Psychiatry Recruitment and Retention Incentive

Experience The Rewards

Program Overview

The Psychiatry Recruitment and Retention Incentive is available to specialist Psychiatrists providing full time service in qualifying Saskatchewan communities.

This program applies to physicians who:
• have initiated practice after June 1, 2023,
• are new to practice in Saskatchewan, and
• meet all other eligibility requirements.

Payment of the incentive may be made to qualifying Psychiatrists at the end of each year of practice according to the following breakdown:

Physicians practicing Psychiatry in the communities of North Battleford, Yorkton, Swift Current, Moose Jaw, Prince Albert, Weyburn or Lloydminster qualify for up to $200,000:

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

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility will be determined on an annual basis. Eligible Psychiatrists will receive their incentive once they have completed the given year of service.

To be eligible for the incentive, Psychiatrists must meet all the following criteria:

• Must be new to practice in Saskatchewan.
• Have established a full time Psychiatry practice on or after June 1, 2023 in an eligible community in Saskatchewan. Eligible communities includes: North Battleford, Yorkton, Swift Current, Moose Jaw, Prince Albert, Weyburn, and Lloydminster
• Provide 220 days or more of Psychiatry service and fully participate in on-call 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  twelve (12) months of each previous service year.
• 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.
• To remain eligible, a physician must remain in the same community for each of the 5 years consecutively.
• Providing locum service do not qualify.
• Psychiatrists who relocate within Saskatchewan do not qualify.
• Psychiatrists 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.

Application

Each Psychiatrist practicing in Saskatchewan who meets the eligibility criteria will be considered at the end of each year of their practice. No application will be required.

Adjudication

Adjudication of the program will be made by SHA/saskdocs 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 SHA/saskdocs 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.