March 2026 Super Visa Income Changes: What You Need to Know

Effective March 31, 2026, IRCC has introduced two significant changes to the super visa income requirements. If you're planning to bring your parents or grandparents to Canada, here's exactly how these changes affect you.

Change 1: Two-Year Income Requirement

Previously, super visa sponsors only needed to demonstrate that they met the Low Income Cut-Off (LICO) threshold for the most recent tax year. Starting March 31, 2026, you must now meet the LICO threshold for two consecutive tax years.

This means you'll need to provide Notices of Assessment (NOA) from the Canada Revenue Agency for both 2024 and 2025. Both years must individually meet the minimum income threshold for your household size.

Why This Matters

If your income dipped below the LICO in one of the two years — perhaps due to a job change, parental leave, or the pandemic recovery period — you may not qualify under the new rules. You should check both years before submitting your application.

Change 2: Parent Income Supplementation

The second change is more favorable: IRCC now allows the parent or grandparent being sponsored to contribute their own Canadian income toward meeting the LICO threshold.

This is particularly helpful for families where the sponsor's income falls slightly below the requirement. If the parent has earned income in Canada (from a previous visit, for example), this can now count toward the total.

Updated LICO Thresholds for 2025

What Should You Do?

1. Check both years of income against the LICO table for your household size
2. File your 2025 taxes early to get your NOA as soon as possible
3. Ask your parent about Canadian income if you're close to the threshold
4. Consider a co-signer if your income alone doesn't meet the requirement
5. Get your insurance early — you need proof of paid insurance before applying