Private Vocational School Registry

In Saskatchewan, private vocational schools are regulated under the authority of:

• The Private Vocational Schools Regulation Act, 1995;
• The Private Vocational Schools Regulations, 2022; and
• The Post-Secondary Education and Skills Training Act.

Schools exempt from registration include:

1. A university, a regional college governed by The Regional Colleges Act and Saskatchewan Polytechnic;
2. A school governed by The Education Act, by any other act or by any act of the Parliament of Canada;
3. A school operated by a professional organization, where the training or instruction is part of professional requirements or is part of professional development;
4. A school is operated or provided by an employer or group of employers for employees or an employer association;
5. A school operated by an employee association for members of the employee association; and,
6. A school or institution that:
   • Does not have a physical presence in Saskatchewan;
   • Is an educational institution located outside Saskatchewan and provides distance or online education to Saskatchewan residents;
   • Only delivers online, correspondence, or home study courses or programs;
   • Only delivers courses or programs that are entirely funded by a sponsor;
   • A school that only offers education in the following exempt vocations:
     • 31303 (physicians, midwives, and allied health professionals)
     • 32101 (licensed practical nurses)
     • 32200 (traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists)
     • 32209 (other practitioners of natural healing, except manual osteopathy)
     • 41302 (religious leaders)
     • 42204 (religion workers)
     • 55109 (other performers)
     • 65229 (other support occupations in personal service)
     • 72600 (air pilots, flight engineers and flying instructors)

A private vocational school delivers vocational training to fee-paying students. In some cases, they also offer training to both fee paying students and students whose tuition is paid for by a sponsor agency (e.g., Workers’ Compensation Board, First Nations Band, Provincial or Federal Government). If sponsored students make up the entirety of students enrolled at a school, the school is exempt from registration.

The Refund Calculator is used when a student withdraws or is discontinued from a program. The form must be completed and sent to the Ministry of Advanced Education, whether or not there is a tuition refund due or the student owes money to the school.

Programs offered by private vocational schools must include more than 50 hours of instruction, have a tuition fee of more than $1,000 and there must be a demand in the labour market for graduates of the program.

To become a private vocational school and offer vocational program(s) in Saskatchewan, the Expression of Interest Form must be submitted to the Ministry of Advanced Education at pvsinquiry@gov.sk.ca. Once the Expression of Interest Form is received, the ministry will review the information and determine if the school/program(s) qualify for registration pursuant to The Private Vocational Schools Regulation Act, 1995 and its regulations. The applicant will be advised of next steps, if applicable, in the registration process.

When the ministry determines pre-application requirements are met, registration of a private vocational school and program(s) must be submitted through an online system called the Private Vocational School Registry (PVSR). Schools will be able submit online applications, review registered school and program information, and submit other documentation and payments pursuant to The Private Vocational Schools Regulation Act, 1995 and its regulations.

If your private vocational school is already registered with the Ministry of Advanced Education and you wish to submit an application for a new program or update an existing program, this must be completed online through the PVSR.

Use the following Registration Guides to assist you through the PVSR, as applicable:
The Registration Guide – New School and Program(s)
The Registration Guide – New Program(s)

For complete details on the registration process, please review the Private Vocational Schools Administration and Policy Manual.

Apply to Register Your Private Vocational School

The Government of Saskatchewan has temporarily paused applications for designation in the Saskatchewan International Education Program (ISP). Post-secondary education institutions interested in becoming designated to host international students for programs longer than six months will not be able to apply for designation until January 2026.