registered Nurses (RN). To better reflect that role and align with civilian counterparts , the CAF is establishing Nurse Practitioner as a standalone military occupation effective October 30, 2026.
A need for change
This decision follows a comprehensive occupational analysis of the Nursing occupation completed in 2023 which examined its many specialties and sub-specialties including Medical-Surgical, Mental Health, Aeromedical Evacuation, Critical Care, Operating Room, and Nurse Practitioner. While Nursing Officers across these specialties share an education foundation as RNs and undertake additional specialty training, the analysis highlighted an important distinction for NPs: they require a master’s-level education, hold a separate NP licence, and have a distinct scope of practice from that of a RN.
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LCol LeBlanc, Nurse Practitioner, explaining to a mother the medication treatment for her children while on humanitarian deployment during Ex New Horizons in the Dominican Republic in conjunction with the United States Army, May 2016.
A subsequent NP sub-occupation analysis in 2025 identified challenges with the NP employment structure, including longer-than-necessary training, less competitive pay, and barriers to subsidized education entry plans. These challenges affected the CAF’s ability to attract and retain NPs.
The analyses determined that establishing NP as a standalone occupation was essential to addressing these challenges.
Contributing to operational readiness
The NP occupation will focus on the delivery of primary care in Canadian Forces Health Services Centres, assessing, diagnosing, and treating CAF members with acute and chronic medical conditions, promoting health, and preventing disease. NPs specialized in urgent and inpatient care will also deliver care in operational environments, including aboard ships, in deployed field hospitals, and in field ambulances.
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LCol Klepach, Nurse Practitioner, standing in a typical treatment bay at Canadian Forces Health Services Centre Ottawa where primary care is provided to military members, 2026.
Whether delivering care at home or on operations, NPs contribute directly to CAF operational readiness by helping maintain a healthy, deployable force, and delivering health care capability wherever CAF members serve.
Benefits and next steps
The new NP occupation will better align with the NP profession in the civilian workforce, offering clear career pathways and increased professional recognition both within and outside the military. By improving the CAF’s ability to attract and retain NPs, the new occupation will strengthen access to health care across the spectrum of CAF operations.
To begin this transition, current Nursing Officers in the NP sub-specialty will undergo a transfer into the new NP occupation based on qualifications and service requirements. Career management support and training pathways have been developed to ensure continuity in the delivery of health services, minimize disruptions to operational capabilities, and enable members’ continued service within the CAF.
For more information on these occupation changes, please contact the implementation team at NPImpl-ImplIP@forces.gc.ca.
Learn more about a rewarding career as a Nurse Practitioner in the Canadian Armed Forces.