Super Visa income rules changed in 2026. Here’s what hosts need to know.

From March 31, 2026, IRCC gives Super Visa hosts two more ways to meet the minimum income. More families now qualify.

To host a parent or grandparent on a Super Visa, the child or grandchild in Canada has to show household income at or above IRCC’s minimum for the size of their family. The minimum is based on Statistics Canada’s low income cut-off (LICO). Until this year, IRCC looked at one tax year only: the one right before the application.

What changed on March 31, 2026

IRCC now accepts two alternative ways to meet the requirement. The new rules apply to applications submitted on or after March 31, 2026, and to applications that were already in process on that date. Families who qualified under the old rule still qualify.

1. Either of the last two tax years

The host, and a co-signer if there is one, can qualify by meeting the minimum in either of the two tax years before the application date. A dip in income in the most recent year, from parental leave, a job change or a slow year in business, no longer has to sink the application if the year before was strong enough.

2. Adding the parent’s or grandparent’s own income

The host must still meet a set minimum share of the threshold, but the visiting parent’s or grandparent’s own income can now be added to cover the rest. IRCC sets that minimum share, so check the current figure before you rely on this method.

How to count your household

Household size includes the host, their spouse or partner, their dependent children, the visiting parents or grandparents, and anyone the host has sponsored whose sponsorship undertaking is still in effect. Getting this number right matters more than anything else in the income calculation.

What evidence to prepare

• CRA notices of assessment for the tax year or years you rely on (IRCC’s preferred evidence);
• T4 or T1 slips, or an employment letter and recent pay stubs, where appropriate;
• for the parent-income method, reliable evidence of the visiting parent’s or grandparent’s own income.

The rest of the file still matters

Meeting the income test doesn’t make a Super Visa automatic. Each applicant still needs eligible private medical insurance with at least $100,000 of coverage for one year, an immigration medical exam, and a file that shows a genuine, temporary visit.

This article is general information, not advice about your situation. Check IRCC’s Super Visa pages for the current income table and the minimum share for the parent-income method before you apply.