Here's the FAQ about how Sasktachewan is paying recent grads to move to or stay in Sasktachewan: http://aeei.gov.sk.ca/Default.aspx?DN=1267,1036,104,81,1,Documents
Key points:
- they'll only give you what you spent on tuition
- there's a limit on the max they'll give you
- $3k if you took a 1 year certificate or diploma
- $6.4k if you took a 2 or 3 year certificate or diploma
- $15k if you took a 3 year degree
- $20k if you took a 4 year degree
- you have to stay in Saskatchewan for 7 years to get the full amount
- paid out as follows: 10% years 1-4, 20% years 5-7
- refundable tax credit, so it's used to pay down your taxes owing or if you have no taxes owing, then you get it as a tax return
Combine this with Alberta's loan system where they'll simply forgive anything you owe over a certain amount (see Alberta Loan Relief (http://www.debt101.ca/student-loan-advice/alberta-loan-relief), but it's about to end (http://www.debt101.ca/student-loan-advice/last-chance-for-alberta-student-loan-relief)), as well as the federal government's grants, and schooling can become very cheap for you - plus living in Saskatchewan is quite a bit cheaper than in Alberta. Now, I wonder what kind of wages they pay there?
Low I suspect... as cost of living is lower.
Well, third-highest in the country according to Stats Can, but lower than Alberta:
Alberta (http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/labr69j-eng.htm): $26.54
Ontario (http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/labr69g-eng.htm): $24.11
Saskatchewan (http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/labr69i-eng.htm): $23.93
British Columbia (http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/labr69k-eng.htm): $23.58
Canada (http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/labr69a-eng.htm): $23.50
Newfoundland and Labrador (http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/labr69b-eng.htm): $22.44
Quebec (http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/labr69f-eng.htm): $22.02
Manitoba (http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/labr69h-eng.htm): $21.22
Nova Scotia (http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/labr69d-eng.htm): $20.82
New Brunswick (http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/labr69e-eng.htm): $19.63
Prince Edward Island (http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/labr69c-eng.htm): $19.45
For anecdotal evidence, I worked for a company that had an office in Regina back in 2000-2003, and the guy with the CS degree from U of S and two years experience made $42k a year in 2000. And he was complaining that he could make $3k to $5k more by just switching employers (hey, sound familiar?). This was very similar to what U of A CS grads with two years experience were getting in Edmonton at the time.