Quick answer
To get a super visa, your parent or grandparent needs private medical insurance from a Canadian insurer (or a foreign insurer authorized by Canada's insurance regulator, OSFI) that covers health care, hospitalization and repatriation, with at least $100,000 of emergency coverage, valid for at least one year from each entry. It must be paid in full or in instalments with a deposit; a quote is not enough.
At published rates, a year of $100,000 cover costs about $1,400 to $2,100 for a parent aged 55 to 64, $1,800 to $3,100 at 65 to 69, and $2,700 to $4,400 at 70 to 74. Covering stable pre-existing conditions puts you at the top of each range.
What IRCC requires
From IRCC's super visa documents page (last modified July 30, 2026):
- Insurer: a Canadian insurance company, or a foreign company authorized by OSFI under the Insurance Companies Act and on OSFI's list of federally regulated insurers. A foreign policy must state that it was issued while the company was doing insurance business in Canada. Brokers and claims administrators are not insurance companies.
- Coverage: health care, hospitalization and repatriation, with minimum emergency coverage of $100,000.
- Length: valid for at least one year from the date of entry, and for each entry to Canada.
- Payment: paid in full, or in instalments with a deposit. Quotes are not accepted.
- Proof: the policy must name the insurer and be available for a border officer to review on each entry.
- Host income: the child or grandchild inviting them must meet IRCC's minimum necessary income for their family size, shown in the invitation letter.
A super visa lets parents and grandparents stay up to five years at a time (IRCC eligibility). They are visitors, so provincial health plans do not cover them, however long they stay.
What a year of cover costs, by age
One person, $100,000 of emergency cover, no deductible, 365 days. Calculated from daily rates listed on November 5, 2026 by the broker visitorsinsurance.ca for GMS Visitors to Canada (rates effective April 15, 2025) and Manulife Visitors to Canada.
| Age | GMS | Manulife Basic (no pre-existing conditions) | Manulife Enhanced (stable pre-existing conditions) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 55–59 | $1,602 | $1,387 | $1,891 |
| 60–64 | $1,799 | $1,493 | $2,077 |
| 65–69 | $2,405 | $1,807 | $3,095 |
| 70–74 | $4,296 | $2,708 | $4,442 |
| 75–79 | $5,533 | $3,347 | $5,712 |
| 80–85 | Not sold (to age 79) | $5,125 | $8,840 |
- Deductible: choosing a $1,000 deductible typically cuts the premium noticeably; you pay that amount first on each claim.
- Monthly payments: allowed only as instalments with a deposit on a purchased policy, and usually cost more in total than paying up front.
- Couples: each parent needs their own coverage; some insurers discount couples.
- Refunds: ask before buying what the insurer refunds if the super visa is refused or the parent leaves early. Terms differ by company.
Pre-existing conditions: the clause that decides claims
Most parents applying for a super visa have some medical history. Basic plans exclude any condition you already had. Plans that cover pre-existing conditions require them to be stable for a set period before the policy starts (180 days on the GMS and Manulife plans above): no new symptoms, tests, treatment or change in medication. An unstable condition is the most common reason emergency claims are refused, so answer the medical questionnaire completely and keep the policy wording.
Before you buy
- Check the insurer, not the broker, is a Canadian insurer or on OSFI's list.
- Confirm $100,000 or more of emergency cover including hospitalization and repatriation, for 365 days from the planned entry date.
- Decide whether you need pre-existing condition cover, and check the stability period.
- Pay in full, or set up instalments with a deposit, and download the policy document (not the quote) for the application.
- Renew before it runs out if your parent stays longer than a year; proof is required for each entry.