One application. 17 lenders from our 50+ network. Funded in 24 to 48 hours.
17 lenders in our network do not publish a minimum credit band. Borrow $100 to $150,000 at 9.99 to 35% APR, with funding as fast as 1 hour. Every lender is subject to the 35% federal rate cap. Most lenders ask for $1,500 monthly income. Rates reviewed August 2026.
Apply NowOne application routed to where you qualify.
Your lender options
Every Apply button starts the same single application. Your chosen lender is prioritized first.
Show only lenders I qualify for
Four questions about you, and it filters this list instantly.
Answer the last question to see your matches.
Checked against published lender criteria. Not a credit check, and nothing here affects your credit score.
Best for Borrowers who want branch support and the option to scale from a small unsecured loan to a large secured one · Instalment loan · Also offers: secured loan
A thin file is not a bad file, but systems treat them alike
Credit history does not cross borders. An excellent twenty-year record in another country produces no Canadian score, and automated systems built around scores read that absence the same way they read damage.
The route through is lenders that do not depend on a score.
What is assessed instead
Income and its regularity. 17 lenders publish a minimum monthly income, most commonly $1,500 per month. Steady employment income reads strongly regardless of how long the file has existed.
Banking history in Canada. Even a few months of deposits and normal account conduct is assessable data. This is why opening a Canadian account early matters more than most newcomer advice suggests.
Status. Permanent residents are assessed like citizens by most lenders. Work permit holders are assessed by some, and where a permit is involved, lenders generally want validity extending beyond the loan term.
Building a Canadian file quickly
In rough order of speed:
A secured credit card. The fastest route to reported revolving history. Approval does not depend on existing credit
Utilities and phone in your own name. Some report, and it establishes verifiable residency
A small instalment loan repaid on time. Adds credit mix, which a card-only file lacks
Time. Age of accounts is a scoring factor nothing accelerates
Six months of clean conduct produces a usable file. Two years produces a competitive one.
What to avoid
Applying widely. Inquiries weigh more on a thin file than a thick one
Anyone charging for credit-building services. A secured card from a bank costs an annual fee, not a service charge
Assuming a decline is about status. Frequently it is about score absence, which a different lender assesses differently
Common questions
Can newcomers to Canada get a personal loan?
Yes.
Do I need a Canadian credit history?
Not at every lender. Several assess banking behaviour directly, which works with a few months of account history.
Can I get a loan on a work permit?
Some lenders accept work permit holders. Most want the permit valid beyond the loan term.
How long until I have a usable credit score?
Generally six months of reported activity produces a score. Building a competitive one takes longer.
