Canada Super Visa Income Rules in 2026: Family Size, the 75% Option and Insurance

Canada’s Parent and Grandparent Super Visa income test changed on March 31, 2026. A host may now qualify by meeting the required income in either of the previous two tax years, or, under a second option, by meeting at least 75% of the required amount in the previous year and adding the visiting parent’s or grandparent’s eligible income to cover the balance. The family-size count and supporting documents still matter, and meeting the income test does not guarantee a visa.

Who needs to qualify

The host must be the applicant’s child or grandchild, be at least 18, live in Canada, and be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or registered Indian. The host must provide a signed invitation letter and evidence of the required income. The applicant must apply from outside Canada, complete an immigration medical exam, meet the general visitor requirements and provide qualifying private health insurance.

Count the family correctly before checking income

The income threshold depends on family size. IRCC’s count includes the visiting parent or grandparent and any other Super Visa applicants the host will support, the host child or grandchild, the host’s spouse or common-law partner, and dependent children. It can also include people already covered by an applicable Super Visa invitation and people still covered by a sponsorship undertaking. A person may need to be counted even if they are not currently in Canada.

Use IRCC’s current income table for the family size instead of copying an older figure from a saved checklist. If the host’s spouse or common-law partner is a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or registered Indian, that spouse or partner may co-sign and contribute income. A sibling or another relative of the host cannot co-sign the invitation.

Choose one of the current income options

Option 1: the host’s total income, including an eligible co-signer’s income, met or exceeded the required amount in either of the two tax years before the application. IRCC asks for the Canada Revenue Agency Notice of Assessment for the host or co-signer.

Option 2: the host and eligible co-signer met at least 75% of the required amount in the year before applying. The visiting parent or grandparent may add their income to cover the remaining amount. The combined amount must reach the required threshold. Check the current IRCC instructions for which documents to provide; depending on the situation, these can include CRA notices of assessment, tax slips, recent pay statements, an employer letter, bank statements showing income deposits, pension records or rental-income evidence.

The March 31, 2026 rules apply to applications submitted on or after that date and applications already being processed. If an application is being prepared near a tax-year transition, confirm which tax years IRCC will use before selecting the option.

Check the insurance before buying a policy

Each applicant must show qualifying private medical insurance valid for at least one year from the date of entry. It must provide at least CAD $100,000 in emergency coverage and cover health care, hospitalization and repatriation. The policy must be valid for each entry and be paid in full or through instalments with a deposit; an unpaid quote is not enough.

A policy may be issued by a Canadian insurer or by an eligible insurer outside Canada. For an overseas insurer, check IRCC’s conditions: the insurer must be authorized under Canada’s Insurance Companies Act, appear on the OSFI list of federally regulated financial institutions, and have issued or made the policy while doing insurance business in Canada. A broker or claims administrator is not the insurer. Keep the policy available in case a border officer asks to review it.

A Super Visa is still a visitor application

A Super Visa can allow a parent or grandparent to stay for up to five years at a time when the application was made on or after June 22, 2023, subject to the circumstances of entry and the visitor’s status. It is not permanent residence. A person seeking a stay of six months or less may instead consider a regular visitor visa, depending on their circumstances. A pending Parent and Grandparent Program sponsorship application does not itself prevent someone from applying for a Super Visa, but the temporary-visitor requirements still apply.

Before filing

Confirm the host’s status and residence, calculate everyone who belongs in the family-size count, select the income option that the documents actually support, and check the insurer against IRCC’s current rules. Add proof of the relationship to the host, the invitation letter, medical-exam information and any local visa-office documents. Requirements and income thresholds can change, so use the linked IRCC pages on the day the application is prepared. A complete income file supports the application; it does not guarantee approval.

Official sources

Information checked 21 October 2026. The official pages below set out the live rules and document list.

Official source links and check date

IRCC: 2026 Super Visa income calculation changes: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/notices/changes-parents-grandparents-super-visa-income-requirement-calculated.html

IRCC: Proof of financial support and current income table: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/parent-grandparent-super-visa/forms-documents/host-financial-support.html

IRCC: Super Visa forms and documents, including insurance: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/parent-grandparent-super-visa/forms-documents.html

IRCC: Eligibility: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/parent-grandparent-super-visa/eligibility.html

IRCC: How long you can stay: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/parent-grandparent-super-visa/length-stay-canada.html

Checked 21 October 2026. Service information: https://www.premiervisagroup.com/immigration-programmes/canada-super-visa