Mortgages for locum and fee-for-service physicians
By Asim Ali, Mortgage Broker (BC, AB), Mortgage Agent Level 2 (ON), Dominion Lending Centres A.I.M.I. Collective Mortgage Group
Updated
Short answer: in your first years after residency, a medical professional program can qualify you on projected income whether you do locums, bill fee-for-service or join BC's LFP model. After that window, most lenders treat physician billing as self-employment income and average two years of tax returns.
How each way of being paid looks to a lender
| Payment model | How lenders usually see it | What helps |
|---|---|---|
| Locum work | Self-employment; variable | A projected-income program early on, or a permanent offer letter |
| Fee-for-service (MSP billings) | Self-employment, averaged over two years | Billing statements and a clear practice arrangement |
| BC LFP model | Self-employment, read from tax returns | Your LFP enrolment and panel details |
| Salaried or sessional contract | Closer to employment income | The signed contract with salary and term |
BC's Longitudinal Family Physician model
Introduced in 2023, the LFP model pays family physicians for three things: their time, their patient interactions, and the size and complexity of their patient panel. For a mortgage, the structure matters less than how the income shows up on your returns and how long you have earned it.
Practical steps
- If you are within 24 months of finishing residency, check projected-income programs first.
- Keep locum agreements and billing statements organized; lenders ask for them.
- If you have an offer for a permanent position, get it in writing with a start date.
- Talk to us before year-end if you expect to apply in the following spring; how you report income matters.
Lender programs change often. Figures on this page are current as of November 2, 2026 and are examples, not offers. Your approval depends on the lender and your full application.
