Nine More Saskatchewan Communities Now Eligible for Rural and Remote Recruitment Incentive

Released on April 13, 2026

Saskatchewan's Rural and Remote Recruitment Incentive (RRRI) program is adding nine more communities for a total of 82 now eligible for the program. 

Beauval, Buffalo Narrows, Carlyle, Creighton, Craik, Davidson, Ituna, Montmarte and Macklin can now offer incentive packages of up to $50,000 for a three-year return-in-service for certain high-priority health occupations needed in their communities. The RRRI is supported by an investment of $8.7 million in the 2026-27 budget to maintain and expand the program to support new participants. 

"Strengthening our health care workforce is the foundation to putting patients first and ensuring the right care is available in the right place and at the right time," Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill said. "Offering incentives to fill high priority health care positions has successfully attracted hundreds of health care workers such as nurses, lab diagnostic and other professionals to both rural and northern communities across the province."

RRRI packages are offered to new, permanent full-time employees in nine high-priority health occupations in rural and remote communities experiencing or at risk of service disruptions due to staffing challenges. 

Over 530 hard-to-recruit positions have been filled as a direct result of the RRRI program, which is key to stabilizing and strengthening health care services in rural and northern communities.

Participating communities have reported reduced reliance on contract nursing, the re-opening of acute care beds that were previously closed, fewer emergency room disruptions, and expanded bed capacity. These outcomes reflect previously funded RRRI investments and demonstrate the program's role in improving stability of care in participating communities.

"Expanding this incentive program plays a key role in helping recruit and retain health care professionals to provide patients across the province with team-based care," Saskatchewan Health Authority Vice President of Integrated Northern Health Julia Pemberton said. "By having more skilled health care professionals in these communities, we continue to build stable, collaborative teams that provide patient-centred care that is close to home."

A complete listing of the 82 communities and the nine occupations, as well as details on eligibility and how to apply are available at Saskatchewan Rural and Remote Recruitment Incentive.

The 2026-27 provincial budget invests more than $199 million, an increase of 27.6 per cent to advance Saskatchewan's Health Human Resources (HHR) Action Plan, creating more career opportunities for health professionals and strengthening access to care for patients across the province.

The HHR Action Plan reflects the government's ongoing commitment to expand the health care workforce; stabilize services in rural and northern communities; and build a stronger system to meet the needs of a growing population. Saskatchewan has invested more than $460 million since 2023 to strengthen the health workforce through recruitment, training expansion, incentives and retention initiatives.

More than 7,500 health care professionals have joined the provincial health system since the launch of the HHR Action Plan. The RRRI program has been a key component of the province's HHR Action Plan now in its fourth year. 

Details on health care opportunities, how to access them and information on the province's HHR Action Plan are available at saskatchewan.ca/HHR. 

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