Private Vocational School Regulation

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)

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, lead to a vocation within a National Occupational Classification (NOC), and there must be a demand in the labour market for graduates of the program.

Expression of Interest

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.

Private Vocational School Registry

The Private Vocational School Registry (PVSR) is a web-based system used by the ministry to regulate private vocational schools in Saskatchewan.

When the ministry receives an Expression of Interest submission and determines that the pre-registration requirements are met, the ministry will email an invitation to the applicant to register an account in the PVSR. The school is then able to use the PVSR to submit and pay for an application(s) to register a school and program(s) in Saskatchewan.

Schools that have been registered with the ministry also use the PVSR to review and update registered school and program information, and submit other documentation and payments pursuant to The Private Vocational Schools Regulation Act, 1995, its regulations and policies.

Registration Guides

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.

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.