What income does the host need, by family size?
Zoe Zhou · Licensed Life & Health Insurance Agent, regulated by FSRA (Ontario)
Last reviewed: August 10, 2026 · checked against IRCC directly
The short answer
It depends on how many people you count — and the count is wider than most people expect.
Ask me anything — plain answers, no sales pitch.
(General information only, not financial advice. Speak to a licensed professional about your own situation.)
| Family size | 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 |
| More than 7 | Add $8,224 per additional person |
Source text: “Minimum income your host needs based on the size of the family — Updated July 29, 2025”
IRCC, Proof of financial support · checked August 10, 2026
Note the date on that table: July 29, 2025. It is not a 2026 table, and describing it as one is the exact staleness error that makes so much of the advice in this niche unreliable.
Who counts in the family size
- You and any other super visa applicants the host will support;
- The host — your child or grandchild;
- The host’s spouse or common-law partner, which can include a separated spouse;
- Dependent children of the host and their spouse — regardless of custody or child support arrangements;
- Previously approved super visa applicants, where that letter of invitation still applies;
- Previously sponsored individuals, where the undertaking is still in effect.
The last two trip people up. If the host has sponsored a relative before, or invited another parent on a super visa, those people still count.
What getting it wrong costs
One extra person moves you up a band. A family of four needs $56,724; a family of five needs $64,336.
$64,336 − $56,724 = $7,612. That difference decides applications.
The letter of invitation must list every person counted, with names and dates of birth — so this is not a number you estimate privately.
Tell me who is in the household and I will count it through with you.
