Temporary residents: Super visa
This section contains policy, procedures and guidance used by IRCC staff. It is posted on the department’s website as a courtesy to stakeholders.
The Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship and the Minister of Public Safety have issued Ministerial Instructions regarding the Parent and Grandparent Super Visa (also known as the super visa).
The super visa is a multiple-entry temporary resident visa (TRV), issued with a validity of up to 10 years. The period of authorized stay is 5 years for each entry as per section A29(3). These Ministerial Instructions were issued in accordance with the ministerial authority found in subsection 15(4) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) and took effect on March 31, 2026.
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Eligibility criteria and documentation requirements
The super visa offers eligible parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and persons registered as an Indian under the Indian Act the possibility of visiting Canada for 5 years on each entry.
An applicant is eligible for a super visa if they apply from outside Canada, meet the requirements for temporary residence in Canada as a visitor and provide the additional supporting documentation demonstrating that they meet the requirements in the Ministerial Instructions.
Eligible host and co-signer
Proof of an eligible host includes the following:
- proof of the applicant’s relationship to the host, which may include
- a copy of the child’s or grandchild’s birth certificate
- another official document naming the applicant as the parent or grandparent
- proof of the host’s status in Canada, which may include
- a copy of their Canadian citizenship certificate
- a copy of a permanent residence document
- a copy of their Certificate of Indian Status
- proof that the host is 18 years of age or older and resides in Canada
- proof that the host meets or exceeds the minimum necessary income, based on Statistics Canada’s most recent low income cut-offs (LICO)
Only biological or adopted children may invite their parents or grandparents. They may also invite the spouse or common-law partner of their parent or grandparent (step-parent or step-grandparent), in which case the application must also include proof of the relationship between the parent or grandparent and their spouse or common-law partner (marriage certificate or proof of common-law relationship).
Foreign national with a host who is registered under the Indian Act
A super visa application may include a host child or grandchild who is a registered Indian. In such cases, officers should process the super visa application as usual and should not require additional proof of Canadian citizenship or permanent residence in Canada from the host; the Certificate of Indian Status is the only proof required to prove that the host is a person registered under the Indian Act. Should all the requirements for a super visa be met, officers should issue a super visa, which allows for a stay of 5 years for each authorized entry.
A spouse or common-law partner of the host may co-sign the letter of invitation. Proof of an eligible co-signer (if applicable) must include the following:
- proof of the co-signer’s relationship to the host
- proof of the co-signer’s status in Canada, which may include either
- a copy of their Canadian citizenship certificate,
- a copy of a permanent residence document
- a copy of their Certificate of Indian Status
- proof that the co-signer is 18 years of age or older and resides in Canada
- proof of the co-signer’s income
Letter of invitation
The applicant must provide a letter of invitation written and signed by the host child or grandchild. An eligible spouse or common-law partner of the host may co-sign the letter of invitation to have their income count toward the minimum necessary income.
The letter of invitation and accompanying documentation must include:
- a promise of financial support for the applicant for the length of the authorized stays
- the spouse or common-law partner’s name and relationship to the host, if acting as a co-signer
- a list of all individuals to be included in the family size calculation to assess if the host meets or exceeds the minimum necessary income, including their full names and dates of birth
- a list of all individuals providing proof of income, including their full names and dates of birth. This would include the host, and may include a co-signer, and the applicant(s).
- if both parents, both grandparents, or a parent and their spouse/common-law partner are applying for a super visa at the same time, they may combine their incomes to meet the remainder of LICO.
- a list of all the documents being provided as proof of income by each person whose income is being relied on to meet or exceed LICO.
Medical admissibility
The applicant must provide proof of submitting to an immigration medical exam to determine whether they may be inadmissible on the grounds that they are likely to be a danger to public health or public safety or that they have a condition that might reasonably be expected to cause excessive demand on health or social services, as per section A38.
Health insurance policy
The applicant must provide satisfactory evidence that they have a valid health insurance policy from either
- a Canadian insurance company, or
- an insurance company outside Canada that
- is authorized by the Office of the Superintendent of Financial InstitutionsFootnote * (OSFI) under the Insurance Companies Act to provide accident and sickness insurance and appears on OSFI’s publicly available list of federally regulated financial institutions, and
- has issued or made the policy during the course of its insurance business in Canada
Note: Proof of insurance may appear with the name of the insurance broker or the insurance claims administrator, which are not an insurance company and will not appear on the OSFI list. The name of the company that issues the policy, sometimes referenced as “the insurer” or “the underwriter”, will be identified on the proof of insurance. Under the Insurance Companies Act, all policies that are issued or made by or on behalf of a foreign insurance company in Canada must include a statement that the document was issued or made in the course of its insurance business in Canada.
All health insurance policies should
- be valid for a minimum of 1 year from the date of entry
- be paid in full or in installments with a deposit (quotes are not accepted)
- cover the applicant(s) for health care, hospitalization and repatriation
- provide a minimum of $100,000 emergency coverage per applicant
- be valid for each entry to Canada, and
- be available for review by the border services officer on request
The officer should be satisfied that the applicant has the appropriate health insurance policy for a full year on each entry (initial and subsequent), regardless of the applicant’s method of payment (for example, payment in full or instalments with a deposit). Quotes are not accepted.
Minimum necessary income
To determine the host’s ability to financially support the applicant for the length of the authorized stays, the host must provide proof that they meet or exceed the minimum necessary income, which is based on Statistics Canada’s low income cut-offs (LICO) for the applicable family size.
The income requirement may be satisfied in one of the following ways:
Option 1: Host’s best income of the last two taxation years
The host (and co-signer, if applicable) must provide proof that their total income in either of the two taxation years immediately preceding submission of the application meets or exceeds the most recent LICO.
Acceptable evidence of income is a copy of the Notice of Assessment (NOA), or equivalent document issued by the Minister of National Revenue (Canada Revenue Agency, or CRA).
Where an NOA is unavailable or does not capture all income for the taxation year, officers may also consider the host’s T4 or T1.
Option 2: Host’s income (at least 75% of LICO) supplemented with applicant’s income
The host (and co-signer, if applicable) should provide proof that their total income in the most recent 12-month period or taxation year preceding the date the application is submitted to IRCC meets at least 75% the most recent LICO. Proof of the applicant’s (the visiting parent’s or grandparent’s) income may be submitted to supplement the host’s (and co-signer’s, if applicable) income, up to a maximum of 25% of LICO.
In the event the host invites both their parents, or both their grandparents, then the income of both visiting parents or both visiting grandparents may be considered to supplement the host’s income, for the applicable family size.
The host may also choose Option 2 if they wish to provide proof of meeting the income requirement with their income from the most recent 12-month period preceding the date of filing their application.
Acceptable evidence of income from the host and co-signer is the NOA or equivalent document issued by the Minister of National Revenue (CRA) in respect of the most recent taxation year preceding the submission date of the application.
Where an NOA is unavailable, officers may also consider the following evidence of the host’s (and co-signer’s, if applicable) Canadian income for the most recent 12-month period:
- T4 or T1 for the last tax year
- Pay stubs
- Proof of other sources of income (for example, pension statements)
- An original letter from the employer stating the job title, job description and salary
- Bank statements
Acceptable evidence of income from the applicant(s) includes:
| Source of income | Acceptable Documents |
|---|---|
| Pension |
|
| Employment (remote) |
|
| Investment/business income |
|
| Rental/leasing properties |
|
Evidence of income should cover a 12-month period, in order to establish the host’s (and the co-signer’s and/or applicant(s)’, if applicable) ability to meet the MNI. Generally, applicants should consider submitting multiple documents to prove their income, as this adds to the level of confidence in the documents, and the officer is more likely to be satisfied that LICO is met on the balance of probabilities.
Foreign income can be converted to Canadian dollars according to the conversion rate in effect on the date the application was submitted, using a financial institution’s currency converter website such as the Bank of Canada’s.
Calculating family size
The following individuals must be included in the family size count for the minimum necessary income:
- host
- host’s spouse (which might include a separated spouse) or common-law partner
- dependent children of the host and of the host’s spouse or common-law partner (including dependent children of any dependent children)
- Children who meet the definition of a dependent child must be included in the count, regardless of custody and child support arrangements.
- the super visa applicant and any other super visa applicant applying at the same time (such as the super visa applicant’s spouse or common-law partner)
- previously approved super visa applicants
- These are any super visa holders for whom the host or the host’s spouse or common-law partner has signed or co-signed a letter of invitation, provided the super visa is still valid.
- previously sponsored individuals
- These are individuals the host or co-signer has previously sponsored (or acted as a co-signer for) for whom the duration of the undertaking remains in effect.
- It also includes their family members, whether or not they were included in the undertaking.
Since the super visa is a temporary resident visa, the family members of the super visa applicant are not included in the family size count for the purpose of meeting the minimum necessary income. This is different from the family size count to sponsor a member of the family class.
Note: Undertakings include those from family class and refugee resettlement sponsorships and take effect on the day on which a foreign national becomes a permanent resident. The case processing centre can review the Global Case Management System (GCMS) to confirm if the host or co-signer has previously sponsored any persons. Officers should make a note in GCMS of any person sponsored, or co-signed for, who is still being processed and has not yet become a permanent resident.
Examples for calculating family size and MNI
Example 1
The host is single and has no children. The host is inviting one parent in May 2026. The host’s family size is 2 (the host and the applicant parent).
If the host selects Option 1 to meet the minimum necessary income, they may provide proof of income for either the 2024 or 2025 taxation years. The host’s income in either of these years must meet or exceed the most recent LICO for 2 persons.
The most recent LICO in May 2026 for 2 persons is $38,002. The host must provide their NOA for either 2024 or 2025 showing income of $38,002 or more.
Example 2
The host is married and has 2 dependent children. The host is inviting 2 parents in June 2026. The host’s family size is 6 (the host, their spouse, their 2 children, and the 2 applicant parents). The host’s spouse is not co-signing the letter of invitation.
If the host selects Option 2 to meet the minimum necessary income, they should demonstrate that they meet at least 75% of the most recent LICO (2025) for 6 persons in respect of the most recent year prior to the date the application is submitted. If the host’s income alone is not enough to meet LICO (but meets at least 75% of LICO), the applicants may also provide satisfactory proof of income establishing that they are able to meet the other 25% (or less) of the most recent LICO for 6 persons.
The most recent LICO in May 2026 for 6 persons is $72,560. The host should provide satisfactory evidence that their income for the 12-month period or taxation year prior to submission of the application is equal to or greater than $54,420, and the applicants should provide satisfactory evidence that their income is equal to or greater than the remaining amount required to meet $72,560 (CAD). If the host’s income exceeds 75% of LICO, the percentage to be met by the applicant’s income is adjusted accordingly.
Sample calculations according to the percentage of LICO met by the host’s income:
| Host’s income | Applicant’s income | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage | Amount (CAD) | Percentage | Amount (CAD) |
| 75% | $54,420 | 25% | $18,140 |
| 80% | $58,048 | 20% | $14,512 |
| 90% | $65,304 | 10% | $7,256 |