If you want to bring your parents or grandparents to Canada for an extended visit, understanding the income for super visa in canada is essential before you apply. The Super Visa allows stays of up to five years per entry and a total validity of up to ten years, which is far more generous than a standard visitor visa. But before your parent or grandparent can get one, you, the host, have to prove you meet the required minimum amount.
This guide covers how much income for super visa in canada you need, how your family size is calculated, and what changed in 2026.
What Is the Income for Super Visa in Canada
IRCC calls this the minimum necessary income, or MNI. The income for super visa in canada is based on the Low Income Cut-Off (LICO), a measure published annually that reflects the income level below which a household typically spends a much larger share of its earnings on food, shelter and clothing.
The purpose of the income for super visa in canada requirement is simple. IRCC wants proof that your visiting parent or grandparent will be financially supported by you, not by Canada’s public assistance system, for the entire length of their stay.
The income for super visa in canada is measured using gross income, meaning your total earnings before taxes and deductions. Your take home pay is not the figure that counts here.
How to Calculate Your Family Size
Before you can confirm the income for super visa in canada that applies to you, you need to calculate your family size. This is not just you and your spouse. IRCC requires you to count everyone below:
- You, the host
- Your spouse or common law partner
- Your dependent children, and your spouse’s dependent children, regardless of custody arrangements
- The parent or grandparent applying for the Super Visa, and any other Super Visa applicants included in the same invitation, such as a spouse
- Any previously approved Super Visa holders still covered under a letter of invitation from you or your spouse
- Anyone you or a co-signer have previously sponsored, if that sponsorship undertaking is still in effect
A few examples make the family size calculation, and therefore the income for super visa in canada you need, clearer.
A single host with no children who is inviting one parent has a family size of 2.
A host with a spouse and two dependent children who is inviting both parents has a family size of 6 (1 host, 1 spouse, 2 children, 2 parents).
A host who is divorced, shares custody of two children with a former spouse, and is inviting two parents has a family size of 5. The children still count even though custody is shared.
Minimum Income for Super Visa in Canada by Family Size (2026)
These figures were last updated by IRCC on July 29, 2025, and remain the current thresholds for 2026 applications. All amounts are in Canadian dollars, before tax.
| Family size | Minimum income for super visa in canada |
|---|---|
| 1 | $30,526 |
| 2 | $38,002 |
| 3 | $46,720 |
| 4 | $56,724 |
| 5 | $64,336 |
| 6 | $72,560 |
| 7 | $80,784 |
| Each additional person | add $8,224 |
These numbers are adjusted periodically, so always confirm the current income for super visa in canada table on IRCC’s website before you apply, especially if your application is still months away.
Two Ways to Meet the Income for Super Visa in Canada (Updated March 2026)
As of March 31, 2026, IRCC made the income for super visa in canada requirement noticeably more flexible. There are now two options for proving it.
Option 1: Either of the Last Two Tax Years
Previously, IRCC only looked at your most recent tax year when assessing the income for super visa in canada. Now, you can qualify by showing that your income, including a co-signer’s, if you have one, met or exceeded the required amount in either of the two tax years before you apply. This helps hosts who had a strong income two years ago but a weaker one last year, due to parental leave, a job change, or a slow year for a small business.
The preferred proof for this option is your Notice of Assessment from the CRA.
Option 2: 75 Percent of Your Own Income, Topped Up by the Visiting Parent or Grandparent
If your income in the year before you apply was at least 75 percent of the required income for super visa in canada, you can now add income from the parent or grandparent you are inviting to make up the difference. This might include their pension income, investment income, or rental income, as long as it is properly documented.
This option opens the door for families where the host’s income alone falls just short of the income for super visa in canada, but the visiting parent or grandparent has a verifiable income of their own.
Who Can Co-Sign
Your spouse or common law partner can co-sign the letter of invitation and contribute their income toward the income for super visa in canada requirement, as long as they are a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or registered Indian. Other relatives, such as siblings or parents already living in Canada, cannot co-sign.
Documents You Can Use to Prove Income for Super Visa in Canada
Your Notice of Assessment from the CRA is the preferred document to prove income for super visa in canada. If it is not available, IRCC accepts a combination of the following:
- T4 or T1 slips for the most recent tax year
- Pay stubs covering the most recent 12 month period
- An original letter from your employer stating job title, job description and salary
- Bank statements from the last calendar year showing investment income or regular deposits from employment or pension
- Proof of other income, such as pension statements or rental agreements showing amount and frequency
If you are self employed, an accountant’s letter confirming your annual income is generally accepted alongside your tax documents when proving income for super visa in canada.
Common Mistakes That Lead to Refusal
A few errors come up again and again when hosts try to prove income for super visa in canada.
Counting family size incorrectly. Many hosts forget to include previously sponsored relatives or a spouse’s dependent children, which understates the income for super visa in canada that actually applies to them.
Using net income instead of gross income. IRCC bases the income for super visa in canada on gross income, specifically line 15000 on your Notice of Assessment.
Submitting incomplete documentation. A Notice of Assessment without the supporting page, or an employer letter missing salary details, is a common reason applications get sent back or delayed.
Applying with a marginal income and no backup plan. If your income is close to the income for super visa in canada threshold, consider whether a co-signer, the two-year assessment window, or a contribution from the visiting parent or grandparent could strengthen your application before you submit it.
Final Thoughts
The income for super visa in canada is not designed to be a barrier for the sake of it. It exists so that the parents and grandparents visiting Canada are properly supported and do not need to rely on public funds. With the 2026 changes giving hosts two ways to qualify instead of one, more families now have a realistic path to meeting this requirement, even if last year’s income fell short.
Since these thresholds and rules are updated periodically, it is worth confirming the current income for super visa in canada figures on IRCC’s website or speaking with a licensed immigration consultant before you submit your application, particularly if your family situation is not straightforward.
