Canada Student Loan forgiveness for family doctors and nurses - What you need before you start

Loan forgiveness period

A loan forgiveness period is a period of 12 consecutive months during which you have been employed or in practice and have provided in-person services for a minimum of 400 hours in an under-served rural or remote community.

You must complete a full 12-month loan forgiveness period before applying for this benefit and a subsequent loan forgiveness period may only begin after an approved period has ended.

The first loan forgiveness period cannot have started before July 1st, 2011. It is up to you to indicate in your application a loan forgiveness period that conforms to these criteria. Once you have completed your loan forgiveness period, you have 90 days to apply for this benefit. Your loan balance will then be reduced as of the day after the end of your loan forgiveness period.

Sick leave and parental leave

If you take a leave during the 12 months of service for less than one month and you are able to complete 400 hours of in-person service, you will still be eligible for loan forgiveness. If your leave is longer than one month and/or it prevents you from completing 400 hours of in-person service, you will be expected to provide documentation to show that you received one or more of the following Employment Insurance benefits:

• Maternity and Parental Benefits
• Sickness Benefits
• Compassionate Care Benefits
• Family Caregiver Benefits