The Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) is cutting 30 permanent faculty positions in 2026. (Global News)

SAIT is facing serious financial challenges, including:

• A steep decline in international student enrollment
• A provincially-implemented 2% cap on increases in tuition and fees for domestic students

“[These changes require] the institution to make difficult, but necessary, budget adjustments,” spokesperson Chris Gerritsen said in a statement.

“We are currently working through organizational and workforce adjustments.”

This page explains:

• What’s happening with SAIT layoffs
• Whether a layoff at SAIT is permanent
• How much severance non-unionized SAIT employees may be owed
• What to do before signing a severance offer

Important: This guide applies to non-unionized employees at SAIT, which is a provincially regulated employer. If you’re unionized, only your union can represent you.

Is a Layoff at SAIT Temporary or Permanent?

For non-unionized employees at SAIT, a layoff is almost always treated as a termination without cause, even if the following language is used:

• “Restructuring”
• “Reorganization”
• “Transformation”
• “Temporary layoff”

Unless your employment contract explicitly allows for SAIT to temporarily lay you off, the company can’t place you on indefinite layoff without terminating your employment — meaning they must provide full severance pay.

Severance Pay for SAIT Staff

Non-unionized employees, including those at SAIT, are often owed far more severance...

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