The U.S. Federal Government approved more than $42 billion in federal student loan debt forgiveness as a part of a program for getting more people to work in public service jobs, according to a report by the Associated Press.

The Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program will use billions of dollars in student loan debt forgiveness for more than 615,000 borrowers in the past 18 months. The program is open to teachers, librarians, nurses, public interest lawyers, military members, and other public workers.

The program will cancel a borrower’s remaining student debt after 10 years of public interest work or 120 monthly payments.

The PSLF program was launched in 2007 but it was too difficult to apply and be approved. The Department of Education said that more than 90% of applicants were rejected. However, in October 2021 the requirements to apply to the program were relaxed, making it easier to be approved.

In July of this year, the Education Department implemented changes to make the application process easier.

A person qualified to this program must have been employed at least 30 hours per week by the Government at any level, public education, a nonprofit that is tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) or a nonprofit that is not tax-exempt but that can provide certain types of qualifying public services.

In addition, the student loan must be received under the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan. Other loan programs such as Federal Family Education Loan or a Federal Perkins Loan should be consolidated into direct loans before applying. Private student loans are not eligible.

As of mid-April of this year, more than 615,000 borrowers have qualified for forgiveness under PSLF waiver.