Thousands of healthcare workers across rural, regional and remote NSW have benefitted from the NSW Government’s Rural Health Workforce Incentive Scheme since the initiative was launched in 2022.
The Rural Health Workforce Incentive Scheme was introduced to help attract and retain more skilled staff in regional and rural areas.
In its first year, the scheme offered incentive and retention packages up to $10,000 a year, with 1,259 healthcare workers recruited and 9,308 retained in some of the hardest-to-fill and crucial vacant positions.
From August 2023, the Minns Labor Government increased this benefit to up to $20,000 to encourage more workers to take the opportunity to work in remote communities with critical staff vacancies.
As of August 2026, across rural, regional and remote communities, 6,982 healthcare workers have received a recruitment incentive and 14,168 have received a retention payment, helping to grow the workforce and enhance healthcare services for these communities.
The Rural Health Workforce Incentive Scheme provides a range of financial and non-financial incentives above typical remuneration packages for candidates in eligible roles based in rural and regional locations across the state.
Incentive packages may include a range of additional benefits including salary boost, sign-on bonuses and retention payments of up to $20,000 a year, relocation assistance and housing, additional leave, and access to training and education. Packages are scaled and increase in value in more remote locations.
The Rural Health Workforce Incentive Scheme is one of several initiatives the Minns Labor Government is using to strengthen the regional health workforce, including:
- The $200.1 million Key Health Worker Accommodation program which delivers modern, self contained and fully furnished housing across rural, regional and remote NSW to attract and retain frontline healthcare workers.
- Expanded training pathways, such as the Rural Generalist Single Employer Pathway, which has assisted 74 doctors to train as rural generalists across NSW.
- Investing $83 million to boost maternity care across regional NSW, including funding for an additional 53 full-time equivalent midwives.
- Delivering study subsidies for regional health workers.
- Delivering an extra 500 regional paramedics.
In addition, the Minns Government is investing $11.9 billion to deliver 32 new or upgraded hospitals as part of the 2026-27 Budget. This includes nearly $3 billion for hospitals across regional NSW.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Regional Health Ryan Park
“The Minns Labor Government is recruiting and retaining more health workers in regional, rural and remote communities.
“Three years ago, we doubled the rural health worker incentive. Now we are seeing the results of that investment.
“These incentives have helped recruit thousands of workers, and retain even more. This is critical to building the workforce and improving healthcare services in regional NSW.
Quotes attributable to Site Nurse Unit Manager of Urbenville MPS Emily McColgan
“Working rurally, I get so much experience in every facet of nursing, I have my hand in every pie.
“I’ve been welcomed into Urbenville with open arms, by both the staff and the entire community. The Urbenville community has been so welcoming – but the other MPS site (Nimbin, Bonalbo, Kyogle) managers have been so welcoming too.
“It’s a network where we all support each other, it’s a little community in itself, we talk and share resources”
Quotes attributable to A/Clinical Safety and Patient Experience Manager at Far West LHD, Callum Young
“Working rurally can provide incredible professional opportunities.
“The Rural Health Workforce Incentive Scheme has made living and working in Broken Hill more attractive and sustainable. It gives me a little more flexibility to save, travel and enjoy life outside of work.
“Workforce incentives can help attract skilled healthcare professionals to the region and, importantly, encourage them to stay. Maintaining an experienced and sustainable workforce is essential to providing high-quality care to our communities.”
