If you’ve ever recovered from an injury or sought help to improve strength and movement for better preventative health, chances are you’ve seen a physiotherapist.
Just around the corner, on September 8, is World Physiotherapy Day, a day to recognize the work that these professionals do for their patients and community. This year’s theme is a reminder that physiotherapists also play a crucial rule in both prevention of and recovery from cardiovascular disease and stroke, both of which are among the leading causes of death in Canada.
Let’s have a look at some of our analyses and data related to the profession.
Nearly all master’s graduates end up in the profession
A StatCan analysis of education data from the 2021 Census of Population found that nearly all male (95.8%) and female (94.0%) graduates of a master’s degree in physiotherapy programs in Canada who were aged 25 to 34 years in 2021 ended up working in the profession.
Among all occupations in the analysis, physiotherapy was the most strongly associated with a specific job among men and the third most among women.
Study finds there are three younger physiotherapists for every potential retiree
A StatCan study using Labour Force Survey and census data found that in 2021, the renewal ratio for physiotherapists was 3.1. This means that for each physiotherapist approaching retirement age (55 to 64 years) there were approximately three younger ones (aged 25 to 34 years) in the workforce.
This ratio was nearly double the average for all health occupations (1.6), but lower than kinesiologists and other professional occupations in therapy and assessment (5.9) and occupational therapists (4.1).
The 2021 Census counted 26,610 physiotherapists working in Canada in 2021. About half (50.8%) of them were aged from 35 to 54 years, while just over one-third (34.6%) were aged from 25 to 34 years.
More are needed!
In the first quarter of 2026, there were 1,625 job vacancies nationwide for physiotherapists, down from the previous quarter (1,715 job vacancies) but up from a year earlier (1,395). The majority of the openings in the first quarter were advertised on social media (86.5%), while just over 60% were advertised through a job or recruitment fair at a school, college or university. Further, most openings asked for less than one year of experience, an indication of the opportunities awaiting after graduation to meet demand.
Vacancies increased considerably from 385 in the first quarter of 2016 to a record high of 1,950 in the third quarter of 2022, amid the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on health care workers and services.
Physiotherapists are across Canada
In June 2026, there were more than 21,200 offices of physical, occupational, and speech therapists and audiologists nationwide, including every province and territory. This broader industry includes offices of physiotherapists who have a private practice.
As you’ve probably encountered from a previous visit, many of these are small practices. Just over 5,600 of those offices reported staff numbers, and about half (52.6%) of them had one to four staff. About one in four offices (24.7%) had 5 to 9 staff, while almost one in five (18.3%) had 10 to 19 staff.
Looking ahead
Detailed labour data from the 2026 Census of Population—including an updated count on the number of physiotherapists and numerous other occupations—will be released on December 1, 2027.
Contact information
For more information, contact the Statistical Information Service (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; infostats@statcan.gc.ca) or Media Relations (statcan.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.statcan@statcan.gc.ca).