Getting a Canada Super Visa insurance for medical coverage is an important step on your way to spending an extended period in Canada with your family and loved ones.
What is a Canada Super Visa
The Super Visa program allows parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents to visit for up to two years at a time, allowing multiple entries over 10 years. The Super Visa has been a successful program for families who want to stay close to their loved ones without permanently living in or immigrating to Canada.
In contrast to the Parent and Grandparent Program (PGP), there is no annual quota for Super Visa applications, and applications are processed relatively quickly. However, because approved Super Visa holders are not permanent residents of Canada (as approved PGP applicants are), Super Visa applicants need specialized private medical coverage in order to be accepted. This coverage is commonly known as Super Visa insurance.
Super Visa Insurance
In order to be eligible for the Super Visa, the child(ren) or grandchild(ren) of the applicant must provide a letter of invitation and meet minimum income requirements — more on that below. Applicants then submit this letter along with proof they have obtained requisite levels of medical insurance. Super Visa insurance must meet minimum requirements and must cover at least one year from the date of entry to Canada.
Emergency health insurance for visitors to Canada is a necessary part of traveling on a Super Visa, and it can be expensive depending on the age of the traveler and whether they need coverage for pre-existing medical conditions. However, it could end up being even more costly if you need to make an insurance claim in Canada only to find you purchased the wrong policy.
If you don’t use a skilled advisor who is knowledgeable about insurance for visitors to Canada to shop around and help you select appropriate coverage, you may miss an important detail in the fine print or simply pay more than you have to.
Minimum Required Levels of Coverage for Super Visa Insurance
You must purchase Super Visa insurance from a Canadian insurance company. It should cover health care, repatriation, and hospitalization. It must have a minimum coverage level of CAD $100,000 and be valid for each time the parent or grandparent enters Canada. Upon entry, the parent or grandparent must be able to present proof of their Canadian Super Visa insurance to an officer at the port of entry.
How Much Does Super Visa Medical Insurance Cost?
Super Visa insurance costs and coverage options may vary depending upon your destination province or territory. You can get Super Visa insurance for one parent or grandparent or a couple. A couple traveling together may save some money over purchasing single Super Visa insurance policies individually.
Super Visa insurance monthly payment will typically cost between CAD$100 and $200 per month, or potentially more. The exact cost of Super Visa insurance will vary depending on your provider and your plan.
Alternatives to Super Visa Insurance
Super Visa insurance is designed to cover parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens or permanent residents who are traveling to Canada and plan to stay for up to two years.
If you or your relative don’t fit the qualifications for a Super Visa, you may have other options for visitor visas and insurance for travelers. Many people travel to Canada for temporary stays of less than six months using visitor visas or simply using their passports if they come from a visa-exempt country.
Those interested in sponsoring their parents or grandparents to live in Canada permanently may also be interested in the Parents and Grandparents Sponsorship Program (PGP). This program allows Canadian citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their parents and grandparents to become Canadian permanent residents.
