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Psychiatry mortgages, done right.

Psychiatrists earn through a mix of hospital salary, fee-for-service, and private practice. A lender that reads the mix protects your qualification.

$300,000Projected income, program chart
$1,710,000Home price, 20% down
$1,410,000Home price, 10% down and $150,000 debt

The short answer.

On the physician program's projected income of $300,000 for psychiatrists in the final year of training and the first 36 months of practice, the debt-service ratios allow roughly $1,710,000 with 20% down and no student debt, or about $1,410,000 with 10% down and $150,000 of student debt. Established psychiatrists qualify on actual income, and incorporated psychiatrists on corporate income, which is usually higher.

Contract rate 4.49%, qualifying rate 6.49%, 39% GDS and 44% TDS, property tax 0.75% of price, heating $100 a month, student debt counted at 5.25% over 15 years, program insurance tiers when insured. Rounded to the nearest $10,000. An illustration, not a pre-approval.

How much home can you afford as a physician?

A physician program could add

$0

to the home you can buy.

Regular bank on $95,000 today$0
Physician program on $300,000 projected$0

Estimate at 4.49%, stress tested at 6.49%, with 10% down, below the $1.5M insured limit.

The numbers, with sources.

Projected income the program usesProgram specialty chart, "Psychiatry", final year of training and first 36 months of practice.Source: Physician projected-income program factsheet, September 2023 edition. Full schedule and rules$300,000
Residency lengthThe final-year window, where the specialty figure applies, opens in the last of these years and runs 36 months past completion.Source: Royal College, Psychiatry specialty training requirements, 60 months. Source5 years
Average gross clinical payment per psychiatrist, 2023-2024Gross billings before overhead, counting every physician equally whether full time or not, so take-home is lower. This is what an established practice earns. A lender uses it only once you are past the projected-income window.Source: CIHI, National Physician Database, Payments Data 2023-2024, Table A.3.2, average gross clinical payment per physician, Canada total (released October 30, 2025). CIHI table$315,316
Psychiatrists in Canada, 2024Active physicians, excluding residents and retired physicians.Source: CIHI, Supply, Distribution and Migration of Physicians in Canada 2024, Table 1.0, physicians by specialty, Canada, as of December 31, 2024. CIHI table5,930
20% down, no student debtHome price $300,000 qualifies for$1,710,000
10% down, $150,000 student debtInsured, with the standard premium$1,410,000

What this means for your mortgage.

In your final year of training and for 36 months after, a physician program can use $300,000 as your income when what you actually earn is lower. That lets a psychiatrist buy before the first staff paycheque instead of waiting to build a track record.

Student loans and your line of credit count even if you are not paying them yet. On $300,000, $150,000 owing still leaves room for a home priced $1,410,000 with 10% down, so the debt does not lower what you can buy at this income.

After the 36 months, lenders use what you actually earn. Most established psychiatrists bill through a corporation, and how a lender reads that corporation decides how much you can borrow. We plan the salary and dividend mix with your accountant before you apply.

To pay the least interest, keep the regular payment comfortable and put a lump sum down each year from your bonus or corporate draw. Pick a mortgage with enough prepayment room for that, and a term that fits how long you will stay.

How we work with your corporation

How psychiatrists earn.

Psychiatrists commonly mix hospital salary, fee-for-service billing, and private practice. Many incorporate, particularly those with significant private practice income.

Blended incomeHospital salary plus fee-for-service plus private practice should be combined, not reduced to the easiest piece to document.
Private practicePrivate practice billing is read differently by each lender; a physician-friendly lender uses recent billing history.
IncorporationPsychiatrists with meaningful private practice income often incorporate and benefit from corporate-income qualification.

Incorporation and your qualification.

Psychiatrists with private practice income who incorporate are underqualified by standard lenders that see only the T4. Corporate-income programs read the corporation, typically lifting capacity by 50-80%.

How lenders read a corporation

Psychiatry mortgage questions.

All guides

How much mortgage can a psychiatrist qualify for in Canada?

On the physician program's projected income of $300,000 for psychiatrists in the final year of training and the first 36 months of practice, the debt-service ratios allow roughly $1,710,000 with 20% down and no student debt, or about $1,410,000 with 10% down and $150,000 of student debt. Established psychiatrists qualify on actual income, and incorporated psychiatrists on corporate income, which is usually higher.

How is private practice income treated for a psychiatrist mortgage?

Private practice billing is read differently by each lender. A physician-friendly lender uses recent billing history rather than requiring a long track record, and combines it with salaried and fee-for-service income.

Does student debt count when a psychiatrist applies for a mortgage?

Student loans and your professional line of credit are included in your debt ratios even if they are not in repayment. The payment is calculated at the minimum qualifying rate over a 15-year amortization. Other student revolving credit counts at 1.5% of the balance per month.

How much down payment does a psychiatrist need?

Insured: minimum 10% down, at least 5% from your own resources, the rest may be borrowed or gifted. Uninsured: 20% down, at least 10% from your own resources. Gifts from family are acceptable for any part.

More for psychiatrists.

Run the numbers before you decide.

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Jeff Mudrick
Emily Mudrick
Taylor Atkinson
Craig Austin
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Jeff, Emily, Taylor and Craig
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Ontario, BC and Alberta

Buying as a psychiatrist?

Tell us your stage of training or practice and your province, and we'll put you with the right person.

Jeff Mudrick, Lic. #M21001275Emily Mudrick, Lic. #M26000497BRX Mortgage Inc., Lic. #13463Taylor Atkinson, Licence #MB600364Craig Austin, Lic. #M19001164, Tango Ontario, FSRA #13691
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