Learn · Canada
Canada Student Loan forgiveness for rural family doctors
Work in a rural or small community and Canada forgives part of your student loan. LOCVM shows which postings may count.
1. What is Canada Student Loan forgiveness?
Canada Student Loan forgiveness is a federal program. It cuts the balance of your Canada Student Loan when you work as a family physician in a rural or remote community.
Its goal is to bring doctors to underserved communities. Locum tenens work often happens in small towns, so many locum postings sit in communities that may qualify.
The government calls it Canada Student Loan forgiveness for family doctors and nurses.
Work in an eligible community
Rural or small
Finish a year of service
In person, in that community
Apply to Canada
Once for each year
Your loan balance goes down
For up to five years
2. Who qualifies
See the official eligibility page for the full rules.
Who
Family doctors and family medicine residents
The official list does not name specialists.
Where
Rural areas and towns of 30,000 people or fewer
The older community definition also stays for doctors until after the 2026 census.
How much work
12 months in a row and 400 hours in person
Family medicine residents do not need the full 12 months.
3. What you get each year
The amount grows with each year of service. The years do not have to be in a row.
- $8,000Year 1
- $10,000Year 2
- $12,000Year 3
- $14,000Year 4
- $16,000Year 5
4. LOCVM checks it for you
Every posting is matched against the list of eligible areas using the workplace postal code. The result shows in the posting details. If the address changes, LOCVM checks again.
The label is a guide, not a promise. Canada confirms eligibility when you apply.
Posting details
Loan forgiveness:
Eligible
5. How to apply
You apply to the National Student Loans Service Centre. You apply once for each year of service, within 90 days after the year ends. Your loan must be in good standing, so keep your payments current.
Keep these records during your year
Pick one way to apply
Online
- 1Sign in to the National Student Loans Service Centre (NSLSC) with My Service Canada Account
- 2Complete the loan forgiveness application
- 3Submit it within 90 days of finishing your year of service
By mail
- 1Download the application (SDE0094) and the Employment Attestation (SDE0110)
- 2Fill in both forms. Check the forms to see who signs the attestation
- 3Mail them to NSLSC, P.O. Box 4030, Mississauga, ON L5A 4M4
After you apply
- Canada confirms your eligibility when it reviews your application
- If approved, your loan balance goes down
- Your monthly payment goes down too, unless you opt out on the form
- Apply again each year. NSLSC sends a reminder if you may be eligible
Not covered: private loans, lines of credit, Ontario Medical Resident Loans, provincial loan balances. Only the federal part of a loan qualifies. Your province may have its own program for its part.
6. FAQ
Do the five years have to be in a row?
No. Each year is its own application, and the years can be apart.
What if I take leave during my year?
Leave of a month or longer must be for an eligible reason, such as illness, injury, quarantine or caring for a newborn. You may still qualify if you meet the other rules.
Last reviewed against Canada.ca. Program rules change, so check the official pages before you apply.
Find out which locums are eligible
Sign up to see the loan forgiveness label on every locum posting on LOCVM, and match with the ones that fit you.
Curious about rural and industrial work? Read the free occupational medicine guide.