What is the minimum income I need to sponsor my parents or family members?
Sponsors of parents, grandparents, and other family members under the family class are required to meet what IRCC calls the Minimum Necessary Income (MNI), which is based on the Low Income Cut-Off (LICO) plus a percentage set by federal regulations. The MNI threshold depends on the size of your family unit, which includes yourself, your dependants, any people you are already sponsoring under a prior undertaking, and the new people you intend to sponsor.
The LICO figures are set by Statistics Canada and updated periodically; IRCC applies them when assessing your income. You must demonstrate you have met the MNI for the three consecutive tax years immediately before the date of your sponsorship application, using your Notices of Assessment from the Canada Revenue Agency as proof.
Spousal sponsorships do not have a minimum income requirement — only sponsorships in the parents/grandparents and other family classes require income proof. If you do not currently meet the MNI, you cannot include a co-signer to supplement your income under the PGP. Strengthening your income over the required period before applying is the only path forward. An immigration lawyer can help you map out realistic timelines.
Key takeaways
- Minimum Necessary Income is required for parent/grandparent and certain other family sponsorships
- Income must meet or exceed LICO plus a set percentage for your family size
- Income is assessed over the three tax years before the application using CRA Notices of Assessment
- Spousal sponsorships have no minimum income requirement