Financing · Newcomers · 2026
No credit score is not a refusal, it is a different file. Here are the two programs, the exact list of documents that replace the score, and the four mistakes that sink newcomer files.
With no Canadian credit file, a newcomer gets a mortgage at the market rate through two programs: CMHC Newcomers (permanent residents and work-permit holders, owner-occupied, price under $1.5 million, 5% down, no minimum period of residency) and Sagen New to Canada (arrived five years ago or less, 5% down for a permanent resident, 10% on a work permit depending on the lender). Instead of an Equifax score, the lender accepts an international credit report (Equifax or Experian from your country, or a recognized credit bureau), a reference letter from your bank of origin, and twelve months of proof of rent and two utilities (electricity, phone, insurance). Income must be Canadian: permanent contract or probation completed, two pay stubs, employer letter; foreign income does not count. The down payment must have been in Canada for 90 days with the wire trail. The mistakes that get files refused: a Canadian credit card opened too late (open one on arrival and pay it monthly), a permit with less than 183 days left, a down payment transferred the week of the offer, a job still on probation.
| CMHC Newcomers | Sagen New to Canada | |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Permanent resident (all products), or legally authorized to work in Canada (work permit) for an owner-occupied property | Permanent resident or work permit, arrived 5 years ago or less |
| Minimum time in Canada | No minimum | No minimum, but 5 years maximum since arrival |
| Down payment | 5% (1-2 units, loan up to 95%); 10% (3-4 units) | 5% permanent resident; 10% work permit, lender dependent |
| Price | Under $1.5 million (owner-occupied) | Under $1.5 million |
| Credit accepted | International credit report, letter from bank of origin, other proof of creditworthiness | International report, or 12 months of rent + 1 utility, or bank reference letter |
| Premium | Standard schedule: 4.00% (5% down), 3.10% (10%), 2.80% (15%); 9% tax at the notary | Same schedule |
| Rate | Market rate (5-year fixed 4.24%, insured 4.09% as of 09/04/2026) | Market rate |
Credit report from your country of origin (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion or the national bureau) or, failing that, a reference letter from your bank of origin stating the length of the relationship and the good standing of accounts and loans; 12 months of statements showing rent payments (cheques, transfers, landlord receipts) and two utilities (Hydro-Québec, phone, car insurance, daycare); proof of status (PR card, confirmation of permanent residence, work permit with expiry date); social insurance number; employment contract and two pay stubs, employer letter; 90 days of down-payment statements in Canada and the trail of the transfer from abroad (source account statement, wire confirmation, exchange rate); gift letter if applicable. With this file, a broker gets a pre-approval in three to five days.
On arrival: a Canadian credit card (secured if needed, $500 to $1,000 deposit), used under 30% of the limit and paid in full every month; a phone plan in your name; an account at the same institution as the future lender. Six to twelve months of this produce a usable score (often 650 and up), which opens every lender and not only the newcomer programs. Do not stack credit applications in the 90 days before the mortgage.
Waiting to open Canadian credit (every month counts); buying on a permit expiring in less than 183 days (renew first, or wait for permanent residence); transferring the down payment the week of the offer (the lender wants 90 days and the trail); making an offer during probation (most lenders wait for it to end or ask for a letter waiving it). For a refused file, the solutions in order are on our French page refus hypothécaire.
Yes, through the CMHC Newcomers and Sagen programs, with an international credit report or 12 months of rent and utilities paid, and Canadian income.
No minimum at CMHC; Sagen accepts up to five years after arrival. What matters is Canadian employment and a documented down payment.
No, it is the insured market rate; only the insurance premium is added to the loan, as for any buyer with less than 20% down.
Not for qualification; only verifiable Canadian income is used. Foreign savings count toward the down payment if traceable.
To run your own numbers: the commission calculator, our fees and the mortgage calculator. French versions are linked below.
The Loaa & Manseur team, led by Lotfi Manseur and Loaa Al Daow, is the number 1 team at RE/MAX Platine in 2024 and 2025, 6th RE/MAX team in Quebec, 15th in Canada and in the global top 50 of large residential teams according to the official RE/MAX ranking, computed on actual transactions. Its Google profile counts 221 reviews with a 4.9 rating. Its offices are at 55 avenue de l'Équinoxe in Brossard, one bridge from the island, and every broker's licence can be checked in the OACIQ public register. Three things to verify yourself before calling us, and to demand of any other broker.
Also available in French: version française de ce guide.
Published September 7, 2026 by the Loaa & Manseur team, the number 1 team at RE/MAX Platine in 2024 and 2025, 6th RE/MAX team in Quebec, 15th in Canada and in the global top 50 according to the official RE/MAX ranking. Tell us about your project.
Équipe no 1 de RE/MAX Platine en 2024 et en 2025, 6e au Québec, 15e au Canada et dans le top 50 mondial au classement officiel RE/MAX. Réponse en moins de 24 heures, sept jours sur sept.