Canada's federal immigration authority has published the minimum income thresholds that sponsors must meet to bring friends or family members into the country under the 2026 family sponsorship program. The figures, which apply to the three consecutive tax years before the sponsorship application, are directly tied to family size and are designed to ensure sponsors can financially support everyone they take responsibility for, including themselves, the sponsored individual, and any dependants on either side.
Income thresholds by family size for 2026
According to the Canadian immigration authority, a sponsor with a family of two must demonstrate earnings of at least $47,549 in the third year, $44,530 in the second year, and $43,082 in the first year. For a family of three, the required income rises to $58,456, $54,743, and $52,965 for the same three years respectively.
The threshold for a family of four stands at $70,972, $66,466, and $64,306, while a family of five must show $80,496, $75,384, and $72,935. For six people, the required income is $90,784, $85,020, and $82,259, and for seven people, $101,075, $94,658, and $91,582.
Each additional person beyond seven adds $10,291 for 2024, $9,636 for 2023, and $9,324 for 2022. Sponsors residing in Quebec must instead meet that province's separate income requirements.
How family size is counted and proven
Family size is calculated on a yearly basis and includes the sponsor, their spouse or common-law partner, dependent children on both sides, and any individuals currently covered by an active undertaking from a previous sponsorship. All of the principal applicant's family members must be counted, even if they are not coming to Canada or already hold Canadian permanent residency or citizenship.
To confirm they meet the income threshold, sponsors must provide a Notice of Assessment from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) for each of the three relevant tax years. There are two ways to do this: sponsors can give immigration authorities permission to retrieve the tax information directly from CRA by completing the relevant section of Form IMM 5768 with a social insurance number and signature, or they can submit paper copies of their Notices of Assessment alongside Form IMM 5748.
Sponsors who do not have physical copies of their assessments can retrieve them through CRA's online My Account portal.
Co-signing option and related immigration updates
Sponsors who fall short of the required income can add a spouse or common-law partner as a co-signer to combine their earnings, allowing them to meet the threshold collectively. This option is particularly useful for larger families where a single income may not suffice.
In related news, Legit.ng earlier reported that Nigerians applying for temporary residence in Canada are facing longer waiting periods, according to the latest figures published by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) on September 16, 2026. The new income requirements for family sponsorship are part of broader updates to Canada's immigration policies, which also include increased financial requirements for foreign students.
