​​​January 23, 2026

FNHA is pleased to announce funding for the Nursing Rural Retention Incentive (NRRI) for the 2025/26 fiscal year. The NRRI is open to eligible nurses in rural and remote locations employed by FNHA-funded First Nation Health Service Organizations (FNHSOs) or bands between April 1, 2025 and March 31, 2026.

Now in its second year, the NRRI recognizes the commitment of registered nursing professionals to deliver quality, timely and safe health care closer to home, and supports First Nation communities to retain nursing staff and maintain the stability of community-driven health services.

Locations eligible for the NRRI include:

• Rural and remote First Nations communities*
• FNHSOs
• First Nations Primary Care Centres
• First Nations Treatment Centres

The eligible nursing positions include:

• Registered Nurses (RNs)
• Registered Psychiatric Nurses (RPNs)
• Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs)

Eligibility perio​​d​

To receive the NRRI, an eligible nurse must have been employed by an eligible location between April 1, 2025 and March 31, 2026. They must also be employed, or expected to be employed, by the location on March 31, 2026.

How to calculate​​​ the incentive am​​ount

FNHA has provided an NRRI Calculator to support eligible communities and locations to submit the names of nursing staff, positions and productive hours worked (or scheduled to be worked) during the above time frame.​

The maximum incentive is $2,000 every quarter, up to a maximum of $8,000 for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2026. It is pro-rated to productive hours worked, up to a maximum of 1,950 hours during the eligibility period. The calculator includes more information on NRRI eligibility and productive hours.

We're here to h​​elp​​

Please reach out directly to the NRRI team at nurseincentive@fnha.ca. Your FNHA Regional Nurse Manager can also help with questions and troubleshooting requests.

Where to send your s​​​​ubmission

Send your NRRI submission to nurseincentive@fnha.ca. Submissions are due by February 11, 2026 to ensure an NRRI payment by the end of this fiscal year.

Please include the hours to be worked in the period from February 12 to March 31 based on usual rotational hours for that time period, or to the best of your knowledge based on the number of hours worked in previous months.

FNHA thanks nursing professionals working in rural and remote communities for their service and commitment to our shared vision of Healthy, Self-Determining and Vibrant BC First Nations Children, Families and Communities. 

*For the NRRI program, FNHA defines rural and remote in alignment with the BC Ministry of Health Rural Practice Subsidiary Agreement.​

Frequently A​sked Questions​

What criteria need to be met to be eligible for​​ the NRRI?

• Eligible Nurses include those that worked, or are scheduled to work, productive hours providing FNHA-funded nursing services during the period April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026.
• Eligible Nurses must be actively, or expected to be, employed by an Eligible Employer as of March 31, 2026. Eligible Employers include First Nations, First Nations Health Services Organizations (FNHSOs), or First Nations Treatment Centres located in eligible Locations.
• Nurses will not be eligible for the NRRI for hours already claimed or eligible to be claimed under another incentive program; for example, hours worked as a contractor or staff nurse with FNHA or another Health Authority.​
  

What are produ​​ctive hours?

• Productive Hours include all working hours such as straight time and overtime. It excludes any non-working hours such as vacation, sick time, union leave, short/long-term disability, and non-required education time.
• Employer-required education leave hours can be added to productive hours for the purpose of this incentive.​
  

What po​​​sitions qualify for the NRRI?

• Nurses employed by an eligible First Nations employer as defined and included in the Rural Practice Subsidiary Agreement:
• ​​​​Registered Nurses (RNs),
• Registered Psychiatric Nurses (RSNs), and
• Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs).
  

What positions do not qualify for the NRRI Progr​​am?

• ​Any non-nursing position (allied health, support workers, or administrative staff)
• Nurse Managers, supervisors or nurse executives
• Nurses already receiving the incentive through Regional Health Authority employment
• Nurse Practitioners
• Midwives

What​​ locations are eligible for the NRRI?

• Eligible Locations are Rural and Remote Communities in B.C., as defined as those which fall into eligibility categories A, B, or C as identified within the Rural Practice Subsidiary Agreement (RPSA) between the B.C. Government, Doctors of BC, and Medical Service Commission. These are the same RPSA guidelines used by FNHA in applying a “remoteness factor" for the distribution of funding under the 10-Year Strategy on the Social Determinants of Health.​​
  

What is the amou​​​nt of the NRRI?

• ​Eligible Nurses will receive up to $2,000 every quarter, to a maximum of $8,000 per year pro-rated to productive hours worked, or scheduled to work, in eligible rur​al and remote locations during the period April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026. To receive the maximum incentive, an Eligible Nurse will have worked, or have been scheduled to work, 1,950 productive hours during the eligible time frame.
• The application form includes an NRRI calculator to simplify the calculation process. The form was attached to the NRRI announcement email to eligible communities. If you need a new copy, contact your Regional Nurse Manager or email nurseincentive@fnha.ca
  

When do empl​​oyers have to submit their NRRI applications?​​

• The deadline for applications is February 11, 2026.​

Does the nurse ha​​ve to work full-time during this period to ​​be eligible?

• All full-time, part-time, casual, or temporary eligible Nurses qualify for the NRRI. This includes working during statutory holidays. The incentive amount is calculated off of productive hours worked to a maximum of 1,950 hours or $8000. ​
  

How do we calcula​​te hours for the period from February 12 – March 31, 2026, if they haven't been worked ​yet?

• Calculate the hours to be worked in the period from February 12 to March 31 based on usual rotational hours for that time period, or to the best of your knowledge based on the number of hours worked in previous months.​
  

Are “on-call" hour​s where employees are available but not working eligi​​ble for the incentive?

• On-call hours of availability are not considered productive hours for the purpose of the NRRI.​
  

How will any e​m​​ployee questions about eligibility and payment be resolved?

• Eligible Employers are responsible for resolving any questions with the NRRI directly with employees such as the amount paid, or eligibility of hours worked.  Please contact your Regional Nurse Manager or email us at nurseincentive@fnha.ca if you require any assistance.​
  

How do ​​employers sub​mit their NRRI applications?

• Once you have filled in the NRRI Calculator form, submit it to nurseincentive@fnha.ca
• For fastest processing, please include the Community/Employer name, Region and 'NRRI Application'in the Subject line of your email.​
  

What a​​​​​re the next steps​​ after FNHA receives the applications?

• Once you submit your completed claim to nurseincentive@fnha.ca, an FNHA team member will follow up with you directly if they have any questions. If the application is approved, FNHA will issue a Funding Adjustment Letter to the Eligible Employer.
• Payment is anticipated to be made by March 31, 2026. The 2025-26 NRRI payments will be in the form of direct contributions to funding arrangements.