Anesthesiology Recruitment and Retention Incentive
The Anesthesiology Recruitment & Retention Incentive provides financial incentives to eligible Specialist Anesthesiologists and Family Practice Anesthetists who establish and maintain full-time practice in eligible Saskatchewan communities.
This program applies to physicians who:
- have initiated practice on or after June 1, 2023,
- are new to practice in Saskatchewan,
- establish full-time practice in an eligible Saskatchewan community, and
- meet all other eligibility requirements.
The program supports the recruitment and long-term retention of anesthesiologists by providing annual incentive payments over five years to physicians who meet the program requirements. It is funded by the Government of Saskatchewan Ministry of Health and administered by the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA).
Program Benefits
- Up to $200,000 in incentive payments for eligible regional communities
- Up to $100,000 in incentive payments for Saskatoon
- Support for physicians establishing long-term practice in Saskatchewan
- Encourage recruitment and retention in high-need communities
- Improve access to anesthesia services across the province
Before You Apply
Before submitting your application:
- Review the eligibility requirements.
- Confirm your community is eligible.
- Confirm you are new to practice in Saskatchewan.
- Review the annual service requirements.
- Submit your application at the beginning of each year of practice.
Annual Incentive Payments
Eligible Regional Communities
(Lloydminster, Moose Jaw, North Battleford, Prince Albert, Regina, Swift Current and Yorkton)
Year | Payment |
| Year 1 | $40,000 after 12 months of practice |
| Year 2 | $40,000 after 24 months of practice |
| Year 3 | $20,000 after 36 months of practice |
| Year 4 | $50,000 after 48 months of practice |
| Year 5 | $50,000 after 60 months of practice |
| Maximum | $200,000 |
Saskatoon
Year | Payment |
| Year 1 | $20,000 after 12 months of practice |
| Year 2 | $20,000 after 24 months of practice |
| Year 3 | $10,000 after 36 months of practice |
| Year 4 | $25,000 after 48 months of practice |
| Year 5 | $25,000 after 60 months of practice |
| Maximum | $100,000 |
Eligibility will be determined on an annual basis. Eligible physicians will receive their incentive once they have completed the given year of service.
To be eligible for the incentive, physician applicants must meet all the following criteria:
- Establish full time practice on or after June 1, 2023, in an eligible community in Saskatchewan. An eligible community includes:
- North Battleford, Yorkton, Swift Current, Moose Jaw, Prince Albert, Lloydminster, Saskatoon and Regina
- Physicians must be new to practice in Saskatchewan.
- Must be a Member of Practitioner Staff with the Saskatchewan Health Authority in good standing and hold an active license with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan.
- Provide 220 service days or more in Anesthesiology in the eligible community. Providing less than 220 days of service will not qualify for the incentive.
- Have provided service during at least ten (10) of the previous twelve (12) months of each service.
- To remain eligible, a physician must remain in the same community for each of the 5 years consecutively.
- Both Specialist Anesthesiologists and Family Practice Anesthetists are eligible.
- Physicians providing locum service do not qualify.
- Physicians who relocate within Saskatchewan do not qualify.
- Physicians can only receive the incentive once in a lifetime.
Please note all applicants must meet the above eligibility criteria in a given year to be considered. Eligibility in a given year does not guarantee eligibility in any other year, nor does it guarantee that the program will not be subject to change at any time.
When to Apply
Eligible anesthesiologists practicing in Saskatchewan who meet the program eligibility requirements are encouraged to apply at the beginning of each year of practice.
Adjudication of the program will be made by the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) under the following considerations:
- The start date for the calculation of the incentive will be the date that the physician commenced their year of full time practice in an eligible community. Applications are adjudicated after 12 months of service are complete (adjusted for any approved leaves).
- The eligibility date for each year of the incentive may be adjusted if the physician takes an approved leave from practice during the year (e.g. parental/health/training leaves). Other leaves resulting in a gap in practice would be adjudicated on an individual basis by the SHA and the Ministry of Health.
- The incentive will not be pro-rated for service less than 220 days over the 12 month period.
- The full 12 months of each year of service must be completed to receive the incentive. No payments will be made if fewer than ten (10) of the twelve (12) months are considered complete.
- Payments are made at the end of each completed year of service if all eligibly criteria is met.
