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The CanadianPre-Approval Score.

A seven-category file grade against the same lens an A-lender underwriter uses — including the , / ratios, and tracing. No credit pull, no SIN, no documents. Your inputs stay in your browser, persist between visits, and your result has a shareable URL.

Written & reviewed by

Canadian Mortgage Compass Editorial Desk

Last reviewed Q2 2026

Inputs

Tell us about the file

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Province

Land-transfer rules, insurance rules, and lender appetite vary by province.

Primary income type

Lenders read salaried, hourly, commission and self-employed files very differently.

Down payment source

Gifted, borrowed, and RRSP/FHSA sources each have their own paper trail.

Down payment available

Below 20% your file is insured and rules tighten; above 20% you have more flexibility.

Estimated credit score

680+ is A-lender territory; under 620 generally routes to alternative or B-lenders.

Monthly non-mortgage debt

GDS/TDS ceilings cap how much mortgage you qualify for. Debt is the silent killer.

Property target

Pre-construction and rural files add review layers and longer condition lists.

Timeline

An accepted offer compresses every other deadline. Plan for 60–90 days when possible.

No credit pull · No SIN · No file upload

Category deep-read

Why each category scored where it did.

Each card includes the underwriting lens, why the score lands here, and the single highest-leverage thing you could change.

Income confidence

Salaried income with a permanent letter and recent paystubs is the cleanest read for a lender.

Highest-leverage move

Provide a 2-year income picture: T4s, NOAs, and a current employment letter dated within 30 days.

Down payment proof

Lenders trace 90 days of statements for every account contributing to the down payment.

Highest-leverage move

Show 90 days of clean statements per contributing account with no unexplained large deposits.

Credit stability

A-lenders generally want a 680+ beacon plus 2 active trades with 24+ months of history.

Highest-leverage move

Two active trade lines, 24+ months of perfect repayment, and utilization under 30%.

Debt pressure (GDS/TDS)

GDS ceiling is ~39% and TDS ~44% for insured deals. Every $400 of monthly debt drops your max mortgage by roughly $70k.

Highest-leverage move

Pay down or close revolving balances before pulling a pre-approval. Don't add new credit during the window.

Property risk

Detached, urban, fully serviced properties get the cleanest read.

Highest-leverage move

Stay inside lender-friendly property classes until the file is otherwise ironclad.

Timeline risk

More runway means more options. 60–90 days is the institutional sweet spot for a clean pre-approval.

Highest-leverage move

Start the documentation package 60 days before you intend to write an offer.

Documentation readiness

Documentation readiness is the single largest reason files stall between pre-approval and final approval.

Highest-leverage move

Assemble a single PDF dossier: ID, T4s + NOAs (2 years), 90-day statements, employment letter, and any gift letter.

Friction points

What will slow this file down

01Credit stability: A-lenders generally want a 680+ beacon plus 2 active trades with 24+ months of history.
02Income confidence: Salaried income with a permanent letter and recent paystubs is the cleanest read for a lender.
03Down payment proof: Lenders trace 90 days of statements for every account contributing to the down payment.

Document dossier

What this file needs

Government-issued photo ID
Two most recent pay stubs
Employment letter dated within 30 days
Most recent 2 years of T4s and Notices of Assessment
90 days of statements for every down-payment account

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