Physiotherapist
Help people recover from injury and illness - excellent demand and a deeply fulfilling career.
About the Career
Canada's aging population is driving strong and growing demand for physiotherapists across all regions.
Salary in Canada
- Entry level: $70,000
- Senior level: $110,000
Private practice physiotherapists can earn significantly more. Sports physiotherapists working with professional teams earn at the higher end.
Job Outlook
High Growth demand. Canada's aging population is driving strong and growing demand for physiotherapists across all regions.
How to Get There
- 4-yr undergrad (Kinesiology or Sciences) + 2-yr Master of Physical Therapy (MPT)
- Time to career: 6 years post-Grade 12
Key Skills
- Manual Therapy Techniques
- Exercise Prescription
- Patient Assessment
- Communication & Motivation
- Clinical Reasoning
Typical Employers
- Private physio clinics
- Hospitals & rehab centres
- Sports teams & training facilities
- Home care & community services
- Workplace injury programs
High School Roadmap
- Join a sports team. Take Biology. Volunteer with sports teams or at physio clinics if possible.
- Continue Biology and begin Chemistry. Follow Canadian physiotherapy associations - understand the MPT pathway.
- Take Kinesiology if available. Increase sports participation and volunteer with athletic training programs.
- Apply to Kinesiology or Health Sciences undergrad. Plan for the 2-year MPT program after your degree.
Top Universities for This Path
- University of British Columbia – Vancouver, BC
- University of Toronto – Toronto, ON
- McMaster University – Hamilton, ON
- University of Alberta – Edmonton, AB
- Dalhousie University – Halifax, NS
Insider Tips
- Kinesiology is the most common undergrad pathway to physiotherapy school in Canada.
- Clinical observation hours are required for MPT applications - start accumulating them in undergrad.
- Sports physiotherapy, neurological rehab, and pediatric physio are popular and growing specialisations.