Strong and steady health care recruitment progress

July 28, 2026

Key points from this story:

• 742 physicians hired since 2022
• 3,000+ nursing graduates employed
• 425 health professionals from Philippines
• 1,000+ new training seats added
• 560 rural positions filled
• 390 new full-time positions created

Launched in 2022, Saskatchewan's Health Human Resources (HHR) Action Plan continues to deliver measurable results to build a stronger health care workforce and improve access to care. The ongoing work of the HHR Action Plan, together with the efforts of the Saskatchewan Healthcare Recruitment Agency, the Saskatchewan Health Authority, other health and education partners, is directly advancing Saskatchewan's Patients First Health Care Plan. By recruiting, training, incentivizing and retaining health care professionals, the province is accelerating actions and improvements that support patients and families to receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time.

Recruit

- 742 physicians, including 369 family physicians and 373 specialists have been hired by the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) since the launch of the HHR Action Plan in 2022, strengthening care teams across Saskatchewan.

- 3,000+ nursing graduates from Saskatchewan and out-of-province hired between April 2023 and July 2026.

- 425 internationally educated health professionals recruited from the Philippines and working in communities across Saskatchewan.

- Six Physician Assistants hired and working in Saskatchewan's health care system, expanding team-based care and supporting patient access.

- Strengthened the mandate of the Saskatchewan Healthcare Recruitment Agency (SHRA) to streamline provincial recruitment efforts.

- Enhanced SHRA's branding and national and international profile to increase competitiveness and create a single, clear entry point for health care recruitment in Saskatchewan.

Train

- More than 1,000 new training seats added since 2022, through expanded opportunities across health training programs.

- Medical Residency seats increased from 150 to 160, including new rural training placements in Yorkton, Melfort and Nipawin.

- Post-secondary seats for primary care paramedic training increased from 152 to 252 since 2023.

- Expanded rural training pathways to support future recruitment and retention, including training opportunities in communities such as Yorkton, Melfort and La Ronge.

- Launched Health Careers 20L through the Saskatchewan Distance Learning Centre to introduce students in Grades 10-12 to health care careers and support future workforce development.

- Three pilot high school-to-health-care pathways launched in Moose Jaw/Gravelbourg, Maple Creek/Cabri and La Ronge, providing students with opportunities to explore health care careers through hands-on experiences in health care settings.

- More than 140 job shadows totaling nearly 950 hours completed since 2024, providing students and prospective health care workers with exposure to health care careers.

Incentivize

- More than 560 hard-to-recruit positions filled in rural and remote communities through the Rural and Remote Recruitment Incentive, providing up to $50,000 over three years.

- More than 600 applications approved or conditionally eligible since 2023 for the Rural Physician Incentive Program of up to $200,000 over five years.

- 28 hard-to-recruit specialists benefitted from incentive packages of up to $200,000 over five years in Emergency Medicine, Anesthesia, Psychiatry and Breast and Interventional Radiology, as well as targeted pediatric subspecialties.

- 17 medical residents in their fourth and fifth years have received the financial incentive of up to $60,000 over two years available for Emergency Medicine, Anesthesia and Diagnostic Radiology programs.

- More than 600 Final Clinical Placement Bursaries, nearly 150 paramedic bursaries, and other scholarships and grants provided to encourage students to pursue health care careers.

- More than 60 students studying in other provinces supported through the Inter-Provincial Agreement since its launch in 2024-25 to return and practice within Saskatchewan's public sector.

Retain

- Over 390 new and enhanced permanent full-time positions filled in high-priority occupations have been created to stabilize staffing in rural and northern communities.

- 29 new Nurse Practitioner positions created with 18 positions filled to date to support rural communities.

- 17 communities now benefitting from Nurse Practitioner expanded scope of practice that allows them to admit and discharge patients in Long Term Care (LTC) homes.