Super Visa Income Requirements: What the Host Needs to Show in 2026

The Super Visa is one of the most common files I work on, and income is where most of them go wrong. Not because families don’t earn enough, but because the family size or the income figure was calculated the wrong way. Here’s how it actually works.

Who the host is

The host is the parent’s or grandparent’s child or grandchild. They must be at least 18, live in Canada, and be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or registered Indian. The host invites the parent, promises financial support and shows they meet the income requirement.

How to count family size

The income you need depends on family size, and this is the step people get wrong most often. Include:

• The parents or grandparents you’re inviting, including any other Super Visa applicants you’ll support
• Yourself, the host
• Your spouse or common-law partner
• Your dependent children and your partner’s dependent children
• Anyone you’ve already supported on an approved Super Visa
• Anyone you sponsored whose sponsorship undertaking is still in effect

Then find the minimum for that number on IRCC’s current table. I’m not printing the figures here because IRCC updates them, and an old number in a blog post is how people end up short.

How to show the income

Since the 2026 Ministerial Instructions took effect on March 31, 2026, there are two ways:

1. Either of the last two tax years. Your total income meets the minimum in either of the two tax years before you apply.
2. The 75% option. Your income in the most recent year was at least 75% of the minimum, and the parent adds their own income to cover the rest. The parent then needs to prove that income and show it will continue while they’re in Canada, for example a pension.

Your spouse or common-law partner can co-sign so your incomes are combined. Accepted proof includes your Notice of Assessment from the CRA, T4 or T1 slips, pay stubs from the most recent 12 months, an employer letter with your job title, duties and salary, and statements for pension, investment or rental income.

The insurance requirement

The parent needs private health insurance that:

• Gives at least $100,000 of emergency coverage
• Is valid for at least one year from the date of entry
• Is from a Canadian insurance company, or a foreign insurer approved by IRCC
• Is paid in full, or in instalments with a deposit

The invitation letter

Your letter should include a signed promise of financial support for the whole visit, the list of people in your household, and your status in Canada. Keep it consistent with the income documents and the family size you used.

It’s still a visitor visa

Meeting the income and insurance rules doesn’t guarantee approval. The officer still has to be satisfied your parent is a genuine visitor who will leave at the end of the stay, and the parent needs an immigration medical exam. Ties to home, past travel and a clear purpose for the visit all matter, as with any visitor visa.

If you’d like your numbers checked before you apply, book a consultation. More about how I handle these files is on the Super Visa page.