Can I Sponsor My Parents, or Should They Apply for a Super Visa?
Right now, you can't start a new sponsorship for your parents or grandparents. IRCC has paused the Parents and Grandparents Program and isn't accepting new interest to sponsor forms or sending invitations until further notice. The main option is the Super Visa, which lets parents and grandparents stay in Canada for up to 5 years at a time. You'll need to meet a minimum income, and they'll need private health insurance and a medical exam.
Is the Parents and Grandparents Program open?
No. IRCC's page shows the program as paused. It says it won't accept new interest to sponsor forms or invite potential sponsors to apply until further notice, and it hasn't said when the pause will end. Applications already submitted are still being processed.
If the program reopens, sponsoring would lead to permanent residence for your parents. Until then, the Super Visa is the practical way to bring them for long visits.
Sponsorship vs Super Visa at a glance
| Parents and Grandparents Program | Super Visa | |
|---|---|---|
| Status in 2026 | Paused: no new applications | Open |
| What your parents get | Permanent residence | Long-term visitor status |
| How long they can stay | Permanently | Up to 5 years per stay, with extensions possible from inside Canada |
| Can they work in Canada? | Yes, once they're PRs | No |
| Income requirement for you | Yes, over several years | Yes, a minimum necessary income |
| Health insurance | Public coverage once PR | Private insurance required |
Who can apply for a Super Visa?
You (the host) must:
- Be their child or grandchild (biological or adopted), aged 18 or older.
- Be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or registered Indian, living in Canada.
- Meet the minimum necessary income (see below).
- Write and sign a letter of invitation.
Your parent or grandparent must:
- Apply from outside Canada.
- Have private health insurance from a Canadian insurer or an approved foreign insurer, valid for at least 1 year from their date of entry.
- Complete an immigration medical exam.
- Be admissible to Canada and meet the usual visitor requirements, including showing they'll leave at the end of their stay.
How much income do I need?
| Family size | Minimum income |
|---|---|
| 1 | $30,526 |
| 2 | $38,002 |
| 3 | $46,720 |
| 4 | $56,724 |
| 5 | $64,336 |
| 6 | $72,560 |
| 7 | $80,784 |
| Each additional person | +$8,224 |
Family size includes you, your family, and the parents or grandparents you're inviting. You can prove your income in one of two ways:
- Option 1: your total income (plus any co-signer's) meets the minimum in either of the two tax years before you apply. A CRA notice of assessment is the preferred proof.
- Option 2: your income (plus any co-signer's) in the year before you apply is at least 75% of the minimum, and your parent's own income covers the rest. They must show that income will continue while they're in Canada.
IRCC updated the income criterion effective March 31, 2026, and the table on its page is labelled as updated in July 2025. Always check the current figures before applying.
What goes in the letter of invitation?
It covers the same details as any visitor invitation (who they are, your relationship, the purpose and length of the visit, where they'll stay, and your own details and status). For a Super Visa, it must also include a promise of financial support for the entire visit and the list and number of people in your family-size calculation. See our visitor visa guide for the full checklist.
Step by step: applying for a Super Visa
- Check your income against the table, using your latest CRA notice of assessment.
- Buy qualifying health insurance for at least 1 year from the planned entry date.
- Book the immigration medical exam with an IRCC panel physician.
- Write your letter of invitation with the financial support promise.
- Apply online from outside Canada, then give biometrics when asked.
Approval isn't automatic. An officer still decides whether your parent is a genuine visitor.
Just a shorter visit?
If your parents only want to come for a few weeks or months, such as for the holidays, a regular visitor visa (or an eTA, depending on their passport) is simpler. Read How do I apply for a visitor visa to visit Canada for the holidays?
Common Super Visa mistakes we see
- Miscounting family size. It includes the parents or grandparents you're inviting.
- Insurance that doesn't qualify. It must come from a Canadian insurer or an approved foreign insurer and run at least 1 year from entry.
- Applying from inside Canada. The application must be submitted from outside Canada.
- A letter without the financial support promise. Super Visa letters need it.
Every situation is different. GLC Immigration Consulting can help in three ways:
- Consultation: a one-on-one session with Osaro Ezomo, RCIC, to review your situation and your options.
- Full representation: we prepare and submit your application and act as your authorized representative with IRCC, from start to finish.
- Pre-submission review: you prepare your own application, and we review it for errors, gaps and risks before you submit.
To request full representation or a pre-submission review, or for any other question, email us at hello@gradlifecanada.ca.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sponsor my parents to Canada in 2026?
Not as a new application. IRCC has paused the Parents and Grandparents Program and isn't accepting new interest to sponsor forms until further notice. Existing applications are still being processed.
How long can parents stay in Canada on a Super Visa?
Up to 5 years at a time. They can also apply for extensions while in Canada.
How much income do I need for a Super Visa for one parent?
It depends on your total family size, which includes the parent. For example, a single host inviting one parent has a family size of 2, which currently requires $38,002.
Do my parents need health insurance for a Super Visa?
Yes. Private health insurance from a Canadian insurer or an approved foreign insurer, valid for at least 1 year from the date they enter Canada.
Can my parents apply for a Super Visa from inside Canada?
No. They must be outside Canada when they submit the application.
Fact-checked: Based on IRCC's Sponsor your parents and grandparents page (program paused), Super visa: Who can apply, Super visa proof of financial support, the 2026 Ministerial Instructions for the Super Visa and Letter of invitation pages. Verified October 31, 2026.
Disclaimer: This article is general information only and is not legal or immigration advice. Immigration rules change often. For advice on your situation, speak with a licensed immigration professional.
Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant, licensed by the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC), licence #R711785. Osaro is the principal consultant at GLC Immigration Consulting in Calgary, Alberta, helping clients with Express Entry, provincial nomination, work and study permits and family sponsorship.
Book a consultation · hello@gradlifecanada.ca