Published
Pardeep S. Grewal is a lawyer at Lawgical Law Corporation, called to the BC bar in 2024, and a member of the Law Society of British Columbia.
Updated November 12, 2026: IRCC’s super visa pages and the March 31, 2026 income changes checked that day.
The rule: the host’s income must meet the minimum necessary income for the family size.
New since March 31, 2026: if the host (with any co-signer) meets a minimum share of the requirement, the visiting parent’s own ongoing income can cover the rest.
Why a lawyer: the family size count and the year chosen decide the number, and a refusal over income stays on file. Why a lawyer
Our immigration lawyers
Sundeep S. GrewalBarrister and Solicitor
Prabhpreet Kaur SanghaBarrister and Solicitor
Pardeep S. GrewalBarrister and SolicitorAbout our lawyers
Sundeep S. Grewal founded Lawgical Law Corporation and argues immigration cases at the Immigration and Refugee Board and the Federal Court of Canada.
Prabhpreet Kaur Sangha focuses on refugee claims, immigration appeals, inadmissibility, detention reviews and Federal Court cases, and has presented at Continuing Legal Education seminars and the National Immigration Conference.
Pardeep S. Grewal is an immigration and estates lawyer known for clear communication and practical strategy.
The super visa’s income rule is the requirement families most often get wrong. The host in Canada must show income that meets or exceeds the minimum necessary income for their family size, and the family size includes more people than most hosts expect: the visiting parents, the host, the host’s spouse, dependent children, parents already here on a super visa, and anyone the host previously sponsored whose undertaking is still in effect. Since March 31, 2026, hosts can use either of the two tax years before the application, and if the host and any co-signer meet a minimum percentage of the requirement, the visiting parent’s own income can be added to cover the remaining amount. Getting the count and the year right before applying avoids a refusal that stays on your parent’s record.
Lawgical Law Corporation, an immigration law firm in Surrey, Abbotsford and Vancouver, BC, checks super visa income and family size before filing and challenges income-based refusals; this guide is by Pardeep S. Grewal.
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Who counts in the family size?
- The parent or grandparent applying, and any other super visa applicant.
- The host, and the host’s spouse or common-law partner.
- The host’s dependent children.
- Parents or grandparents already approved for a super visa.
- Anyone the host sponsored whose undertaking is still in effect.
The invitation letter must list each person in the count, with names and dates of birth, and state the total.
Two ways to meet the requirement
| Host’s income alone | Host plus the parent’s income | |
|---|---|---|
| Who counts | The host, plus a spouse or common-law partner who co-signs | The host and co-signer first, then the visiting parent’s ongoing income |
| Threshold | The full minimum necessary income | Host and co-signer meet IRCC’s minimum percentage; the parent’s income covers the rest |
| Which year | Either of the two tax years before the application | The most recent tax year or 12 months before the application (IRCC instructions), with proof the parent’s income continues during the stay |
| Typical proof | CRA Notice of Assessment, T4 or T1 | Host’s tax documents, plus the parent’s pension, employment or rental income records |
The parent can’t work in Canada on a super visa, so their income has to come from outside Canada and continue while they’re here, such as a pension or rental income.
Proof IRCC accepts
- CRA Notice of Assessment (preferred), or a T4 or T1 for the tax year used.
- Pay stubs for the most recent 12 months, or an employer letter with job title, duties and salary.
- An accountant’s letter for self-employed hosts.
- Pension statements, Employment Insurance statements, and bank statements.
Worked example
Example. A host in Abbotsford lives with her husband and two children and invites both her parents. The family size is six. Her own income falls short, so her husband co-signs. Together they meet IRCC’s minimum percentage but not the full amount, so her father’s pension from abroad, with statements showing it continues, is used to cover the rest. The invitation letter lists all six people.
Why have a lawyer check the income before you apply?
One lawyer, one file, every step:
- counting the family size correctly, including anyone you sponsored before;
- choosing the tax year and income route that works;
- documenting the parent’s foreign income so it counts;
- challenging an income refusal in the Federal Court if the officer got the numbers wrong.
An income refusal is avoidable, but once it happens it’s on your parent’s record. A short review before filing usually costs less than a refusal and a second application.
Immigration lawyers are members of a provincial law society (in our case, the Law Society of British Columbia), and only a lawyer can take a refusal to the Federal Court. An immigration consultant cannot file or argue it there.
Mistakes I have seen
- Leaving a previously sponsored relative out of the family size.
- Using the wrong tax year when the other year was stronger.
- Counting a parent’s income that stops when they leave home, such as a salary from a job they’re taking leave from.
Frequently asked questions
Does my spouse have to co-sign?
Only if your own income doesn’t meet the requirement. A co-signing spouse or common-law partner adds their income and signs the invitation.
Can my brother’s income count?
Generally no. Only the host and a co-signing spouse or common-law partner count on the host side.
Where is the income table?
IRCC publishes the minimum necessary income amounts on its super visa pages and updates them; check the current table before applying.
What should I do right now?
List everyone in the family size, pull your Notices of Assessment for the last two tax years, and gather your parent’s pension or other foreign income records.
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Sources (official)
- IRCC: Super visa eligibility (modified July 6, 2026)
- IRCC: Super visa, get your documents ready (modified February 10, 2025)
- IRCC notice: changes to how the super visa income requirement is calculated (March 20, 2026; effective March 31, 2026)
This article is general information, not legal advice. Every case depends on its own facts.