Canadian residents can take out a French mortgage on the same legal terms as anyone else. As non-EU residents, they are typically offered 50–70% financing, so the deposit and purchase costs together come to a large share of the price. Banks convert Canadian dollar income cautiously, count every loan you repay at home against the 35% ceiling, and apply the same criteria whether or not you speak French.
Deposit and loan size
French banks treat Canada as a non-EU country. Lenders that accept these files typically finance 50–70% of the price, and many set a minimum loan for non-residents, commonly between €100,000 and €250,000. Purchase costs of 7–8.5% on an existing home, or 2–3% on a new build, are paid from your own funds.
All your repayments, including borrower insurance and your Canadian mortgage, line of credit or car loan, may not exceed 35% of net household income. The term is 25 years at most. Non-resident files usually price above the averages shown on the rates page.
Canadian dollars and exchange risk
Your loan will be in euros and your income in Canadian dollars. The bank sees the exchange rate as a risk to your ability to repay, so it may convert your income with a margin taken off, or ask for savings held in your French account.
Most French loans are fixed for their whole term, so the euro repayment never changes. Its cost in dollars still moves with the rate. A forward contract can fix the rate for the deposit transfer, and a standing monthly transfer converts repayments at a set margin. Our currency partner arranges both.
Canadian documents French banks ask for
- Passport for each borrower and a recent utility bill as proof of address
- Employed: last three pay stubs, your T4 slips and an employment letter
- Your last two Notices of Assessment from the Canada Revenue Agency
- Self-employed: T1 returns with business statements for two to three years, plus company accounts if you own a corporation
- Three to six months of statements for chequing, savings and investment accounts
- Statements for your Canadian mortgage and any other loans
- Proof of where the deposit comes from, for the bank's and the notaire's anti-money-laundering checks
French banks do not use credit scores, so your Canadian credit report is not part of the assessment. A complete, recent and well-ordered file is what moves it forward.
Speaking French, in Quebec or elsewhere
Speaking French, as many buyers from Quebec do, makes dealing with the bank and the notaire easier, and documents issued in French need no translation. The lending criteria stay the same: banks look at income, existing debts, deposit and insurance exactly as they would for any other non-EU resident.
The broker's job is to know which lenders are taking non-EU files this quarter. Appetite changes, and a regional bank that accepted Canadian buyers in spring may pause by autumn.
Next step
Before you sign a compromis, ask for a loan condition of at least 60 days, since a non-resident file usually takes six to ten weeks to reach a loan offer. If you cannot travel, the notaire can prepare a power of attorney for the deed. Start with the eligibility check and we will introduce you to one broker used to Canadian files.
Questions
Can Canadians get a mortgage in France?
Yes. Lenders that accept non-EU residents typically finance 50–70% of the price for buyers living in Canada, subject to the 35% debt-to-income ceiling.
Does living in Quebec change how a French bank assesses me?
No. The bank applies the same non-resident criteria to every buyer living in Canada. Speaking French mainly makes the paperwork easier.
Which Canadian tax documents do French banks accept?
Usually your T4 slips and your last two Notices of Assessment from the Canada Revenue Agency. Self-employed buyers add two to three years of T1 returns and business accounts.