Figures on this page come from IRCC's Super Visa eligibility and forms pages (current as of this writing) and CIC News reporting on the January 28, 2025 insurance rule change. Insurance and eligibility rules can change without notice; always verify current requirements with IRCC before buying a policy or submitting an application.
- Minimum health insurance coverage for a Super Visa applicant: $100,000
- Policy must be valid for at least one year from the date of entry
- Since January 28, 2025, foreign insurers authorized by Canada's Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) can issue qualifying policies
- Before that date, the policy had to come from a Canadian provider only
- A Super Visa allows stays of up to 5 years at a time, with multiple-entry validity of up to 10 years
- Hosts must be at least 18 years old and living in Canada
What is the Super Visa?
The Parents and Grandparents Super Visa is a long-stay temporary resident visa for the parents and grandparents of a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or registered Indian. It is not a route to permanent residence: unlike the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP), it does not grant status that can convert into permanent residence, and holders cannot work or study while in Canada. What it does offer is time. A Super Visa allows a visit of up to five years at a time, and the visa itself can be issued with multiple entries valid for up to ten years, well beyond the standard visitor visa.
To host a parent or grandparent on a Super Visa, the host must be their proven biological or adopted child or grandchild, be at least 18 years old, live in Canada, and be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or registered Indian. The host must also meet a minimum necessary income requirement tied to family size and sign a letter of invitation. That income test is a separate requirement from the insurance rules covered in this article; our earlier post on the Parents and Grandparents Program pause sets out the current income table in full.
What does the health insurance for a Super Visa need to cover?
Every Super Visa applicant, whether applying alone or with a spouse or common-law partner, must hold private health insurance before entering Canada. IRCC's requirements are specific:
- Minimum coverage: at least $100,000, covering health care, hospitalization and repatriation.
- Minimum term: the policy must be valid for at least one year from the date of entry. If it would expire before the visit ends, it has to be renewed to keep coverage current.
- Payment: the policy must be paid in full, or in instalments with a deposit already made. A quote is not accepted as proof.
- Proof at the border: the applicant must be able to show proof of payment to a border services officer on arrival, and the insurance must be valid on every entry to Canada, not just the first one.
These requirements apply regardless of which insurer issues the policy, which is where the January 2025 change matters.
What changed for foreign insurers on January 28, 2025?
Before January 28, 2025, Super Visa health insurance had to be purchased through a Canadian provider. Families whose relatives already carried international coverage, or who found better value from an insurer outside Canada, had no way to use it.
Effective January 28, 2025, that changed. A foreign insurance company can now issue a policy that satisfies the Super Visa requirement, provided it meets three conditions: it is authorized by Canada's Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) under the Insurance Companies Act to provide accident and sickness insurance, it appears on OSFI's list of federally regulated financial institutions, and it issues the policy in the course of carrying on insurance business in Canada. A foreign policy must include a statement confirming that last point. Insurance brokers and claims administrators are not insurance companies for this purpose and do not appear on the OSFI list, so a policy sold through a broker still needs to trace back to an OSFI-authorized insurer. All of the coverage, term and payment rules above still apply to a foreign-issued policy exactly as they do to a Canadian one.
What else does a host and applicant need for a Super Visa?
Insurance is one piece of a broader application. The applicant must also be admissible to Canada, complete an immigration medical exam, and satisfy an officer that they are a genuine visitor who intends to leave Canada by choice at the end of their authorized stay, taking into account their ties to their home country. Someone planning to stay six months or less may be better served by a standard visitor visa instead of a Super Visa application. On the host side, in addition to the age, status, residency and income requirements noted above, the host's spouse or common-law partner can co-sign to help meet the income test, and IRCC's family-size rules determine who counts toward that household for income purposes.
If a Super Visa application is refused, whether over insurance, income or admissibility, the refusal does not necessarily end the matter; our appeals and refusals page outlines what recourse may be available depending on the reason given.
What does this mean for Saskatchewan families?
For families in Saskatchewan hosting a parent or grandparent while the Parents and Grandparents Program remains paused to new intake, the Super Visa is often the practical option on the table right now, and getting the insurance right the first time avoids a delay that has nothing to do with eligibility on the merits. The broadened insurer rules mean a parent or grandparent who already holds an internationally recognized policy is more likely to have a usable option, but it is worth confirming the specific insurer's OSFI authorization before relying on it, since not every large foreign insurer qualifies. Families already working through a spousal or family sponsorship application in parallel should treat the Super Visa insurance file as a separate checklist item with its own proof requirements, not an afterthought bundled in with the rest of the paperwork.
Frequently asked questions
How much health insurance coverage does a Super Visa require?
At least $100,000 in coverage for health care, hospitalization and repatriation. The policy must be valid for a minimum of one year from the date of entry, and the applicant must be able to show proof of payment at the border.
Can a foreign insurance company issue the health insurance for a Super Visa?
Yes, as of January 28, 2025. Before that date, Super Visa health insurance had to be purchased from a Canadian provider. Now a foreign insurer qualifies if it is authorized by Canada's Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) under the Insurance Companies Act to provide accident and sickness insurance, appears on OSFI's list of federally regulated institutions, and issues the policy in the course of its Canadian insurance business.
Does a Super Visa lead to permanent residence?
No. A Super Visa grants visitor status, allowing stays of up to five years at a time with multiple-entry validity of up to ten years. It does not allow the holder to work or study, and it does not on its own change status to permanent residence.
Sources: CIC News (January 2025) on the foreign insurer rule change; CIC News (March 2025) on Super Visa eligibility; verified against IRCC's Super Visa eligibility page and forms and documents page. This article provides general information, not legal advice.