Applicants are generally sourced from the B.C. Government Health Career Access Program Employer Portal. They are hired as health care support workers into temporary, full-time (casual) status positions.
Upon successful completion of their educational program and registering with the B.C. Care Aide and Community Health Worker registry, the health care support worker typically re-joins their primary worksite as a health care assistant on their casual list, beginning their fulfillment of their 12 month Return of Service agreement.
Return of Service agreement
A condition of the Health Care Access Program, and of employment as a health care support worker, is signing the Return of Service Agreement with the Ministry of Health.
Participants are committed to working as a health care assistant for one calendar year, which begins at the time they are hired as a health care assistant. If they do not complete the full year, they must repay their schooling costs and stipend.
It is the responsibility of the worksite leadership to ensure the health care support worker understands their Return of Service commitment at the time of hiring.
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Hiring process
Fraser Health’s Talent Acquisition team hires and places qualified health care support workers in acute care. Placements are based on site-approved staff placement allotments.
Candidate selection
Candidate selection is through the Health Career Access Program employer web portal: hcapemployers.gov.bc.ca.
Candidates may also be selected through internal and external postings, or by emailing HCAP@fraserhealth.ca to request pre-screened candidates.
You need to have a signed Health Care Access Program funding agreement in place and a BCeID to access the portal.
Create a BCeID:
- Go to www.bceid.ca.
- Create your Business BCeID online.
- Receive an email confirming your BCeID.
- Access the Health Career Access Program employer web portal.
The first time you visit the Health Career Access Program employer portal, the Ministry of Health validates your access.
All Health Career Access Program activity is to be recorded/tracked in the portal, including:
- Identifying when a candidate is in the interview stage, hired, rejected or beginning onboarding.
- Tracking hiring of candidates into non-Health Career Access Program vacancies.
- Recording the hiring of internal candidates.
Candidate interviews
Interviews ensure Health Career Access Program prerequisites are met.
Candidate prerequisites:
- Permanent resident of Canada or Canadian citizen.
- Education - Grade 10, including the successful completion of English 10, or equivalency.
- English language competency requirement, if first language is other than English.
Skills:
- Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
- Ability to deal with others effectively.
- Ability to organize work.
- Physical ability to carry out the duties of the position.
- Ability to operate related equipment.
Examples of approaches you might add to your regular hiring process to assess the ability to communicate include:
Writing skills assessment:
Ask the candidate to write a short piece, for example - Why do you want to become a health care assistant? Review their writing for grammar and vocabulary. You may use this as a pre-requisite before proceeding with an interview.
Comprehension and verbal skills assessment:
Ask the candidate to clarify their understanding of a topic you have covered – for example - Please summarize the role and duties of a health care support worker. Listen for their level of understanding and ability to articulate their response.
English language assessment:
Meeting the English language requirement is a prerequisite to participation in the program. This must be confirmed before an offer of employment is finalized. More information can be found here.
The cost of English language assessments will be reimbursed by applying for the HCAP prerequisite stipend.
Candidate hiring
- Provide an offer letter, include Return of Service agreement.
- Register the health care support worker on the B.C. Government Health Care Access Program employer portal
- Email HCAP@fraserhealth.ca with the health care support worker’s name to be assigned to a post-secondary institution
If you need support through the selection, interview, or hiring process, please email hcap@fraserhealth.ca.