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

What you need before you start

Loan forgiveness period

A loan forgiveness period is a period of 12 consecutive months where you have been employed or in practice and have provided in-person services for at least 400 hours in an eligible community.

You must complete a full loan forgiveness period before applying for this benefit. Any future forgiveness period may only begin after an approved period has ended.

You will need to show that you meet these criteria in your application. Once you have finished your forgiveness period, you have 90 days to apply for the benefit. Your loan balance will then be reduced as of the day after your loan forgiveness period ends.

Exemptions

Residents in family medicine are exempt from the requirement of being employed in an eligible community for 12 consecutive months. However, your loan forgiveness period must still be 12 consecutive months during which you have provided 400 hours of in-person service in an eligible community.

If you apply as a resident, indicate the start of the loan forgiveness period on your application, and it can be accepted a year after that date. Once you have completed your loan forgiveness period, you have 90 days to apply for this benefit.

Sick leave and parental leave

If you take leave during the 12 months of service for less than one month but 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 benefits:

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