Health insurance glossary
Minimum necessary income
Plain-English definition
For a super visa, the minimum necessary income is the income the host child or grandchild in Canada has to meet or exceed for the size of their family. The host proves it in the letter of invitation. IRCC publishes the dollar thresholds separately, by family size, and updates them, so the current figure should always be read from IRCC for the year you apply.
By the HealthRate editorial desk
Where this applies: Super visa (federal).
How it works
The letter of invitation must include “proof that they meet or exceed the minimum necessary income” and “the list and number of people included when your child or grandchild calculated their family size to determine the minimum necessary income” (IRCC).
Family size drives the threshold, so the letter has to say exactly who was counted, with each person's name and date of birth.
The host's spouse or common-law partner can co-sign the letter and add their income, if they are a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or registered Indian. Other relatives, such as siblings, cannot.
Why it matters
The income test is on the host, not the visiting parent or grandparent. A figure copied from an old article may be out of date, which is why the threshold has to come from IRCC's current page.