Learn About 
Our Incentives

Family Practice Start-Up Programs

Designed to attract and retain new, qualified family physicians to provide primary healthcare service, we provide funding to eligible family physicians to help alleviate the financial burden associated with opening or joining a fee-for-service family practice in Newfoundland and Labrador. The Family Practice Programs consists of two incentives: the New Family Physician Income Guarantee and the Family Practice Start-up Program.

Physician Recruitment Incentive Pilot

A physician recruitment incentive pilot for primary care or emergency department coverage in select geographic locations (Bonavista, Baie Verte, New-Wes-Valley, St. Lawrence, Springdale, Harbor Breton, Grand-Falls Windsor, Stephenville and Gander) for $100,000 per one year return-in-service and all locations in the Labrador Grenfell Zone can receive $150,000 per one year return-in-service, renewable for a second year return-in-service. This may be either a NLHS site or in a fee-for-service private practice.

Physician Signing Bonus

Designed to attract and retain new, qualified physicians to practice medicine with the Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services (NL Health Services). Funding is available to Family Physicians and Specialist Physicians who have agreed to provide services to the NL Health Services in the practice of medicine. • $100,000 for physicians practicing on the Northeast Avalon • $150,000 for physicians practicing in rural Newfoundland or Labrador. Candidates that sign on to work in “difficult-to-fill” positions within the province are eligible to top-up an additional $25,000 under this program.

Come Home Incentive

The Come Home Incentive is available for a variety of health care occupations, for those with a connection to Newfoundland and Labrador or those looking to call it home.

Provincial Student and Resident Physician Bursary Program

Designed to attract undergraduate medical students and medical residents to commence practice in designated areas of need in Newfoundland and Labrador upon obtaining full licensure in this province. Learn more about the Undergraduate Medical Student Bursary Program and the Medical Resident Bursary Program here.

Travelling Residency Program

The Travelling Residency Program provides financial support for physicians who are interested in pursuing residency programs not offered at Memorial University. Recipients of Travelling Residency funding must commit to practice medicine in the province with the Newfoundland and Labrador Health Service once they have finished their residency training.

Travelling Fellowship Program

Funding is available for physicians to undertake training in specialty and sub-specialty programs that are not offered by Memorial University. A recipient’s salary (including cost of benefits) will be paid at the pay scale of the University offering the fellowship position. In return for this funding, it is required that the recipient return one year of service to the province within Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services for each year funding is received. Candidates must first seek to obtain regular funded positions in the out-of-province programs and possess qualifications at least equivalent to that expected for the funded positions.

Ukrainian Physician Licensure Support Program

The Department of Health and Community Services has launched the Ukrainian Physician Licensure Support Program to assist displaced Ukrainian physicians in obtaining licensure to practice medicine in Newfoundland and Labrador. Eligible Ukrainian physicians can receive up to $10,000 in funding to offset the costs associated with obtaining licensure in Newfoundland and Labrador, in exchange for a two (2) year provincial service agreement. For further information, please contact UkrainianPhysician@gov.nl.ca.

Signing Bonus

Signing bonuses are available for selected health occupations, targeting difficult-to-fill positions, and tiered to address geographic considerations. $5000 to $10,000 is available per year (1950 hours) of service commitment, with the amount doubled for two years (3900 hours) service commitment.

Long-Term Care Recruitment Bonus

A recruitment bonus is available to attract registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and personal care attendants to work in long-term care, for a one year return in service commitment.

Nurse Practitioner Recruitment Incentive for Family Care Teams

An incentive ranging from $20,000 to $40,000 is available to Nurse Practitioners who commit to work within a Family Care Team in the province, with the option of an additional incentive to provide coverage for select rural emergency departments, also known as Category B emergency departments for an additional $10,000. These incentives require one year (1950 hours) return-in-service, with an option to extend for a second year.

Nurse Practitioner Bursary

We provide financial assistance to nurses who are enrolled in a Nurse Practitioner education program and agree to accept employment in a difficult-to-fill position and fulfill a service commitment as described in this policy.

Bursary for Radiation Therapists

We work to place qualifying students from Newfoundland and Labrador in the Radiation Therapy Program, within NL Health Services Eastern Zone.

Busary for Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy

Ten Physiotherapy and eight Occupational Therapy seats are reserved at Dalhousie University for residents of Newfoundland and Labrador. When a student applies to Dalhousie University in the Physiotherapy or Occupational Therapy programs, s/he will be advised by Dalhousie University of these seats.

Dental Bursary Program

The Dental Bursary Program has two components: the Rural Dental Bursary Program and the Specialist Bursary Program. Each bursary is valued at $25,000. Students must apply annually for bursaries and are eligible to receive a maximum of three bursaries in each component of the Program for a total of $150,000, each time committing ton one year of service.

Bachelor of Nursing Bursary

Bachelor of Nursing Bursaries provide financial assistance to students of the Bachelor of Nursing (Collaborative) Program as well as students in the Centre for Nursing Studies (CNS) Re-Entry Program who agree to accept employment in a difficult-to-fill position and fulfill a service commitment as described in this policy.

Bursary for Licensed Practical Nurses and Personal Care Attendants

This bursary is for students who work as an LPN/PCA with a Regional Health Authority (RHA) in Newfoundland and Labrador upon completion of their program.

Rural Nursing Student Incentive

This program provides travel-related funding assistance to nursing students in their fourth year of studies to undertake community placements in rural areas of the during their four-week course (Community Health Practicum).

Signing Bonus (Physician Assistant)

Physician assistants are eligible to receive a $30,000 signing bonus with up to $10,000 in relocation assistance for those living outside the province. (requires three-year full-time service commitment, flexible service arrangements are available).

Tuition Relief: Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) Students

Students entering the first year of the BScN program in September 2024 at Memorial University’s satellite sites in Gander, Grand Falls-Windsor, or Happy Valley-Goose Bay are eligible for tuition relief of $2,000 for each semester for the first two years of the program ($8,000 total). This tuition relief will be applied directly towards the cost of tuition for the BScN program and will be administered by Memorial University of Newfoundland. There is no return-in-service requirement for tuition relief in the first year of the program. To receive tuition relief for year two, a one-year provincial return-in-service commitment to contribute to the public system of health services upon graduation is required.

Tuition Relief: Practical Nursing (PN) Students

Students entering the first year of the PN program at the Centre for Nursing Studies and College of the North Atlantic are eligible for tuition relief for each of the five semesters of the program as follows. PN students at the Centre for Nursing Studies in St. John’s campus are eligible for $500 for each of the five semesters of the program ($2,500 total); and PN students at College of North Atlantic in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, St. Anthony, Burin, Gander, Bay St. George, Clarenville, Carbonear, Corner Brook or Grand Falls-Windsor (all rural) campuses are eligible for $1,000 for each of the five semesters of the program ($5,000 total).

This tuition relief will be applied directly towards the cost of tuition for the PN program and will be administered by the Centre for Nursing Studies and College of the North Atlantic respectively. There is no return-in-service requirement for tuition relief in the first year of the program. To receive tuition relief for year two, a one-year provincial return-in-service commitment to contribute to the public system of health services upon graduation is required.

For more information, please contact Catherine Rice, Centre for Nursing Studies at catherine.e.rice@mun.ca or College of the North Atlantic at registrar@cna.nl.ca.

Recruitment and Retention Incentives

The Provincial Government has reinstated a recruitment and retention incentive for retired registered nurses and nurse practitioners seeking to return to work or who are already employed by Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services (NLHS).

Retired registered nurses and nurse practitioners who meet license eligibility requirements are eligible for reimbursement of license-related fees up to $500 with a return in service commitment of 390 hours per year. The incentive is available until March 31, 2025.

To learn more contact HR at NLHS or e-mail recruit@workinhealthnl.ca. 

Family Care Team Incentive

Designed to attract new and retain current family physicians who join a Family Care Team for at least one year, this $75,000 incentive is available for family medicine physicians who join a Family Care Team before the end of 2024 and is available retroactively for all current Family Care Team physicians. This incentive is stackable with other physician incentives and return in service is served concurrently with any other return in service. Recruited physicians will gain the benefits of a salaried physician role through NL Health Services.