More Than 175 Full-Time Health Care Job Opportunities Posted To Address Rural And Remote Staffing Challenges

Released on October 14, 2022

In collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the Saskatchewan Health Authority is advancing the Government of Saskatchewan's commitment to create more full-time positions in rural and northern communities across the province. Creating more full-time positions and enhancing existing positions that are difficult to recruit to in rural and northern communities is a key pillar of Saskatchewan's Health Human Resources Action Plan.

Over 125 new, full-time, frontline health care positions have been posted on HealthCareersInSask.ca. Over 50 existing part-time positions have also been enhanced to full-time. The new and enhanced positions span 49 communities across the province, and include Registered Nurses, Registered Psychiatric Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses, Continuing Care Aides, Medical Radiation Technologists, Medical Laboratory Assistants, and Combined Lab and X-Ray Technicians.

"Bolstering our health care workforce through our aggressive Health Human Resources Action Plan will serve to attract more health professionals to practice in communities where they are most needed," Health Minister Paul Merriman said. "The creation of more permanent, full-time positions will lead to better retention of our health care workforce in these rural and northern areas."

A key pillar of Saskatchewan's Health Human Resources Action Plan is to create more full-time positions and enhance existing, difficult-to-recruit part-time positions to full-time in rural and northern communities. Posting 125 new, full-time positions and enhancing over 50 existing part-time positions is the first step under this pillar of the Action Plan, with further postings anticipated as needs arise based on local circumstances.

"Following the announcement of Saskatchewan's Health Human Resources Action Plan, the SHA worked directly with its teams on the ground at local health facilities to determine what staffing enhancements would help them the most," SHA Chief Human Resources Officer Mike Northcott said. "We are pleased to have the support of the Ministry of Health in taking a flexible approach to aligning new resources with local needs."

Available jobs are posted at HealthCareersInSask.ca. The SHA is actively recruiting nationally and internationally through multiple channels. Many positions qualify for new incentives provided by the Government of Saskatchewan as part of the recently launched Health Human Resources Action Plan. The goal of the plan is to recruit, train, incentivize and retain more healthcare workers to strengthen the provincial health care system.

A new one-time incentive of up to $50,000 is available to attract new employees to targeted positions in rural and remote areas. The incentive packages will range from $30,000 to $50,000 depending on the position.

"We have heard directly from frontline health care workers that more permanent full-time positions are integral to enhancing health care services across our province," Mental Health and Addictions, Seniors and Rural and Remote Health Minister Everett Hindley said. "By offering competitive incentive packages and focusing on key retention practices, we will expand our health care workforce, stabilize health care services across the province, and build a stronger health care system ready to meet the needs of a growing province."

The list of communities benefiting from this initiative is available here.

More information on health care opportunities and how to access them is also available at saskatchewan.ca/HHR.

The province also offers a suite of financial incentives including loan forgiveness programs, bursaries and supports to those interested in a health care career in Saskatchewan, particularly in rural and northern communities.

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