Saskatchewan health-care recruitment plan shows results amid opposition criticism

Saskatchewan’s Health Human Resources (HHR) Action Plan, launched in 2022, reports that more than 7,500 health‑care professionals have joined the provincial workforce, including 742 physicians (369 family doctors and 373 specialists) and roughly 3,000 nurses recruited from the United States, Ireland, the United Kingdom and the Philippines. The province created the Saskatchewan Healthcare Recruitment Agency (SHRA) to run targeted advertising and online profiling that connects prospective workers with recruiters.

Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill highlighted these figures as evidence the plan is delivering, while SHRA CEO Terri Strunk said seven physicians recruited through a U.S.‑focused campaign are currently moving through hiring. Opposition critics, led by NDP labour critic Nathaniel Teed, argue that no new physicians have officially been added to the rolls and question the use of taxpayer dollars. CUPE Local 5430 president Bashir Jalloh urged the ministry to focus on retaining existing staff before expanding overseas recruitment.