Parent Sponsor Income: 2019 Requirements Revealed

Navigate Canada's parent sponsorship income requirements with confidence

On This Page You Will Find:

• Exact income thresholds needed to sponsor parents in 2019
• How to calculate your family size for sponsorship requirements
• Critical filing date rules that determine your eligibility period
• Step-by-step income verification process using CRA documents
• Common mistakes that lead to sponsorship application rejections
• Real examples showing how income requirements apply to different family situations

Summary:

Sponsoring your parents to immigrate to Canada requires meeting specific income thresholds for three consecutive years before your application filing date. The minimum income varies dramatically based on your family size - from $40,379 for a 2-person household to over $85,000 for larger families. Understanding these requirements, proper income calculation methods, and filing date implications can mean the difference between approval and rejection. This comprehensive guide breaks down the 2019 income requirements with real examples, shows you exactly how to verify your eligibility, and reveals the critical timing strategies that immigration officers use to evaluate applications.

🔑 Key Takeaways:

• You must meet minimum income requirements for 3 consecutive years before filing your sponsorship application
• Income thresholds range from $40,379 (2-person family) to $85,835+ (7+ person family) for 2018 tax year
• Only Canada Revenue Agency Notice of Assessment (line 150) counts as acceptable income proof
• Your spouse can co-sign to combine incomes, but no other family members qualify as co-signers
• Filing date determines which 3-year period applies to your application

Sonia stared at her computer screen on a quiet Sunday evening, her heart racing with anticipation. After six years of building her life in Canada - climbing from junior developer to IT manager at one of the country's top financial institutions - she finally felt ready to take the next big step. Her husband, a professional engineer, had just received another promotion at his construction company. Their young daughter was thriving in Canadian schools. Now, Sonia wondered if their combined success was enough to bring her parents to Canada permanently.

Like thousands of other Canadian citizens and permanent residents, Sonia discovered that wanting to sponsor your parents and actually qualifying to do so are two very different things. The financial requirements aren't just suggestions - they're strict thresholds that determine whether your family's immigration dreams become reality or remain on hold for years.

If you've ever felt overwhelmed trying to decode Canada's parent sponsorship income requirements, you're not alone. The process involves complex calculations, specific documentation requirements, and timing rules that can make or break your application before it even reaches an immigration officer's desk.

Understanding the Financial Foundation of Parent Sponsorship

The Canadian government requires sponsors to demonstrate financial stability for one crucial reason: they want assurance that sponsored parents won't require social assistance. This isn't just bureaucratic red tape - it's a commitment that can span decades.

When you sponsor your parents, you're essentially signing a financial guarantee. The government needs proof that you can support additional family members without them becoming a burden on Canada's social services system. This is where the Minimum Necessary Income (MNI) requirements come into play.

The income thresholds are based on Canada's Low Income Cut-Off (LICO) plus 30%. This buffer ensures sponsors have sufficient financial cushion beyond basic living expenses. What many applicants don't realize is that these aren't arbitrary numbers - they're calculated based on actual cost-of-living data across Canadian communities.

The Critical Three-Year Rule That Catches Most Applicants Off Guard

Here's where many hopeful sponsors make their first major mistake: they assume their current income is what matters most. In reality, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) looks backward, not forward.

You must meet the minimum income requirements for three consecutive years immediately before your filing date. If you submit your application on January 15, 2019, you need to prove adequate income for 2018, 2017, and 2016. However, there's a practical complication that trips up even experienced immigration lawyers.

Since most people don't receive their Notice of Assessment for the current tax year until several months later, applications filed early in the year often rely on older tax years. For a January 2019 application, you'd likely need to demonstrate sufficient income for 2017, 2016, and 2015, since your 2018 NOA wouldn't be available yet.

This timing quirk has derailed countless applications. Imagine discovering that your income from four years ago - when you were in a different job or your spouse was on maternity leave - doesn't meet current requirements. The frustration is real, and the delays can be devastating for families eager to reunite.

Decoding the 2019 Income Requirements: What You Actually Need to Earn

The income requirements for 2019 parent sponsorship applications depend entirely on your family size calculation. This isn't just your immediate household - it includes everyone you're sponsoring plus everyone already in your family unit.

For the 2018 tax year (the most recent year typically available for 2019 applications), here's what you need to earn:

Two-person family unit: $40,379 This applies if you're single and sponsoring one parent, or married with no children sponsoring one parent while your spouse isn't included in the application.

Three-person family unit: $49,641 This covers scenarios like a couple sponsoring one parent, or a single person sponsoring both parents.

Four-person family unit: $60,271 Typically a couple with one child sponsoring one parent, or a couple sponsoring both parents.

Five-person family unit: $68,358 Often a couple with two children sponsoring one parent, or a couple with one child sponsoring both parents.

Six-person family unit: $77,095 This might be a couple with three children sponsoring one parent, or a couple with two children sponsoring both parents.

Seven-person family unit: $85,835 Larger families sponsoring parents fall into this category.

Eight or more persons: Add $8,740 for each additional person beyond seven.

The key insight that many miss is how family size calculation works. Let's say you're married with two dependent children, and you want to sponsor both your parents. Your family unit size is six people: you, your spouse, two children, and two parents you're sponsoring. You'd need to meet the $77,095 threshold for all three required years.

The Only Income Documentation That Actually Counts

You might have pay stubs, employment letters, or bank statements showing impressive income figures, but IRCC only accepts one form of income verification: Canada Revenue Agency documentation.

Specifically, you need either your Notice of Assessment (NOA) or Option C Printout from CRA. The magic number they're looking for is on line 150 of your NOA - this represents your total income for tax purposes.

Here's what many applicants discover too late: line 150 might be significantly different from your gross employment income. It includes employment income, but also investment returns, rental income, and other sources. However, it's calculated after certain deductions that could lower your total.

For example, if you contributed to an RRSP, that contribution reduces your line 150 income. If you had employment expenses or other deductions, these also impact the final number. This is why you can't simply multiply your monthly salary by 12 and assume that's your qualifying income.

The Option C Printout serves the same purpose as the NOA but can be obtained directly from CRA if you've lost your original assessment. Both documents carry the same weight in the application process.

How Spouse Co-Signing Can Save Your Application

If your individual income doesn't meet the requirements, there's hope. Your spouse or common-law partner can co-sign the sponsorship application, allowing you to combine both incomes.

This co-signing provision has rescued thousands of applications. Consider a scenario where the primary applicant earns $45,000 annually, but they need $60,271 for their four-person family unit. If their spouse earns $25,000, their combined $70,000 income exceeds the requirement.

However, there are strict limitations on who can co-sign. Only your spouse or common-law partner qualifies. Your adult children, siblings, or other relatives cannot contribute their income to your application, regardless of whether they live with you or contribute to household expenses.

When your spouse co-signs, they become equally responsible for the sponsorship undertaking. This means both of you are legally committed to supporting the sponsored parents for the required period. It's not just a financial arrangement - it's a shared legal obligation that continues even if your relationship changes.

Real-World Application: How Sonia's Situation Would Be Evaluated

Let's return to Sonia's story and walk through her actual eligibility assessment. Sonia is married with one child and wants to sponsor both her parents. Her family unit size would be five people: Sonia, her husband, their child, and both parents.

For a five-person family unit in 2019, they need to demonstrate income of at least $68,358 for the 2018 tax year, and similar amounts for 2017 and 2016 (adjusted for those years' thresholds).

As an IT manager at a major financial institution, Sonia likely earns $75,000-$90,000 annually. Her engineer husband probably earns $80,000-$100,000. Their combined household income would easily exceed the $68,358 requirement.

However, their eligibility depends on what appears on line 150 of their NOAs for three consecutive years. If either of them had a period of unemployment, took parental leave, or had significantly lower income in any of the required years, they might face challenges.

This is why the three-year requirement is so crucial. It's not enough to meet the income threshold now - you need to have met it consistently over the evaluation period.

Common Calculation Mistakes That Derail Applications

The most frequent error applicants make is miscounting their family size. The confusion often stems from misunderstanding which family members to include in the calculation.

Include in your count:

• Yourself (the sponsor)
• Your spouse or common-law partner (if applicable)
• Your dependent children
• Any previous sponsored persons you're still responsible for
• The parents or grandparents you're currently sponsoring

Don't include:

• Adult children who aren't dependents
• Your parents' other children (your siblings) unless you're also sponsoring them
• Extended family members living with you
• Non-family members sharing your household

Another critical mistake involves timing assumptions. Many applicants assume they can use their most recent tax year, not realizing that NOAs might not be available when they're ready to file. This can push their evaluation period back an additional year, potentially including a year when their income was insufficient.

Strategic Timing for Maximum Success

Understanding the interplay between filing dates and tax year availability can significantly impact your application's success. If you know your income has increased substantially in recent years, you want to ensure your application uses the most favorable three-year period possible.

For applications filed in early 2019 (January-March), you're likely looking at 2015, 2016, and 2017 tax years. If your income was lower during this period, you might benefit from waiting until your 2018 NOA becomes available, allowing you to use 2016, 2017, and 2018 instead.

Conversely, if you know your income will drop significantly (perhaps due to planned parental leave or career change), filing earlier rather than later could work in your favor.

The key is understanding that immigration officers have some discretion in how they apply these rules, but they generally follow operational guidelines that recommend using the most recent three consecutive years for which NOAs are available.

Beyond Income: Other Financial Considerations

While meeting the minimum income threshold is crucial, it's not the only financial aspect of parent sponsorship. You're also committing to an undertaking period - typically 20 years for parents and grandparents - during which you're responsible for their basic needs.

This undertaking covers basic requirements like food, shelter, clothing, and personal care. It doesn't necessarily cover luxury items, but it does mean you're legally responsible for ensuring your sponsored parents don't require social assistance.

The financial commitment extends beyond the initial sponsorship. If your sponsored parents do receive social assistance during the undertaking period, the government can pursue you for repayment. This makes the income requirements not just an application hurdle, but a realistic assessment of your long-term financial capacity.

What Happens If You Don't Meet the Requirements

Failing to meet the minimum income requirements results in automatic application refusal. There's no discretionary consideration or appeal process for income shortfalls - the numbers either meet the threshold or they don't.

If your application is refused for insufficient income, you're not permanently barred from reapplying. However, you'll need to wait until you can demonstrate three consecutive years of adequate income. This waiting period can be particularly frustrating for families eager to reunite.

Some applicants attempt to address income shortfalls through creative means - perhaps by including non-employment income sources or arguing for special consideration of their circumstances. However, IRCC's approach to income verification is strictly numerical. Line 150 of your NOA either meets the threshold or it doesn't.

Planning Ahead: Building Toward Sponsorship Eligibility

If you're not currently eligible due to income requirements, the three-year rule means you need to plan well in advance. Any year where your income falls short resets your eligibility timeline.

For families building toward sponsorship eligibility, consider these strategies:

Focus on increasing your line 150 income, not just your gross earnings. This might mean minimizing RRSP contributions during your qualification period, or ensuring you're maximizing all income sources that appear on your tax return.

If you're married, consider whether both spouses working provides better qualification prospects than one spouse earning a higher single income. Sometimes two moderate incomes provide more stability and better meet the three-year consistency requirement.

Document everything carefully. Keep detailed records of your income progression and ensure you understand how various income sources and deductions affect your line 150 total.

The Bigger Picture: Why These Requirements Matter

Canada's parent sponsorship program represents one of the most generous family reunification policies among developed nations. The income requirements exist to ensure the program's sustainability and protect both sponsors and the broader social system.

Understanding and meeting these requirements isn't just about checking boxes - it's about demonstrating your genuine capacity to support your family members' successful integration into Canadian society. The financial thresholds reflect real costs of living and ensure that sponsored parents can maintain dignity and security without requiring public assistance.

For families like Sonia's, meeting these requirements represents more than financial capability - it's proof that their Canadian dream has reached a level of stability that can extend to the previous generation. It's a milestone that reflects years of hard work, career development, and financial planning.

The parent sponsorship income requirements for 2019 applications represent both a significant hurdle and an important protection for all parties involved. While the thresholds may seem daunting - ranging from over $40,000 for small families to more than $85,000 for larger ones - they reflect the real costs and responsibilities of successful family sponsorship.

Your path to sponsorship success depends on understanding these requirements thoroughly, calculating your family size correctly, and planning your application timing strategically. Remember that meeting the income threshold for three consecutive years is non-negotiable, and only CRA-verified income documentation will be accepted.

If you're like Sonia - established in your career, financially stable, and ready to take this important step - take time to verify your exact income figures from your NOAs and confirm your family size calculation. If you're still building toward eligibility, use this information to create a realistic timeline and financial plan.

The opportunity to bring your parents to Canada permanently is worth the careful preparation these requirements demand. With proper planning and understanding, you can navigate the income requirements successfully and move forward with confidence in your sponsorship application.