Saskatchewan Expands Health Recruitment Incentive to 3 More Communities

Saskatchewan has announced an expansion of its Rural and Remote Recruitment Incentive (RRRI) program to include three additional communities—Edam, Battleford, and Hudson Bay. This initiative aims to bolster healthcare staffing in rural and remote areas, addressing ongoing challenges in service delivery. With this expansion, the total number of eligible communities for the incentive rises to 73.

The RRRI program offers new, permanent full-time workers in nine high-priority health occupations a financial incentive of up to $50,000 over a three-year return-in-service agreement. The program specifically targets areas facing, or at risk of, service disruptions due to staffing shortages.

Lori Carr, Saskatchewan’s Minister of Rural and Remote Health, highlighted the program’s success in attracting essential healthcare professionals, including nurses, medical technicians, and continuing care assistants. “The Rural and Remote Recruitment Incentive Program has been very successful in attracting highly sought after health care workers… where they are most needed,” Carr stated in a press release issued on Tuesday. She affirmed the government’s commitment to enhancing access to high-quality healthcare for all residents of Saskatchewan.

Since its inception, the RRRI program has successfully filled over 500 difficult-to-recruit positions. The first phase of the program concluded in March 2025, with more than 400 participants currently completing their three-year service commitments.

Investment in Healthcare Stability

Julia Pemberton, vice-president of Integrated Northern Health at the Saskatchewan Health Authority, remarked that extending the RRRI program will help stabilize healthcare services across the province. “By investing in our health care teams, we can ensure residents of Saskatchewan have seamless access to safe, equitable care as close to home as possible,” she noted.

The Saskatchewan government has allocated $8.7 million to the RRRI program for the fiscal year 2025-26, which includes $1.8 million dedicated to supporting up to 180 new applicants. This initiative is part of the broader Health Human Resources Action Plan, now in its fourth year, which also includes programs designed to support rural physicians and medical specialists, representing a combined investment of $13 million.

For those interested, a full list of eligible communities and occupations can be accessed through the provincial government’s RRRI program website. This ongoing effort reflects Saskatchewan’s proactive approach to securing a robust healthcare workforce in underserved areas, ensuring that residents receive timely and effective medical care.