Are you the parents or grandparents of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident? If so, you can apply for a Super Visa to stay in Canada and be close to your family for up to ten years.
The Super Visa program makes family reunification a lot easier for travellers who qualify for the program to come to Canada. This unique visa allows visitors to remain in Canada for up to five years
Like with any visa, applying for a Super Visa from the Canadian government comes with numerous requirements, most importantly, proof of health insurance.
Read on to learn all about medical insurance for the Super Visa in Canada so you can be prepared for your application and stay in Canada.
How the Super Visa is different from a visitor visa
The Super Visa differs from your traditional visitor visa. Here are a few of the unique aspects of the Super Visa:
You can only be eligible for a Super Visa if you are a parent or grandparent of Canadian citizens and permanent residents.
The Super Visa is intended to reunite families. It does not authorize holders to work or study in Canada, but the Super Visa allows family members to stay longer than the visitor visa permits.
You must have a promise of financial support for your stay in Canada.
You must have proof of private medical insurance of at least $100,000 CAD, valid for at least one year, from a Canadian insurer - or, since January 28, 2025, a foreign insurer authorized by OSFI to operate in Canada. The policy must cover health care, hospitalization, and repatriation.
To check whether you or a family member is eligible for the Super Visa, browse the complete list of Super Visa eligibility requirements.
Super Visa holders are not authorized to work or study in Canada, so they are not eligible to access provincial healthcare plans. Therefore, medical insurance with at least $100,000 coverage is a requirement for their stay in Canada.
5 Things to Know About Canada Super Visa Medical Insurance
1. What the IRCC actually requires (the non-negotiables)
To support a Super Visa application, your policy must:
Be issued by a Canadian insurance company (or an accepted provider per current IRCC guidance).
Provide at least $100,000 CAD in emergency medical coverage.
Cover health care, hospitalization, and repatriation.
Be valid for at least one year from the date you plan to enter Canada.
Be verifiable at the port of entry (keep your proof of coverage and proof of payment handy).
Many insurers now support paid-in-full or approved monthly instalment options. Whatever you choose, make sure your proof of coverage shows that you're fully insured for at least a full year.
2. Minimums aren't enough; make sure to read the fine print
All Super Visa policies hit the minimum requirements, but benefits and exclusions vary a lot. Make sure to read your policy details closely (or ask us to explain) for four things in particular:
Emergency Medical Benefits: What's the limit for hospital, physician, diagnostics, ambulance, emergency dental, medical appliances, and repatriation?
Pre-existing conditions: Does the plan cover stable pre-existing conditions? If yes, what stability period applies (e.g., 90/180/365 days with no med/test/diagnosis changes)?
Deductibles: A higher deductible can lower your premium; check whether it's per claim or per policy.
Refunds: Good policies offer a visa-refusal refunds and early-return refunds (if no claims were filed), which can be super useful if your plans end up changing.
3. What Super Visa insurance costs (and what drives it)
Premiums depend on age, length of coverage, sum insured ($100k, $200k, $300k, etc.), deductible, and whether stable pre-existing coverage is included. As a ballpark, families typically see costs anywhere from $500 to $5,000 for a year of coverage, depending on these variables.
You can browse our BestQuote Super Visa insurance rates table to get an idea of what you might pay.
4. No gaps - your coverage must be continuous
Super Visa holders must be insured for their entire stay in Canada. There shouldn't be any breaks between policy periods. You can renew before expiry or purchase a longer initial term; regardless, your coverage has to remain continuous while you're in Canada.
If you plan on travelling outside of Canada during your stay, most policies keep you covered for short side trips (conditions vary per policy).
5. How to choose (and buy) without stress
Match the policy to your medical history. If you need stability coverage, choose a plan with a stability period you can meet.
Pick a deductible you're comfortable paying. It's not just about saving a few dollars; pick a number you could genuinely pay in case of an emergency
Keep documents handing when entering the country. Carry your policy confirmation and proof of payment in your carry-on luggage for the port-of-entry check.
For a more indepth checklist of all the document requirements. Visit our super visa documents checklist blog.
Where Can I Buy and The BestQuote's MedEC Policy
Did you know that we have a visitors to Canada plan with coverage features not found anywhere else?
With BestQuote MedEC, on top of all of the typical visitors to Canada emergency medical benefits, you also get three prepaid doctor's appointments per year for free with Maple.
Read more about MedEC's unique policy benefits here.
There are many medical insurance options for the Super Visa. We have lots of Super Visa insurance policies to fit all needs. Just use the form on the right of this blog page to compare Super Visa insurance policies.
If you require extra support, our BestQuote team provides advice about pre-existing medical conditions and which policy will work best for your situation.
You can either call us at 1-888-888-0510 or email us at info@bestquotetravelinsurance.ca for expert assistance.