-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 QaGPtcF3o/7/UVv40pEsWfjng7QqxEKNUUzA7sv2tiOD6TFCah1U4tzJxeE2ltyT
 d7kFs+QWAhtoajgwaBYnxA==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001104659-09-020042.txt : 20090325
<SEC-HEADER>0001104659-09-020042.hdr.sgml : 20090325
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20090325170118
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001104659-09-020042
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20090323
FILED AS OF DATE:		20090325
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20090325

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			WARD JACKIE M
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001086247

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-21272
		FILM NUMBER:		09704569

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		BUILDING G FOURTH FLOOR
		STREET 2:		5775 PEACHTREE-DUNWOODY ROAD
		CITY:			ATLANTA
		STATE:			GA
		ZIP:			30342

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			SANMINA-SCI CORP
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000897723
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARDS [3672]
		IRS NUMBER:				770228183
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			0930

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		2700 N FIRST ST
		CITY:			SAN JOSE
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			95134
		BUSINESS PHONE:		4089643500

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		2700 N FIRST ST
		CITY:			SAN JOSE
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			95134

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	SANMINA CORP/DE
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19930729

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	SANMINA HOLDINGS INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19930223
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>a4.xml
<DESCRIPTION>4
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2009-03-23</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000897723</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>SANMINA-SCI CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>SANM</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001086247</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>WARD JACKIE M</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>2700 NORTH FIRST STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SAN JOSE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>95134</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Phantom Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-03-23</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>19577</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.31</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>19577</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>60651.5475</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">PHANTOM STOCK PURCHASED ON BEHALF OF THE REPORTING PERSON PURSUANT TO THE ISSUER'S DIRECTOR DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN (&quot;PLAN&quot;). UNDER SUCH PLAN, PARTICIPANTS MAY ELECT TO DEFER PAYMENT OF THE BOARD RETAINER AND MEETING FEES, WHICH ARE CONVERTED INTO A NUMBER OF SHARE UNITS CALCULATED BY DIVIDING THE AMOUNT OF THE RETAINER AND FEES DEFERRED BY THE CLOSING STOCK PRICE ON THE DAY SUCH AMOUNTS WOULD HAVE OTHERWISE BEEN PAYABLE.  PHANTOM STOCK IS PAID IN THE FORM OF SHARES OF THE ISSUER'S COMMON STOCK (AND CASH IN LIEU OF ANY FRACTIONAL SHARES) FOLLOWING TERMINATION OF THE REPORTING PERSON'S SERVICES AS DIRECTOR.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Chris K. Sadeghian, Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-03-25</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----