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Getting Super Visa insurance for medical coverage is a mandatory step on the way to spending long periods in Canada with loved ones.

Canada’s popular 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 specialised 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 travelling 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.

We recommend working with BestQuote Travel Insurance Agency for your Super Visa insurance. Not only are they a skilled insurance agency, but they allow you to compare many different insurance providers so you can ensure you’re getting the best policy available! You can check out BestQuote here.

We advise you to use a broker that specialises in travel insurance for visitors to Canada when you buy your super visa insurance (it doesn’t cost you any extra to use a broker, and it’ll help you ensure that you buy the best policy). Get your options from BestQuote today.

What are the 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 hospitalisation. 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 travelling 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.

super visa insurance
Your family can spend summers by the water with the Super Visa program. / Photo by Benjamin Elliott

Are there alternatives to Super Visa Insurance?

Super Visa insurance is designed to cover parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens or permanent residents who are travelling 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 travellers. 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. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will accept a record-high 30,000 applications through the PGP in 2021.

Canada has a clear commitment to keeping families together. Whether you want to spend a holiday together as a family, or whether your parents want to be close by to watch their grandchildren grow up, Canada’s super visa program could be the solution you’ve been looking for.

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Citation "Super Visa insurance for visiting family in Canada." Moving2Canada. . Copy for Citation