Saskatchewan has expanded its Rural and Remote Recruitment Incentive program to include Edam, Battleford and Hudson Bay, bringing the total number of eligible communities to 73.
The program offers up to $50,000 to new, permanent full-time employees in nine high-priority health occupations who commit to three years of service in rural and remote communities facing staffing challenges or service disruptions.
More than 500 hard-to-recruit positions have been filled through the program, according to the province.
Program results
“The Rural and Remote Recruitment Incentive Program has been very successful in attracting highly sought after health care workers such as nurses, medical technicians and continuing care assistants, to the rural communities throughout the province where they are most needed,” said Lori Carr, the province’s rural and remote health minister.
The incentive targets nine specific health occupations in communities experiencing or at risk of service disruptions due to staffing challenges.
Julia Pemberton, vice-president of integrated northern health at the Saskatchewan Health Authority, said the expansion supports efforts to stabilize local health care services across the province.
Funding and timeline
The program received $8.7 million in 2025-26, including $1.8 million for an additional intake of up to 180 new applicants.
Phase 1 of the program ended in March 2025, with over 400 participants still completing their three-year return in service.
Saskatchewan also offers other health care recruitment incentives, including the Rural Physician Incentive Program and specialist incentives, for a total budget investment of $13 million.
The program is part of the province’s Health Human Resources Action Plan, now in its fourth year, which aims to recruit, train and retain more health professionals.
