Recruitment Incentive
TEMPORARY POSITIONS
What is this funding?
The Temporary Recruitment Incentive provides a financial incentive for HSAA-represented employees who accept a temporary position at a difficult-to-recruit worksite in Alberta's North, Central or South zones. Applications are submitted by the hiring manager on behalf of the employee.
Difficult-to-recruit rural sites in the North, Central, and South zones are being prioritized. Rural sites in the Edmonton and Calgary zones may be considered at a later date. Please continue to visit the website for updates.
Zone boundaries are those in effect at the time the Letter of Understanding was signed.
The fund and eligibility criteria are subject to change. Please continue to visit the website for the most current information.
Applications now open!
Applications are open on a rolling basis through March 2028, or while funds remain available.
FTE Range | Rate per Pay Period |
|---|---|
0.4-0.79 FTE | $400 |
0.8-1.0 FTE | $500 |
A Return for Service (RFS) Agreement is required for the term of the temporary contract.
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Maximum: $13,000 for 0.8-1.0 FTE positions and $10,4000 for 0.4-0.79 FTE positions over a 12-month period, or until March 31, 2028 — whichever comes first
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Payments are made each pay period for the duration of the Return for Service agreement or the temporary contract ends (which ever comes first)
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Payments are considered taxable income. Recipients are encouraged to consult a tax professional.
Lump sum payments are processed through payroll and are subject to applicable deductions including federal and provincial income tax, Canada Pension Plan (CPP) contributions, and Employment Insurance (EI) premiums. Recipients are encouraged to consult a tax professional regarding the implications for their personal tax situation.
Return for Service Agreement
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All Return for Service Agreements must begin no later than March 1, 2028.
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The return for service runs for the term of the temporary position and begins the day the employee starts.
RCIF initiatives are designed to work within the collective agreement. If anything in an RCIF initiative appears to conflict with the collective agreement, the collective agreement applies.
Eligible Positions
A position is eligible if:
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It is a temporary position, AND
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It is at a difficult-to-recruit worksite in the North, Central, or South zone, AND
It meets at least one of the following:
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The position has been posted for 8 or more days without eligible candidates, OR
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The occupational vacancy rate at the site-specific level is 10% or greater
Who is Eligible?
Open to employees without a regular position in the collective agreement.
Funding through the RCIF is non-retroactive. To be eligible, applicants must be new hires with a start date of May 1, 2026 or later. This includes new graduates who signed employment agreements prior to May 1, 2026, provided their start date falls on or after that date.
What do you need to apply?
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Applications must be submitted by a manager — employees cannot apply directly
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Contact information for both manager and employee
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Employee job title, employee number, and the employee's union
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Employment type (regular full-time, regular part-timer, temporary, casual, external)
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Functional cost centre
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The funding amount being requested
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The worksite health zone (rural sites in the North, Central, and South zones)
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Agreement by both employee and manager to sign a Return for Service Agreement
How to apply
Applications are submitted through the Good Grants portal. To get started, click the link below. You will be asked to register with the email address you want to use for your application. A verification code will be sent to that email to complete your registration.