Registered Nurses from the Philippines Beginning to Arrive to Saskatchewan

Released on July 6, 2023

Five Registered Nurses (RNs) from the Philippines will arrive this week in Saskatchewan. This is the first of several groups of Filipino RNs with conditional job offers that will arrive to Saskatchewan on a regular basis for their in-person training. Once their in-person training is completed they can begin their employment with the Saskatchewan Health Authority. 

"We're thrilled to welcome the first group of nurses recruited from the Philippines to start on their pathway to a successful career here in Saskatchewan," Minister of Health Paul Merriman said. "As home to a thriving, vibrant and growing Filipino community, our province has experienced great success in welcoming and integrating Filipino health care professionals. I look forward to these RNs completing their training and joining our health care workforce." 

Following the two recruitment missions to the Philippines in winter 2022 and spring 2023, the province has recruited more than 400 Filipino RNs. The internationally educated nurses are moving through the RN Pathway, which includes language assessment and training, online and in-person education leading to licensing.

In late August, Saskatchewan will implement an accelerated, streamlined pathway for internationally educated nurses that shortens licensure timeframes from months to 14 weeks, once all documentation is received, and will support applicants through the process, from recruitment through to their work placements and settlement in a new community. 

A majority of the RNs recruited from the Philippines will be enrolled in the new 14-week program. 

Additional progress is being made on multiple initiatives of Saskatchewan's Health Human Resources (HHR) Action Plan to recruit, train, incentivize and retain more health care workers.

HHR Progress Update Highlights 

• Since December 2022, the SHA has hired 485 grad nurses from the province and across Canada.  
• Progress continues toward the target of recruiting 250 new and enhanced permanent full-time positions to stabilize staffing in rural and remote areas, with 157 positions now filled and ongoing work to fill the remainder.
• The Rural and Remote Recruitment Incentive of up to $50,000 is available to new employees in nine high priority classifications in 53 rural and remote areas. The incentive, provided in exchange for a three-year return-of-service, continues to be offered, with 140 incentives conditionally approved to date. 
• The College of Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan is expanding the undergraduate program by adding four seats to the upcoming fall 2023 intake of medical students. This will increase the total number of seats from 100 to 104.
• The Final Clinical Placement Bursary program is currently available to students in eligible health disciplines with their final health clinical placement between April 1 and September 30, 2023. The program is already seeing a high uptake, with 60 bursaries conditionally approved.
• Job shadowing opportunities are available for high school students (Grade 12) or adults considering a career in health care. The SHA has hosted 84 job shadow opportunities since September 2022. 

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

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