March 2026 Super Visa Income Changes: What You Need to Know
Effective March 31, 2026, IRCC introduced two changes to super visa income qualification rules. Both changes work in sponsors' favour — making it easier, not harder, to qualify.
Correction to common misconceptions
Some websites describe these changes as a new stricter two-year requirement where sponsors must satisfy the income threshold in both recent years. That is wrong. The actual change gives you a two-year window and lets you pick whichever year is stronger. It is an easing of the rules.
Change 1: Two-Year Lookback Window
Previously, IRCC assessed income from only the most recent tax year before your application. If that year happened to be low — due to a job change, parental leave, starting a business, or any other reason — you might not qualify, even if the year before was well above the threshold.
Starting March 31, 2026, you can qualify using income from either of the two taxation years preceding your application date. You only need to meet the LICO threshold in one of those two years, whichever is more favourable to you.
Example
You have a household of 4 (yourself, spouse, one child, one parent visiting). The MNI threshold is $56,724. Your 2024 income was $58,000 but your 2025 income dropped to $48,000 because you changed jobs mid-year.
Old rule: Only 2025 counts. $48,000 is below $56,724. You do not qualify.
New rule: You can use 2024 ($58,000). You qualify.
Change 2: Parent Income Supplementation
The second change allows the visiting parent or grandparent to contribute their own Canadian income toward meeting the threshold. If your income is close but falls slightly short, this can close the gap.
Key limitation: 75% floor
The host must independently meet at least 75%of the MNI threshold in the most recent tax year before the parent's income can be counted. Parent income fills the remaining gap up to 100%. Only Canadian-source income verifiable through the CRA qualifies.
Additional rules for parent income supplementation:
- Only Canadian-source income qualifies. Income earned in the parent's home country does not count.
- The income must be verifiable through the Canada Revenue Agency.
- This is a supplement to the host's income, not a replacement for it.
MNI Thresholds — effective July 29, 2025
| Household Size | Minimum Income |
|---|---|
| 2 people | $38,002 |
| 3 people | $46,720 |
| 4 people | $56,724 |
| 5 people | $64,336 |
| 6 people | $72,560 |
| 7+ people | $80,784 |
Source: canada.ca — IRCC host financial support (MNI table) — checked June 24, 2026
What Should You Do?
- Pull both NOAs — get your 2024 and 2025 Notices of Assessment from the CRA. Use whichever year puts you above the LICO for your household size.
- Calculate your household size carefully — include yourself, your partner, dependent children, and the parent(s) being sponsored.
- Consider a co-signer — a spouse or common-law partner can co-sign, combining incomes.
- Ask your parent about Canadian income — if your 2025 income is at least 75% of the threshold, your parent's CRA-verifiable Canadian income can fill the remaining gap.
- Get insurance early — you need proof of paid insurance before submitting your application. Quotes are not accepted.
Official source
IRCC notice: “Changes to how the income requirement is calculated for the super visa” — published March 20, 2026.
Source: canada.ca — IRCC: Changes to income requirement for super visa (March 20, 2026) — checked June 24, 2026
Check If You Qualify Under the New Rules
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