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Super Visa Requirements: Host, Insurance, Medical Exam and the Five-Year Stay

A super visa is a visitor visa for parents and grandparents. IRCC's eligibility pages require a host child or grandchild in Canada who meets the minimum necessary income and writes an invitation letter, private health insurance of at least $100,000 emergency cover valid for at least one year from entry, and an immigration medical exam. The visa allows stays of up to five years at a time (applications made on or after 22 June 2023).

The super visa is the main long-stay option for parents and grandparents while the Parents and Grandparents Program is paused. It is not permanent residence. It is a multiple-entry visitor visa that lets a parent or grandparent stay for long periods.

This guide walks through the requirements as IRCC states them on its eligibility and forms pages, read on 9 October 2026: who can be the host, what the invitation letter must contain, what the insurance must cover, the medical exam, how long a visitor can stay, and the fees on IRCC's fee list.

One figure is deliberately missing. The minimum necessary income table, which sets how much the host must earn for each family size, sits on an IRCC page whose table did not load when we read it. We do not copy income figures from other websites, so this guide explains how the income test works and tells you where to read the current table.

What a super visa is, and is not

A super visa is a visitor visa for parents and grandparents of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. IRCC's overview page (page date 6 July 2026) says it "provides multiple entries for a period of up to 10 years," and that holders can stay "for 5 years at a time."

It is a temporary status. It does not lead automatically to permanent residence. A holder is a visitor who must keep valid visitor status. The IRCC length-of-stay page puts the responsibility on the visitor: "It is your responsibility to maintain valid visitor status." Before status expires, the holder must leave Canada or apply to extend.

The visa applies to parents and grandparents only. The host has to be the applicant's "biological or adopted child or grandchild." Brothers, sisters, cousins and in-laws are not covered by the eligibility page.

The standard visitor visa tests also apply. The IRCC page says the officer will consider whether you are a genuine visitor who will leave at the end of your visit, your ties to your home country, the purpose of your visit, and your family and finances. A super visa is still a visitor visa, so the officer asks those questions.

Who can be the host

IRCC's eligibility page lists the host requirements:

  • The host must be the applicant's biological or adopted child or grandchild.
  • The host must be a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident, or a registered Indian.
  • The host must be at least 18 years old and live in Canada.
  • The host must meet or exceed the minimum necessary income.
  • The host must write and sign a letter of invitation.

A spouse or common-law partner of the host may co-sign the letter, but only if that person is also a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident or a registered Indian. IRCC's forms page states that siblings and other family members cannot co-sign.

Because the host has to be the child or grandchild, a person who is a Canadian citizen's parent-in-law is not covered on the face of the page. Whether a particular family fits is something to confirm against the page, or with a regulated adviser, rather than assume.

The minimum necessary income

The income test is the part most people ask about. IRCC's pages say the host must "meet or exceed the minimum necessary income" and that the invitation letter must include proof of it.

The forms page also requires the letter to include "the list and number of people included when your child or grandchild calculated their family size" and "the name and date of birth of each person." That tells you how the test is built: the required income depends on family size, and the host must show who is in the count. Family size is a count of people, and IRCC's page defines whom to include.

The table of income amounts by family size is on IRCC's proof-of-financial-support content, linked from the forms page. The table did not load in our reading, so we do not state the figures. Please read the current table on IRCC's website the day you prepare the letter, and use only that. Income thresholds are reset periodically, and a number from a forum post or an old article can be out of date.

Two practical points follow from the wording on the page. First, the letter must carry the proof; it is not enough to say the income is sufficient. Second, if a spouse co-signs, the page says that spouse can provide proof of income "if required," which is why co-signing matters for the family-size count.

The letter of invitation

IRCC's forms-and-documents page (page date 30 July 2026) says the host child or grandchild must write and sign the letter, and that it must include:

  • proof that they meet or exceed the minimum necessary income;
  • a list and number of the people in their family size calculation, each with name and date of birth.

The documents checklist on the same page also asks for proof that the host is a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or registered Indian, and proof of the relationship, such as a birth or baptismal certificate or another official document naming the applicant as parent or grandparent.

The letter is a document the host signs, so it should be accurate. Misrepresentation, meaning giving false or misleading information in an application, can lead to a five-year ban from applying (IRPA section 40); our misrepresentation guide covers that rule. Mistakes made in good faith are a different matter from false statements, but the safest course is to check every figure against the supporting documents before signing.

Health insurance: what IRCC requires

The forms page sets specific insurance requirements:

  • The policy must be from a Canadian insurer, or from a foreign insurer authorized by the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) that appears on OSFI's list. IRCC says brokers and claims administrators do not count.
  • It must "be valid for a minimum of 1 year from the date of entry."
  • It must "provide a minimum emergency coverage of $100,000."
  • It must "cover the applicant's health care, hospitalization and repatriation."
  • It must be valid for each entry to Canada, and available for border officers to review.
  • Quotes are not accepted. The policy must be paid in full, or in instalments with a deposit.

The word "repatriation" means returning the person to their home country, for example after a serious illness. The policy must cover it.

Premiums are set by insurers and vary with the applicant's age and health, so we do not quote a price. IRCC does not choose an insurer for you; it only sets the minimum standard the policy must meet. Reading the policy wording against the list above before paying is sensible, because a policy that falls short is a common reason for a document request.

Medical exam, admissibility and where to apply

The applicant must take an immigration medical exam with an approved panel physician. The checklist asks for proof that the exam was completed. The exam fee is set by the panel physician and is not on the IRCC fee list, so we do not quote it.

The applicant must also be admissible. IRCC's eligibility page lists being "allowed to enter Canada" as a requirement. IRCC's inadmissibility pages explain the grounds.

The applicant must be outside Canada when they submit the application. The page says the visa is printed by a visa office outside Canada following its instructions, and the checklist asks the applicant to follow the local visa office instructions. If the applicant is from a country whose citizens need no visa to enter, the page notes that the super visa still lets them stay for five years, so it is worth understanding even for visa-exempt travellers.

Translations. Documents not in English or French need translations.

Using a representative. If someone is helping with the application, IRCC's checklist includes the Use of a Representative form (IMM 5476). Our guide explains it.

How long a holder can stay, and extensions

IRCC's length-of-stay page (page date 6 July 2026) draws a line at 22 June 2023.

  • Applied on or after 22 June 2023: "You're eligible to stay for 5 years at a time."
  • Applied before 22 June 2023 and entered before that date: the stay is limited to the period the border officer granted at entry. The holder can leave and re-enter, or apply to extend. The page says an extension can be approved for up to two years.
  • Applied before 22 June 2023 but entered on or after that date: the page says the holder can stay for five years, even if the border officer does not stamp the passport.

The overall visa validity is up to ten years with multiple entries. A "5 years at a time" stay therefore sits inside a visa that may last up to ten years.

Whichever rule applies, status must be kept valid. If the holder will overstay, IRCC's page says to apply to extend before the status expires. Our guides to maintained status and restoration explain what happens when a visitor applies to extend or lets status lapse.

Fees on the IRCC list

From the IRCC fee list (date modified 21 September 2026):

  • Visitor visa: $100.00 per person. The super visa overview shows "Starting from: Can$100."
  • Biometrics: $85.00 per individual, with a $170.00 maximum for a family of two or more applying together.
  • Extend stay as a visitor: $100.00 per person.

Fees paid to third parties are separate: the panel physician's medical exam, the insurance premium, translations, and any fee a representative charges. For two parents applying together, the IRCC fees as listed would be two visitor visa fees of $100 each and biometrics of $170 for the family maximum, which is $370 before third-party costs. That is arithmetic from the list, not a prediction; whether the family maximum applies depends on how the applications are submitted, so read IRCC's instructions in the application.

Our visitor visa refusal guide explains the options after a refusal.

If you want a regulated adviser to look at your own documents, the Migratio directory lists licensed Canadian immigration consultants (RCICs) and lawyers, with their College or law society details so you can check the register yourself. Migratio is a directory and booking service. It is not an immigration consultant and does not give advice on individual cases.

Questions people ask

What are the super visa income requirements?

IRCC says the host child or grandchild must meet or exceed the minimum necessary income and prove it in the invitation letter, which also lists everyone in the family-size count with name and date of birth. The dollar table is on IRCC's proof of financial support page; read the current figures there.

How much health insurance does a super visa need?

IRCC's forms page requires at least $100,000 of emergency coverage, covering health care, hospitalization and repatriation, valid for at least one year from the date of entry, from a Canadian insurer or an OSFI-authorized foreign insurer. Quotes are not accepted.

How long can I stay in Canada on a super visa?

For applications made on or after 22 June 2023, IRCC says up to five years at a time. The visa can be valid for multiple entries for up to ten years. Earlier applicants should read the dated rules on IRCC's length-of-stay page.

Can a grandchild be the host for a super visa?

Yes. IRCC's eligibility page says the host must be the applicant's biological or adopted child or grandchild, a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or registered Indian, aged 18 or older and living in Canada.

Can I apply for a super visa from inside Canada?

No. IRCC's eligibility page says the applicant must be outside Canada when they submit the application.

Does a super visa lead to permanent residence?

No. It is a visitor visa. The Parents and Grandparents Program, which is a sponsorship for permanent residence, is paused according to IRCC's page dated 18 August 2026.

Sources

Last checked 2026-10-09.

Related guides

  • Parents and Grandparents Program: Paused in 2026 — IRCC's Parents and Grandparents Program page (page date 18 August 2026) says the program is paused: IRCC is not currently accepting applications, will not accept new interest to sponsor forms or invite potential sponsors to apply until further notice, and will keep processing existing applications. The page names the super visa as the alternative for parents and grandparents who were not invited.
  • IMM 5768: the financial evaluation for sponsoring parents and grandparents, and the program's paused status — IMM 5768 is the financial evaluation form for sponsors in the Parents and Grandparents Program. That program is paused: IRCC's page (dated 18 August 2026) says it will not accept new interest to sponsor forms or invite potential sponsors to apply until further notice. The form asks for family size, previous undertakings and three years of employment and income history.
  • Canada Visitor Visa Refused: What Your Options Are — There's no appeal from a visitor visa refusal. IRCC says you can apply again at any time unless your letter says otherwise, but only new information that addresses the refusal reasons is likely to change the result. The court route is judicial review in the Federal Court.
  • Misrepresentation in Canada: The Five-Year Inadmissibility Rule — Under section 40 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, misrepresenting or withholding a material fact that induces or could induce an error makes a person inadmissible for five years, and during that time a foreign national cannot apply for permanent residence. The five years run from the final determination if it was made outside Canada, or from the day a removal order is enforced if it was made in Canada.
  • Maintained Status in Canada: Working and Studying While You Wait — If you apply to extend your stay before it expires and IRCC hasn't decided by the expiry date, IRPR s.183(5) extends your authorized stay until the day of the decision and you keep your status and conditions. You can keep working or studying only under the same conditions, you must stay in Canada, and the right ends on the day a refusal is made.
  • IMM 5476, Use of a Representative: what the form asks and how it is submitted — IMM 5476 tells IRCC that someone may act for you on an application, paid or unpaid. You complete the applicant sections, your representative signs their own declaration, and a paid representative must give their membership ID from the College, a law society or the Chambre des notaires. The same form is used to cancel or change a representative.
  • Canadian Immigration Fees 2026: The IRCC List, Explained — The IRCC fee list (date modified 21 September 2026) sets the government fees for most applications: for example $100 for a visitor visa, $150 for a study permit, $155 for a work permit, $1,590 for an economic permanent residence application including the $600 right of permanent residence fee, and $653 for an adult citizenship application. Medical exams, language tests, police certificates and representative fees are not on it.