Quebec City, le 8 October 2025 — The Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé du Québec–FIQ is sounding the alarm: Québec is losing a large number of its clinical perfusionists, trained here, but attracted by better salary and professional conditions elsewhere in Canada and the United States. This talent drain directly endangers the lives of patients in Québec.

“It’s unacceptable: we train clinical perfusionists using public money and we see them leave as soon as they find better conditions elsewhere. Meanwhile, our operating rooms are operating with reduced staff, and some patients are paying the price for these delays while awaiting heart surgery”, stated Julie Bouchard, President of the FIQ.

According to a demographic portrait of March 2025, almost half of clinical perfusion graduates since 2018 have left Quebec. About twenty positions remain vacant across the province, and the average age of perfusionists is 44 years, which points to a major wave of retirements over the next few years.

“When 50% of the 2023-2025 class leaves Quebec as soon as they graduate, it is no coincidence. The problem is the lack of recognition and working conditions commensurate with their qualifications. We cannot protect the health of Quebecers if we allow such crucial expertise to evaporate”, insisted Jérôme Rousseau, Vice-President of the FIQ.

The reasons for this exodus include an unattractive entry-level salary. In Québec, a perfusionist starts at $27 an hour (maximum of $50.39). In Ontario, the average is more than $67 an hour, while in the United States salaries average $86 an hour and can rise to as much as $154.57 an hour.

“With such differences, it’s obvious that the next generation is deserting Québec. We can’t afford to lose this expertise while other provinces and countries attract it at a premium. Each departure represents a direct risk to our patients”, added Mr. Rousseau.

The lack of clinical perfusionists has already had tragic consequences: several dozen patients are affected every year from waiting for cardiac surgery due to a shortage of qualified staff. The role of a clinical perfusionist is crucial: she operates the heart-lung machine which keeps a patient alive during cardiac surgery, by temporarily taking over from the heart and lungs. Without a clinical perfusionist, it is simply not possible to perform the operation.

The FIQ demands that the government act quickly to improve clinical perfusionists’ working conditions to stop their exodus, retain their expertise and guarantee safe accessible care for everyone. Postponing action puts the profession at risk and exposes patients to delays that can be fatal. “We’re talking about human lives. Every vacant position is not just a number on a board: it’s a patient who is not receiving the care she or he needs. The government must understand that this is nothing less than a matter of life and death”, concluded Ms. Bouchard.

About the FIQ

Created in 1987, the FIQ represents nearly 90,000 healthcare professionals (nurses, licensed practical nurses, respiratory therapists and clinical perfusionists) working in the healthcare institutions across Québec. The FIQ is a feminist organization composed of nearly 90% women, dedicated to defending its members, while ensuring the quality of care offered to the public and the sustainability of the public health network.