Five Filipino RNs arriving in Saskatchewan

Five registered nurses recruited by the Saskatchewan government from the Philippines will arrive in the province this week.

According to the Ministry of Health, the first five nurses represent the first of several groups of Filipino RNs with conditional job offers to arrive in the province in order to begin in-person training. Once the training is complete, they’ll start work with the Saskatchewan Health Authority.

The government sent two recruitment missions to the Philippines in 2022 and 2023 in an effort to help tackle Saskatchewan’s widespread shortage of health-care workers, and the ministry said more than 400 registered nurses were recruited. They’re currently moving through a pathway to employment in Saskatchewan, the ministry said, which includes language assessment and training, and education that will lead to licensing.

Health Minister Paul Merriman said the government is thrilled to see the first group of nurses arrive in the province.

“As home to a thriving, vibrant and growing Filipino community, our province has experienced great success in welcoming and integrating Filipino health care professionals,” Merriman said in a statement.

“I look forward to these RNs completing their training and joining our health care workforce.”

Next month, the ministry said the province will improve the pathway for internationally educated nurses, to shorten the licensing timeline from several months to just 14 weeks after all documentation is received.

The also ministry touted progress it’s made in other areas of its Health Human Resources Action Plan, including the recent expansion of seats at the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Medicine and the hiring of 485 grad nurses from across Canada.