Ministry of Health Extends Provincial Staffing Incentives

The Ministry of Health has extended the Provincial Incentive Program until Mar. 31, 2027, continuing financial support for eligible nurses through four provincial recruitment and retention incentives:

• Provincial Rural Retention Incentive (PRRI) – supports retention of nurses working in eligible rural communities with members eligible to receive up to $2,000 per quarter to a maximum of $8,000 per year. BCNU continues to call for expansion to additional rural and remote communities.
• GoHealth BC Recruitment Incentive – supports recruitment of nurses to regular positions in the provincial travel nursing program with an up to $15,000 signing bonus. 
• Rural and Remote Recruitment Incentive – supports recruitment of nurses who sign a two-year return-of-service agreement to eligible positions in rural and remote communities Nurses in the North are eligible for up to a $30,000 signing bonus and up to $20,000 for other rural and remote areas.
• Recruitment Incentive for Difficult to Fill Vacancies – Urban and Metro – supports new nurses or those returning to practice who fill permanent, difficult-to-fill vacancies through a two-year return-of-service agreement become eligible for up to a $15,000 signing bonus.

Sustaining Care with Critical Supports

BCNU remains firmly focused on pushing the provincial government for permanent, system-wide solutions to address chronic staffing shortages and recognizes the role nurses play in maintaining access to care and supporting patients and communities where recruitment and retention continue to be ongoing challenges.  

Members with questions about the Provincial Incentive Program, including how an incentive applies to a position, community or circumstances, should connect with a BCNU steward.