Become a PAB in home care: training, admission and jobs

What does a home care personal support worker do?

A personal support worker (PAB) helps seniors and people who need support with daily activities, in their own homes: help with hygiene, dressing, eating and moving around the home, presence, companionship and respite for family caregivers. The PAB observes the situation and reports what they notice to the supervising nurse.

Training: the vocational diploma in support services

The program that prepares for the job is the diploma of vocational studies (DVS, “DEP”) 5405, “Soutien aux services d’assistance en établissement de santé et de services sociaux”, introduced in 2025. It is 705 hours of training (about seven months at a vocational training centre) and prepares for the jobs of PAB and health and social services auxiliary (ASSS). It replaces DEP 5358 “Assistance à la personne en établissement et à domicile” (870 hours). An English version exists (DEP 5905).

Admission requirements

To be admitted to the program, you need to meet one of the following conditions:

• hold a secondary school diploma (or a recognized equivalent) or a higher education diploma;
• be at least 16 on September 30 of the school year in which training begins and have earned the Secondary 3 credits in language of instruction, second language and mathematics (or equivalent learning);
• be at least 18, have passed the General Development Test (TDG) and have the specific prerequisites (or equivalent learning).

Applications go through a vocational training centre recognized by Québec’s Ministry of Education (see the Admission FP platform).

2026-2027 scholarships

For 2026-2027, the Québec government offers scholarships of up to $12,000 to people enrolled in DEP 5405 (or certain other programs, under the stated conditions). To qualify, you must among other things be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident living in Québec, be selected by a designated health and social services establishment (with a confirmation of hiring), and commit to working at least one year at that establishment. The scholarship is tied to a commitment with a designated establishment: it is not a Vemaro program. Ask the training centre or the establishment for details.

Working in home care: what to expect

• You work in clients’ homes, in their own living environment.
• Support is needed by day, evening and night: hours vary with clients and your area.
• You work as part of a team with a supervising nurse, who prepares the service plan and follows up.

PAB jobs in Laval and Montréal with Vemaro Support

Vemaro Support is hiring in-home personal support workers (PABs) in Laval and Montréal, close to where they live. Vemaro Support PABs are salaried Vemaro employees supervised by a nurse. Specific requirements and employment conditions are confirmed during the application: write to us or apply online.

Questions: rh@vemaro.ca or (438) 985-8740.

Sources

• Inforoute FPT — DEP 5358 (replaced program, page in French)
• AdmissionFP — DEP 5405 (page in French)
• Bernard-Gariépy vocational training centre — DEP 5405 (705 hours, about 7 months; in French)
• Québec.ca — Scholarships for PABs and ASSS (page in French)