Every year thousands of Indian families ask the same question: how can my parents stay with us in Canada for more than six months? The answer for most is the Canada Super Visa. It is a multiple-entry visitor visa that lets parents and grandparents stay for up to 5 years at a time – but the host’s income, the medical insurance and the paperwork must all be right. IRCC changed how the income requirement is calculated on 31 March 2026, so older advice may be out of date. This guide covers the Canada Super Visa requirements for 2026.
Quick answer
| Who can apply | Parents and grandparents of a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or registered Indian |
| Stay | Up to 5 years at a time |
| Validity | Multiple entries for a period of up to 10 years |
| Fee | Starting from CAD 100 |
| Dependants | Cannot be included in the application |
| For stays of 6 months or less | Apply for a regular visitor visa instead |
The Canada Super Visa requirements apply to both you and your host. Your host – your child or grandchild – must:
Add up everyone counted in the family size – you and any other Super Visa applicants, the host, the host’s spouse or common-law partner, dependent children of the host and the spouse, previously approved Super Visa applicants still covered by an invitation letter, and people the host or co-signer previously sponsored whose undertaking is still in effect.
| Number of family members | Minimum income the host needs (CAD) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 30,526 |
| 2 | 38,002 |
| 3 | 46,720 |
| 4 | 56,724 |
| 5 | 64,336 |
| 6 | 72,560 |
| 7 | 80,784 |
| Each additional member (more than 7) | Add 8,224 |
This is the table on IRCC’s proof of financial support page, shown as updated on 29 July 2025. IRCC revises it from time to time, so confirm the current amounts before you apply.
| Situation | Family size |
|---|---|
| A host child who is unmarried and has no children invites one parent | 2 |
| A host with a spouse and 2 dependent children invites both parents (1 + 2 + 2 + 1) | 6 |
| A host with a spouse and 1 child invites 2 parents, and previously co-signed a sponsorship of the spouse’s 2 parents that is still in effect | 7 |
| Option | What the host shows |
|---|---|
| Option 1 | Total income (including the co-signer’s, if any) meets or exceeds the minimum amount in either of the two tax years before the application is submitted. |
| Option 2 | Total income in the year before the application is at least 75% of the minimum, and you add your own income to cover the rest. The combined amount must meet or exceed the minimum. |
A co-signer is allowed: the host’s spouse or common-law partner (who must be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or registered Indian) can co-sign the letter of invitation and provide income proof. Other relatives, such as siblings, cannot. The best income document is the host’s or co-signer’s notice of assessment from the Canada Revenue Agency; if it is not available IRCC accepts other documents such as a T4 or T1, recent pay stubs or an employer letter.
IRCC says families who were eligible before the change continue to qualify, and all applications in processing or submitted from 31 March 2026 are assessed against the new rules.
Watch out
A weak invitation letter or an insurance quote instead of a paid policy are two of the easiest ways to delay a Super Visa file. Read the IRCC requirements line by line before you submit.
If you already submitted a sponsorship application, IRCC says you can apply for a Super Visa while you wait for a decision, or withdraw the sponsorship application at any time and apply for a Super Visa. Many families use the Super Visa for long stays while the parent decides about permanent residence. Compare how Australia handles parents in our guide to the Australia parent visa options.
IRCC says parents and grandparents can stay for 5 years at a time, with multiple entries for a period of up to 10 years.
It depends on family size. IRCC’s table (updated 29 July 2025) shows CAD 38,002 for a family of 2 and CAD 56,724 for a family of 4, with CAD 8,224 added for each person beyond 7.
Since 31 March 2026, yes in part: if the host and any co-signer reach at least 75% of the minimum amount in the year before applying, the visiting parent’s income can be added to cover the rest.
A policy valid for at least 1 year from entry with at least CAD 100,000 emergency coverage that covers health care, hospitalization and repatriation, valid for each entry to Canada.
No. You must be outside Canada when you submit the application, and the visa is printed by a visa office outside Canada.
Facts on this page were checked against the official sources listed at the end on 23 October 2026. Immigration rules, fees and thresholds change often, so confirm the current figure on the official site before you apply.
Want your parents to visit Canada for longer? Our Canada Super Visa consultants in Hyderabad check your family size, income documents and insurance before you apply. Book a free consultation or call +91 95055 15154. For short trips, see our Canada tourist visa page.
