March 31, 2026: income assessment reform
IRCC introduced alternative methods for hosts to meet the income requirement. A qualifying host may rely on either of two preceding tax years, or under certain conditions combine income from the visiting parent or grandparent after meeting at least 75% of the threshold. Review the official documentation rules and family-size calculation.
January 28, 2025: some foreign insurance companies eligible
Insurance is no longer restricted to Canadian-incorporated carriers only. A foreign insurer must meet specific OSFI-related authorization requirements and issue the policy under the correct conditions.
Insurance checklist: verify on every application
The insurance policy must provide at least $100,000 in emergency coverage, be valid for at least one year, cover health care, hospitalization and repatriation, and be paid in full or by instalments with a deposit. Quotes alone do not count.
How these updates affect monthly-payment comparisons
Payment plans remain subject to insurer contracts. Changes in immigration income rules do not mean that a policy can be shortened to one month; the insurance term and documentation requirements must still be met.