Super Visa Canada 2026: Income, Insurance and the New Rule Changes

The Canada super visa lets parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents visit for up to five years at a time, with multiple entries. To qualify, the child or grandchild hosting them must meet a minimum income, and the parent needs one year of private medical insurance and a medical exam. Two 2026 changes make the income test easier to meet: hosts can now use either of their last two tax years, and the parent’s own income can help.

Key points

• Stays of up to 5 years at a time, multiple entries, visa valid up to 10 years.
• Since March 31, 2026: income can be assessed on either of the last two tax years, and the visitor’s income can top up the host’s.
• Since January 28, 2025: insurance can come from approved insurers outside Canada.
• Fees: $100 plus $85 biometrics (as of October 2026).
• With new Parents and Grandparents Program applications paused since July 15, 2026, the super visa is the main way to bring parents for long stays.

Who can apply

IRCC’s eligibility page (updated July 6, 2026) sets requirements for both the host and the applicant.

The host (your child or grandchild) must:

• Be your biological or adopted child or grandchild, with proof of the relationship.
• Be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or person registered under the Indian Act.
• Be at least 18 and live in Canada.
• Meet the minimum necessary income for their family size.
• Write and sign a letter of invitation.

The applicant (the parent or grandparent) must:

• Be outside Canada when applying.
• Be admissible to Canada.
• Have private medical insurance valid for at least 1 year from the date of entry.
• Complete an immigration medical exam.
• Satisfy an officer that they are a genuine visitor who will leave Canada at the end of the visit, with ties to their home country.

The income requirement and the 2026 changes

The host must show household income at or above the minimum necessary income (MNI) for their family size. IRCC’s instructions explain which people to count in the family size, including the visiting parents or grandparents. IRCC publishes the MNI table on its super visa forms and documents page, and updates it periodically, so check the current figures before you apply.

What changed on March 31, 2026

According to IRCC’s notice, there are now two extra ways to meet the income test:

Option	How it works
Two tax years	The host (and co-signer, if any) can meet the requirement using either of the two tax years before the application. Before, IRCC looked only at the most recent year.
Visitor’s income	If the host and co-signer meet a “required minimum percentage” of the income threshold, the visiting parent’s or grandparent’s income can cover the rest.

The new rules apply to applications in processing on March 31, 2026 and to those submitted after. Families who already qualified under the old rules still qualify.

The notice does not state the minimum percentage the host must meet before the visitor’s income counts. Check IRCC’s super visa document checklist for the current figure, and keep proof of the visitor’s income (for example pension statements or tax documents) ready.

Who benefits from the two-year option

This change mainly helps hosts whose income dropped in the most recent year, for example because of parental leave, a job change, or a return to school. If the earlier year met the threshold, the host can use it.

How the two options work in practice

Here is how the rules play out for a typical host (illustration only, no dollar figures):

Host’s situation	Can they meet the test?
Most recent tax year above the MNI	Yes, as before
Most recent year below, previous year above	Yes, using the previous year (from March 31, 2026)
Both years below, but above IRCC’s minimum percentage, and the parent has income	Possibly, by adding the parent’s income
Host and any co-signer below IRCC’s minimum percentage in both years	No

Whichever option you use, you must send documents that prove the income for the year and people you rely on.

Medical insurance

The parent or grandparent must have private medical insurance that:

• Is valid for at least 1 year from the date of entry.
• Comes from a Canadian insurance company, or from a company outside Canada approved by the minister. The option for non-Canadian insurers has applied since January 28, 2025 (IRCC notice).

IRCC sets further conditions, including minimum coverage and proof of payment, in its super visa document checklist. Read the checklist carefully before buying a policy, and confirm that any foreign insurer is on IRCC’s approved list.

Fees

Item	Fee (CAD), as of October 2026
Super visa	$100 per person
Biometrics	$85 per person ($170 family maximum)
Medical exam	Paid to the panel physician
Insurance	Paid to the insurer

Visa-exempt applicants do not pay the super visa or biometrics fee. They get a letter to show the border officer, and may still need an eTA to fly. Source: IRCC apply page.

How to apply, step by step

1. Check eligibility for both host and applicant.
2. Gather the host’s documents: proof of status in Canada, proof of relationship, proof of income (tax documents for the year you are relying on), and a signed invitation letter.
3. Buy qualifying medical insurance for at least one year and keep proof of payment.
4. Book the immigration medical exam with an IRCC panel physician.
5. Apply online from outside Canada through an IRCC account and pay the fees.
6. Give biometrics after you receive the instruction letter. If biometrics were given before, the visa cannot be valid longer than those biometrics.
7. Send your passport for the visa when the visa office asks.

Super visa vs regular visitor visa

	Super visa	Visitor visa
Who	Parents and grandparents only	Anyone
Stay per entry	Up to 5 years	Usually up to 6 months
Income test for host	Yes	No
Medical insurance required	Yes, 1 year	No
Medical exam	Yes	Only in some cases
Fee	$100 + biometrics	$100 + biometrics

If your parent only wants to visit for six months or less, IRCC suggests the regular visitor visa may be a better fit.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Applying from inside Canada. IRCC requires the applicant to be outside Canada when submitting.
• Buying insurance before checking the insurer. A policy from a non-Canadian company only counts if the insurer is approved by the minister.
• Using the wrong tax year. Make sure the income documents you send match the year you are relying on.
• Ignoring biometrics dates. If your parent gave biometrics in the past, the new visa cannot be valid longer than those biometrics. Giving new biometrics may get a longer visa.
• Forgetting the eTA. Visa-exempt parents get a super visa letter, but still need an eTA to fly to Canada.
• Treating the super visa as a path to PR. It is a visitor visa. The parent cannot work in Canada on it and must leave at the end of each authorized stay.

Super visa while a PGP application is pending

If you have a pending PGP sponsorship, IRCC says your parent can apply for a super visa while waiting, or withdraw the sponsorship and then apply. With new PGP intake paused, see our PGP pause explainer.

When to get professional help

If your parent was refused a visa before, has a health condition, or your income situation is complex, a regulated Canadian immigration consultant (RCIC) or lawyer can help. This guide is general information, not legal advice.

What to do next

1. Compare your household income for each of the last two tax years with IRCC’s current MNI table.
2. Decide whether you need the visitor’s income to top up yours, and gather proof.
3. Get insurance quotes from Canadian or approved foreign insurers.
4. Book the medical exam, then apply online.
5. For other family routes, see spousal sponsorship, our Canada hub, and the updates page.