Purchases of Service

A teacher may purchase eligible periods of service to be credited as contributory and eligibility service under the STRP. All purchases of service must qualify as eligible service and fall within the limits of the Income Tax Act and regulations.

All periods of eligible service must be purchased prior to termination, retirement or death. If a member returns to teach after a termination payout has occurred, eligible purchasable service will only be for the periods of service that occurred after the member returned to teach, unless the terminated service is reinstated, if eligible.

Transfers of locked-in funds for purchases of service are subject to STRP approval. Only locked-in funds that are subject to The Pension Benefits Act, 1992, Saskatchewan, will be accepted.

Spousal RRSPs cannot be used to purchase service.

If a teacher has voluntary contributions under the STRP that are not locked-in or are locked-in under The Pension Benefits Act, 1992, Saskatchewan, those contributions may be used as payment for the purchase of service.

Periods Eligible for Purchase

1. Maternity, Paternity, Adoption or Parenting Absence Periods of approved absence for parenting reasons where the absence occurred as a result of a leave, resignation (pre-1991), or termination of contract (pre-1991). No interest is charged if the purchase of service is within two years from the end of the maternity/parenting leave. (A leave ending in July or August will be treated as if it ended June 30.) If the purchase is made after this deadline, the amount of interest owing is based on the Plan’s annual interest rate two years from the end of the leave. If you are on parenting leave for more than 12 months at one time, your leave will be treated as two separate leaves of up to 12 months each. The interest-free period will begin two years from the end of these leave periods.
2. Sabbatical Leave Periods of sabbatical leave paid at 50 percent or more of salary for which the teacher had not made the required contributions during the term of the leave.
3. Attendance at University Up to one year of absence from teaching for the purpose of attending a university* or other institution of learning approved by the Federation, provided the teacher has at least one year of contributory service in Saskatchewan prior to the attendance at an institution of learning, and the service purchased plus periods of sabbatical leave do not exceed one year. Verification of full-time attendance must be provided by the educational institution. If attendance is less than full time, the combination of attendance and teaching service during the attendance periods must equal full time (e.g., university attendance 75 percent/teaching service 25 percent). All periods of attendance must be while the teacher was on an approved leave of absence.

   *May include full-time attendance at intercession up to June 30. Attendance during July and August is not eligible for purchase.

4. Deferred Salary Leave Plan Period or periods of time to a maximum of one year of service coinciding with the leave period of a Deferred Salary Leave Plan.
5. Compassionate Care Up to one year of absence or reduced service to provide care or support to a family member who is faced with a serious medical condition or disability. For the purposes of this subsection only, family member, medical condition and disability shall be determined in accordance with the policies of the STF. No interest is charged if the purchase of service is within two years from the end of the compassionate leave.
6. Private School Up to seven years of teaching service in a private school in Saskatchewan that is subject to The School Attendance Act or The School Grants Act.
7. Outside Service (in Canada) Up to 15 years of teaching in a school located outside of Saskatchewan, but in Canada, or in a school in Saskatchewan for which the Government of Canada is partly or wholly responsible (band school), provided the following conditions have been met:
   • The position required a valid teaching certificate recognized by the Ministry of Education:
   • Such service is not eligible to transfer to the Plan by virtue of a reciprocal agreement or was not eligible to transfer via reciprocal agreement when that service was withdrawn from the other registered pension plan; and
   • The teacher has at least the same number of other contributory years of service in the Plan as the number of years being purchased.
8. Provincial Schools Teaching service in provincial schools if the individual held a valid Saskatchewan teacher’s certificate.
9. Saskatchewan Urban Native Teacher Education Program Teaching service while in a position requiring a teaching certificate recognized by the Ministry of Education in the Saskatchewan Urban Native Teacher Education Program.