The Super Visa lets parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents visit Canada for extended stays on a long-validity, multiple-entry visa. A central part of qualifying is the income test: the host in Canada must show they earn enough to support the visiting parent or grandparent on top of their own household. That threshold is tied to the low income cut-off (LICO) minimum necessary income and rises with family size. In 2026 the headline news is a change that took effect March 31, 2026: IRCC now assesses the host's income over either of the two taxation years before the application instead of only the most recent year, and it allows the visiting parent's or grandparent's own income to be combined with the host's to help meet the threshold once the host reaches a set share of the required amount. The host must be a Canadian citizen, a registered Indian under the Indian Act, or a permanent resident, and the visitor must also carry private medical insurance. This page explains the income rules in plain language so you can plan; it is education, not legal advice, and you should always confirm the current LICO figures on canada.ca because they are updated every year and an officer makes the final decision.
What changed on March 31, 2026
The biggest 2026 update is how IRCC measures the host's income. Before this change, IRCC generally looked at the host's income for the single most recent taxation year. Effective March 31, 2026, the host (and a co-signing spouse or common-law partner, if there is one) can meet the minimum necessary income in either of the two taxation years immediately before the application is made. This matters because a single bad year, a parental leave, a job change, or a year of self-employment losses no longer automatically sinks an otherwise stable application: if the income was high enough in either of the two years, that can be enough.
The second part of the change lets a visiting parent's or grandparent's own income count toward the threshold. If the host's household income falls short of the required amount but reaches a set minimum share of it, the visiting parent or grandparent can add their own income to make up the difference. As of mid-2026, IRCC had announced this flexibility but families should confirm the exact qualifying percentage and the documentation needed on canada.ca, because the precise threshold and the rules for which income counts (for example, income that is verifiable through the Canada Revenue Agency) are set by IRCC and can be clarified over time.
What this means for you: IRCC has said the new rules apply both to applications submitted on or after March 31, 2026 and to applications already in processing on that date, so some families already in the queue benefit automatically. The change does not lower the underlying LICO figures; it changes which years and whose income can be used to meet them. Always read the current instructions on the official Super Visa page before you apply.
The LICO income table (how the threshold is set)
The Super Visa income test is based on the low income cut-off (LICO) minimum necessary income for the relevant family size. The idea is straightforward: the more people the host is responsible for, the higher the income they must show, because the visiting parent or grandparent is added to the household the host already supports. You count the host, the host's spouse or partner and dependent children, the parents or grandparents being invited, and anyone else the host is financially responsible for or sponsoring.
The figures move every year and IRCC publishes the exact dollar amounts by family size, so treat any table you see elsewhere as directional only. As a rough sense of scale, the minimum necessary income for a family unit of 2 is in the low tens of thousands of dollars and climbs by several thousand dollars for each additional person. Rather than rely on a number copied from a blog, confirm the current LICO figures on canada.ca for the year that applies to your application, because using a stale figure is a common reason a Super Visa income calculation comes up short.
Two practical notes. First, the size of the family unit includes the visiting parents or grandparents themselves, so a couple inviting both parents is counted as a larger unit than a couple inviting one parent. Second, the income you show is generally your income as assessed by the Canada Revenue Agency (for example, as reflected on a Notice of Assessment), which is why the two-year window introduced on March 31, 2026 is measured in taxation years rather than calendar months.
Mandatory medical insurance
Separate from the income test, every Super Visa applicant must have private medical insurance covering the visiting parent or grandparent. This is a requirement set by IRCC, but the insurance itself is bought from an insurer, and proof of paid coverage is part of the application. The coverage must be valid for the period of the intended stay, and the policy details (including the coverage amount and the validity period) are checked against IRCC's current rules.
Historically the policy has had to provide at least CAD $100,000 in coverage for health care, hospitalization, and repatriation, and be valid for at least one year from the date of entry. Since January 28, 2025, IRCC has allowed coverage from approved insurers outside Canada in addition to Canadian insurers, which gives families more options. Because both the minimum coverage amount and the list of acceptable insurers are set by IRCC and the insurers, confirm the current minimum coverage figure and the eligible insurer rules on canada.ca and with the insurer before you buy a policy.
What this means for you: the insurance and the income test are checked together but are different requirements. Meeting the LICO income threshold does not remove the need for valid medical insurance, and having insurance does not remove the need to meet the income threshold. Plan for both at the same time so a missing piece does not delay the application.
Super Visa vs the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP)
It is easy to confuse the Super Visa with the Parents and Grandparents Program, but they are very different. The Super Visa is a temporary resident visa: it lets a parent or grandparent visit for long, extended periods (with stays authorized for years at a time and a long-validity, multiple-entry visa), but it does not grant permanent residence. The PGP is a sponsorship program that leads to permanent residence for the parent or grandparent. The income test on this page is the Super Visa test; the PGP has its own, generally higher, income requirements measured over multiple years.
Status of each in 2026: the Super Visa is open and is the route IRCC is steering most families toward. The PGP, by contrast, is paused for new intake in 2026. IRCC confirmed it would not open a new intake for the Parents and Grandparents Program in 2026 and is limiting processing to a capped number of applications from people who were already invited in earlier rounds, in line with lower permanent-resident targets in the Immigration Levels Plan. A future intake could be announced, but no reopening date has been confirmed.
One more distinction that often trips people up: for the Super Visa the host in Canada must be a Canadian citizen, a registered Indian under the Indian Act, or a permanent resident. A person on a temporary status cannot host a Super Visa. So if your relative in Canada is, for example, on a work or study permit, neither the Super Visa nor PGP sponsorship is available to them until their own status changes. What this means for you: choose the route based on whether the goal is extended visits (Super Visa) or permanent residence (PGP), and check the live status of each program before building a plan around it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Super Visa income requirement in 2026?
The host must meet a minimum necessary income based on the low income cut-off (LICO) for their family size, which includes the parents or grandparents being invited. The exact dollar amounts change every year, so confirm the current LICO figures on canada.ca for the year that applies to your application.
What changed for the Super Visa income test on March 31, 2026?
Two things. IRCC now assesses the host's income over either of the two taxation years before the application, not just the single most recent year. And the visiting parent's or grandparent's own income can be combined with the host's to meet the threshold once the host reaches a set share of the required amount. IRCC says the new rules apply to applications submitted on or after March 31, 2026 and to those already in processing on that date.
Can my parent's own income count toward the Super Visa income requirement?
As of the March 31, 2026 change, yes, in part. If the host's household income reaches a set minimum share of the required amount, the visiting parent's or grandparent's own income can be added to cover the rest. Confirm the exact qualifying percentage and which income is acceptable on canada.ca, as IRCC sets and can clarify these details.
Who can host a Super Visa applicant?
The host in Canada must be a Canadian citizen, a registered Indian under the Indian Act, or a permanent resident, and must meet the income test. Someone on a temporary status, such as a work or study permit, cannot host a Super Visa applicant.
Does the Super Visa require medical insurance?
Yes. The visiting parent or grandparent must have private medical insurance, and proof of paid coverage is part of the application. The policy has historically needed to provide at least CAD $100,000 in coverage and be valid for at least one year. Since January 28, 2025 approved insurers outside Canada are also allowed. Confirm the current coverage amount and eligible insurers on canada.ca and with the insurer.
How is the family size counted for the LICO test?
Count the host, the host's spouse or partner and dependent children, the parents or grandparents being invited, and anyone else the host is financially responsible for or sponsoring. Because the visiting parents or grandparents are included, inviting two parents counts as a larger family unit than inviting one.
Is the Super Visa the same as sponsoring my parents for permanent residence?
No. The Super Visa is a temporary resident visa for extended visits and does not grant permanent residence. The Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) is a sponsorship program that leads to permanent residence and has its own, generally higher, income requirements. The PGP is paused for new intake in 2026, while the Super Visa remains open.
Where can I confirm the official Super Visa income figures?
On the Government of Canada website. The LICO minimum necessary income amounts, the medical insurance rules, and the qualifying details for combining a visiting parent's income are all published and updated by IRCC on canada.ca. Treat any figures you see on other sites as directional and verify the live numbers before you apply.
Guides
Official sources
This page is based on law and policy published by the Government of Canada.