Ontario will deploy internationally educated nurses to hospitals and long-term care homes that are facing staff shortages due to the Omicron wave of COVID-19.

Health Minister Christine Elliott made the announcement on Tuesday afternoon during a news conference about health-care capacity.

Elliott says the nurses will be sent to facilities that require extra help and will be under the supervision of another regulated health-care provider.

She said more than 1,200 applicants have already expressed interest in the programs.

Ontario Health CEO Matthew Anderson says roughly 300 nurses will be matched with some of the 50 hospitals that identified as in need of staff.

Elliott says the province now has 600 intensive care still available, with an additional 500 beds that can be added if required.

Ontario hospitals have been grappling with the Omicron wave and staffing shortages due to COVID-19.

Last week, the province ordered hospitals to pause all non-emergent and non-urgent surgeries and procedures in order to free up staff to cover absences and manage the rising number of hospitalizations.