21st Century
Visitors to Canada and Super Visa plans
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Updated for the March 31, 2026 rules
Super Visa income requirements 2026: who qualifies and how to prove it
The minimum income for every family size, the two ways to qualify since March 31, 2026, and a calculator that checks both.
How much does the host need to earn in 2026?
To invite a parent or grandparent on a Super Visa, you (the host in Canada) must earn at least the minimum necessary income (MNI) for your family size: $46,720 for 3 people, $56,724 for 4 and $64,336 for 5. Since March 31, 2026, IRCC accepts two ways to meet it. Option 1: you, with a co-signing spouse if needed, meet 100% in either of the last two tax years. Option 2: you meet at least 75%, and the visiting parents' own foreign income covers the rest, up to 25%. The new rules apply to every application decided from that date, including ones already in processing.
This page is only about the income test. The rest of the application (eligibility, forms, fees, the medical exam) is on my Canada Super Visa guide, and the medical insurance rules are on the Super Visa insurance requirements page.
Minimum necessary income for a Super Visa, 2026
Based on Statistics Canada's low income cut-off (LICO). The two right-hand columns show the Option 2 split: what the host must earn at minimum, and the most the parents' income can add.
| Family size | Minimum income (100%) | Option 2: host at least 75% | Option 2: parents add up to 25% |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $30,526 | $22,894 | $7,632 |
| 2 persons | $38,002 | $28,502 | $9,500 |
| 3 persons | $46,720 | $35,040 | $11,680 |
| 4 persons | $56,724 | $42,543 | $14,181 |
| 5 persons | $64,336 | $48,252 | $16,084 |
| 6 persons | $72,560 | $54,420 | $18,140 |
| 7 persons | $80,784 | $60,588 | $20,196 |
| Each extra person | +$8,224 | +$6,168 | +$2,056 |
Super Visa income calculator: Option 1 and Option 2
Build your family size, enter the host's income and, if needed, the parents' income in their own currency. The calculator tells you which option you meet and by how much.
1. Family size
HostYou, the child or grandchild in Canada
Spouse or common-law partnerIncluding a separated spouse
Dependent childrenYours and your partner's
Parents or grandparents applying nowApplying together
People you still supportValid Super Visa you signed for, or active sponsorship
2. Host income (with co-signing spouse)
3. Parents' own yearly income (Option 2)
Option 1 vs Option 2 at a glance
IRCC announced the change on March 20, 2026, and it took effect March 31, 2026. Families who met the old rule still qualify under Option 1.
| Option 1: host income alone | Option 2: host + parents' income | |
|---|---|---|
| Host must show | 100% of the MNI | At least 75% of the MNI |
| Period assessed | Either of the two tax years before applying | The most recent tax year or the most recent 12 months |
| Parents' income | Not needed | Covers the rest, up to 25% of the MNI; both parents' incomes can count |
| Main proof | CRA Notice of Assessment (T4 or T1 if the NOA is missing or incomplete) | NOA, or for 12 months: T4/T1, pay stubs, employer letter, pension and bank statements |
| Best for | Hosts whose income was high enough in one of the last two years | Hosts just under the line, or whose income rose recently, with parents who have a pension or other income |
Who counts in your family size
- You, the host
- Your spouse or common-law partner, including a separated spouse
- Your and your partner's dependent children, regardless of custody or support arrangements
- The parents or grandparents applying now, and anyone applying with them (such as the parent's spouse)
- Anyone you or your partner signed for on a Super Visa that is still valid
- Anyone you sponsored whose undertaking is still in effect, and their family members
Not counted: other relatives of the applicants, adult siblings who are not your dependants, roommates and tenants.
Co-signer rules
Only your spouse or common-law partner can co-sign. They must be 18 or older, live in Canada, be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or registered Indian, and be named in the letter of invitation with their relationship to you. Their income is added to yours.
The letter of invitation
It should include a promise of financial support for the visit, the list and number of people in your household, and a copy of your citizenship or PR document. The income evidence goes with it. The other parts of the application, from the forms to the biometrics, are covered step by step in how to apply for the Super Visa.
Inviting both your parents and your in-laws at the same time adds four people to the family size. Run both scenarios in the calculator.
Income documents checklist
Officers decide on a balance of probabilities, so more than one document helps, especially if your income changed recently.
| Host and co-signer | Accepted proof |
|---|---|
| Tax year (Option 1 or 2) | CRA Notice of Assessment; T4 or T1 if the NOA is unavailable or incomplete |
| Recent 12 months (Option 2) | Pay stubs, original employer letter with title, duties and salary, pension statements, bank statements |
| Self-employed | NOA showing net business income; T1 with business statements |
| Parents' income (Option 2) | Accepted proof, covering 12 months |
|---|---|
| Pension | Pension statements, an official letter of annual pension, or bank statements showing regular deposits |
| Remote employment | Employment letter (dates, remote-work terms, pay) and 12 months of wage deposits |
| Investments or business | Bank, investment or business statements for the past year |
| Rental property | Proof of ownership, rental contract and a year of rent deposits |
Parents' income must come from outside Canada and continue during the visit, because Super Visa holders can't work in Canada. Convert it to Canadian dollars at the rate on the day you apply.
Three worked examples
Using the 2026 amounts above.
Couple inviting the wife's parents
Family of 4 · MNI $56,724
The couple earned $45,000. That's under 100%, but above the 75% line ($42,543). The parents need to show at least $11,724 of their own income a year, within the $14,181 cap, for example from a pension.
Single host, one parent
Family of 2 · MNI $38,002
The host earned $36,500 last year but $39,200 the year before. Option 1 works using the earlier year; the parent's income isn't needed.
Family with a past Super Visa
Family of 6 · MNI $72,560
A couple with two children invite the husband's mother, while his father's Super Visa (which they signed for) is still valid. That's 4 + 1 + 1 = 6. Forgetting the father would understate the target by $8,224.
Just under the line? How I work through it with families
Most of the income questions I get are not from families who are comfortably over the minimum. They come from a son or daughter who is a few thousand dollars short and wants to know whether the parents can still come. Before anyone gives up, I go through the same checks, in this order.
- Recount the family size. People often count too many (a brother who lives with you is not part of your family size) or too few (a parent still on a valid Super Visa you signed for). One person changes the target by $8,224.
- Look at both tax years. Under Option 1 you only need 100% in one of the two tax years before you apply. A good year two years ago still counts.
- Add your spouse as co-signer. If your spouse or common-law partner earns anything, their income is added to yours. They must be named in the invitation letter.
- Check the last 12 months. If your income went up recently, Option 2 can use the most recent 12 months instead of a tax year, backed by pay stubs, an employer letter and bank statements.
- Add the parents' own income. If you reach at least 75%, a pension, rent or other foreign income the parents receive can fill the gap, up to 25% of the minimum.
Here is how that plays out with real numbers from the table. A family of 5 needs $64,336. The 75% line is $48,252. A host earning $50,000 is $14,336 short of the full amount, which is within the $16,084 the parents can add. If the parents have a pension or rent of at least $14,336 a year in Canadian dollars, with 12 months of deposits to show it, Option 2 works. If the host earned $47,000, they are below the 75% line, and no amount of parental income closes that gap. Then the only routes are a co-signer, the other tax year, or waiting for a higher Notice of Assessment.
Parents' income is converted at the exchange rate on the day you apply, so a pension that clears the gap by only a small amount can fall short if the currency drops. For families inviting parents from India, I suggest leaving some room. The Super Visa for parents from India page covers the documents those families usually gather.
If none of the five checks gets you there, a regular visitor visa has no income test, but it is for shorter visits. It is better to know that before you pay for a medical exam and a year of insurance.
Mistakes that lead to refusals
Wrong family size
Leaving out a separated spouse, a child in another parent's custody, or someone still on a valid Super Visa you signed for.
The wrong co-signer
A brother, sister or adult child can't co-sign. Only a spouse or common-law partner can.
Gross instead of net
For the self-employed, the NOA usually shows net income after expenses, which can be far below sales.
Weak proof of parents' income
A single letter without 12 months of deposits or statements may not convince the officer.
The other requirement: Super Visa medical insurance
Each parent needs private medical insurance of at least $100,000, valid one year from entry, paid in full or in instalments with a deposit. Typical prices are on the Super Visa insurance cost by age page, and if a full year upfront is hard on top of the application costs, see how monthly payment plans work. Buy online opens the insurer's secure site; Plan details opens our review.
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Super Visa income requirements: frequently asked questions
Can we use the last 12 months instead of a tax year?
Only under Option 2. There the host and co-signer can show at least 75% of the MNI using either the most recent tax year or the most recent 12 months, and the parents' own income covers the rest.
Option 1 (100% from the host alone) looks at the two tax years before you apply and is usually proven with the CRA Notice of Assessment. If your raise came this year, the 12-month route under Option 2 is the one to look at.
Who can co-sign the income for a Super Visa?
Only the host's spouse or common-law partner.
The co-signer must be 18 or older, live in Canada, be a citizen, permanent resident or registered Indian, and be named in the letter of invitation. Their income counts, and they are counted in the family size. A brother, sister or adult child cannot co-sign.
What documents prove the host's income?
The Notice of Assessment for the tax year used. For the 12-month period under Option 2, officers may also look at T4 or T1 slips, pay stubs, an employer letter with job title and salary, pension statements and bank statements.
Submit more than one document when your income has changed recently.
How do parents prove their income from abroad?
With documents covering 12 months: pension statements or an official pension letter, a remote-work employment letter plus 12 months of bank deposits, investment or business statements, or a rental contract with proof of ownership and deposits.
Foreign amounts are converted to Canadian dollars at the exchange rate on the day you apply, for example with the Bank of Canada converter. The income must continue while they are in Canada, because Super Visa holders can't work here.
I am self-employed. Which income counts?
The income on your Notice of Assessment, which is usually net business income after expenses, not gross sales.
Option 1 lets you use the better of your last two tax years, which helps when business income varies.
My application was filed before March 31, 2026. Do the new rules apply?
Yes. IRCC applies the new rules to every application decided on or after March 31, 2026, including those already in processing.
Families who met the old rule still qualify. If you need Option 2, you may need to send additional income documents.
What if our income is below 75% of the minimum?
Then the parents' income cannot help, because Option 2 needs the host to reach at least 75% first. For a family of 4 that line is $42,543.
Check whether a spouse can co-sign, whether the other tax year was higher, and whether the family size was counted correctly. If none of those work, the Super Visa is not available for now.
Does inviting my parents and my in-laws together raise the income we need?
Yes. Everyone applying now is counted, so four parents add four people to the family size.
A couple with one child inviting one set of parents is a family of 5 ($64,336). Inviting both sets at once makes it 7 ($80,784), which is $16,448 more. Some families apply for one set first and the other later, but remember that parents on a still-valid Super Visa you signed for stay in your count.
Written by Pankaj Bhatia, PFA, CHS
Licensed insurance & financial advisor · Insure In Canada Inc. · Mississauga & Cambridge, Ontario
For 11 years Pankaj has helped families bring parents to Canada on the Super Visa. He is a licensed insurance advisor, not an immigration consultant: this guide explains IRCC's published income rules, and he can help you with the insurance part of the application. For advice on your immigration file, speak to a licensed immigration consultant or lawyer.
Income checked? Get the insurance ready
Compare Super Visa insurance for one or both parents, with monthly payment options.
Sources I used, and where to read more
General information based on IRCC's published rules and instructions as of November 2026. IRCC officers decide each application on the documents submitted. Not immigration or legal advice. Exchange rates in the calculator are examples; use the rate on your application date.