-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 S8MVnlmHqkNhANtn+x8XBi36IISD2ToSCADlzXVOaIoMrk3fH2o4emQzMCnKG01j
 O/pkUZhyV7FqPsupBzYqSg==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001104659-10-046950.txt : 20100901
<SEC-HEADER>0001104659-10-046950.hdr.sgml : 20100901
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20100901164708
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001104659-10-046950
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20100830
FILED AS OF DATE:		20100901
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20100901

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:		101052825

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		WELLPOINT, INC
		STREET 2:		120 MONUMENT CIRCLE
		CITY:			INDIANAPOLIS
		STATE:			IN
		ZIP:			46204

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>2010-08-30</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>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-08-30</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2080</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>9.6166</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>117918</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>5608</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Spouse, Arthur Lee Davis</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Phantom Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-08-30</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>375</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>9.33</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>375</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>13009</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">ACQUIRED ON THE OPEN MARKET.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">THE PURCHASE PRICE REPORTED IN COLUMN 4 OF TABLE 1 REPRESENTS THE WEIGHTED AVERAGE PURCHASE PRICE OF SHARES PURCHASED RANGING FROM $9.61 TO $9.62 PER SHARE.  UPON REQUEST BY THE COMMISSION STAFF, THE ISSUER, OR SECURITY HOLDER OF THE ISSUER, THE REPORTING PERSON WILL PROVIDE FULL INFORMATION REGARDING THE NUMBER OF SHARES PURCHASED AT EACH SEPARATE PRICE.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">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>/s/ Christopher K. Sadeghian, Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-09-01</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
