Canada Super Visa: How It Works and Who Qualifies

The Canada Super Visa lets parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens or permanent residents visit for an extended stay. It’s a multiple-entry visa that can stay valid for up to 10 years, and it allows stays of up to 5 years per entry, far longer than a standard visitor visa. This guide walks through who qualifies and what you need to apply.

What the Super Visa is and how it differs from a regular visitor visa

The Super Visa is a special type of visitor visa created for one group of people: parents and grandparents of Canadians. A regular Canada visitor visa usually lets you stay for up to 6 months at a time, and then you have to leave or apply to extend your status from inside Canada. The Super Visa works differently. Each time you enter, you can stay for a much longer stretch, up to 5 years per entry (this was recently extended from 2 years, so confirm the current limit on IRCC).

Because it’s a multiple-entry visa valid for as long as 10 years, your parents or grandparents can come and go over a long period without reapplying each visit. That’s the main reason families choose it: fewer applications, longer visits, and more time together across several years.

Who qualifies for a Super Visa

The Super Visa is for the parents and grandparents of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. A few points trip people up, so it’s worth being clear:

• The applicant is the parent or grandparent, not the grandchild. Your child or grandchild in Canada is the host, and you are the person applying.
• Dependants of the parent or grandparent generally can’t be included on the same application. Each adult applies on their own.
• The host in Canada must be a citizen or a permanent resident. A person on a work or study permit doesn’t qualify to host a Super Visa.
• You’ll need to satisfy the officer that you’ll leave Canada at the end of your authorized stay, just as with any visitor application.

If your relative doesn’t fit the parent or grandparent category, a regular visitor visa is usually the right path instead.

The three big requirements

Most Super Visa applications stand or fall on three things. Get these right and the rest is mostly paperwork:

• A letter of invitation from your child or grandchild in Canada. This signed letter promises to support you financially during your stay and includes details about the host, their household, and where you’ll live.
• Proof the host meets a minimum income. The person inviting you has to show their household income reaches a figure called the Low Income Cut-Off, or LICO. The amount depends on the size of their family.
• Valid private medical insurance. You must buy health coverage before you apply, and it has to meet minimum standards set by IRCC.

We cover the documents behind each of these in our Canada visitor visa document checklist, which overlaps closely with what Super Visa applicants gather.

The insurance requirement in detail

Medical insurance is the requirement that’s unique to the Super Visa, and it’s where applications often slip. Here’s what it generally has to include:

• The policy must come from a Canadian insurance company or from an insurer that IRCC has designated outside Canada. A policy from any random provider won’t be accepted.
• It has to give coverage of at least $100,000 for health care, hospitalization, and repatriation.
• The policy has to be valid for at least one year from the date you plan to enter Canada.
• It must be paid for and active, not just quoted. You’ll show proof that the coverage is in place.

Insurance minimums do get updated, so check the current required amount and coverage terms on the official IRCC website at canada.ca before you buy a policy. Buying the wrong coverage is a common and avoidable reason for refusal.

The income requirement

The host, meaning your child or grandchild in Canada, has to prove they earn enough to support you on top of their own household. That threshold is the Low Income Cut-Off (LICO), and it rises with family size, so a host supporting a larger family needs to show a higher income.

When the host counts family size, they usually include themselves, everyone they already support, and the parents or grandparents they’re inviting. Common proof includes a Notice of Assessment from the Canada Revenue Agency, T4 slips, pay stubs, or an employment letter. The exact LICO figure changes from year to year, so always confirm the current amount for the right family size on canada.ca rather than relying on an older number.

Frequently asked questions

How long can my parents stay in Canada on a Super Visa?

Each entry can allow a stay of up to 5 years, and the visa itself can be valid for up to 10 years. The stay length was recently extended, so confirm the current figure on IRCC. Your parents can also apply to extend their stay from within Canada if they need more time.

Can grandparents apply, or only parents?

Both. The Super Visa is open to parents and grandparents of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. Grandchildren can’t be added to a parent’s application, though. Each parent or grandparent applies as the main applicant.

Do I need to buy insurance before I apply?

Yes. Valid private medical insurance has to be in place when you submit, not something you arrange after approval. Keep the proof of payment and the policy details ready to include with your application.

Code X Elite is a document preparation and form-filling service, not a law firm. We don’t give legal advice, and you submit your own application. We help you organize and prepare the paperwork so it’s complete and consistent before it goes to IRCC.

If you’d like help getting the invitation letter, income proof, and insurance documents in order, learn about our Canada Super Visa document preparation service. We’ll help you put together a clean, well-organized application that you file yourself.