Super Visa insurance requirements: what IRCC accepts in 2026
Your parents' Super Visa can be refused, or questioned at the border, if the insurance misses even one rule. Here is every insurance requirement in plain language, the other documents IRCC asks for, and a free checker to confirm your policy qualifies before you apply.
The short answer
To meet IRCC's Super Visa insurance requirements in 2026, each parent or grandparent needs private medical insurance from a Canadian insurance company (or an OSFI-authorized foreign insurer doing business in Canada) that provides at least $100,000 of emergency coverage for health care, hospitalization and repatriation, is valid for at least one year from the date of entry and for each entry, and is paid in full or in instalments with a deposit. A quote is not accepted, and the policy must be available for a border officer to review.
Myth
"IRCC does not accept monthly payment plans for Super Visa insurance."
Fact (2026)
IRCC accepts a policy paid in full or in instalments with a deposit. What it does not accept is a quote. IRCC briefly required full upfront payment in 2022, then reversed that rule.
The 6 Super Visa insurance requirements, explained
What each rule means in practice, and the mistake we see most often.
A Canadian or OSFI-authorized insurer
The policy must come from a Canadian insurance company, or from a foreign insurer that is authorized by the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) for accident and sickness insurance and that issued the policy as part of its business in Canada.
Common mistake: buying a policy in the parents' home country, or submitting documents that show only a broker or claims administrator instead of the insurer.
At least $100,000 of emergency coverage
Each applicant needs a minimum of $100,000. Many families choose $150,000 to $300,000 for parents with health concerns, because a serious hospital stay in Canada can exceed $100,000.
Common mistake: a couple policy with one shared $100,000 limit. Each person needs their own $100,000.
Covers health care, hospitalization and repatriation
The plan must pay for emergency medical care, hospital stays and repatriation (returning the insured, or their remains, home). Standard Super Visa plans include all three.
Common mistake: using a trip-cancellation or general travel plan that does not list repatriation.
Valid at least 1 year from each entry
The year is counted from the day your parent enters Canada, not the day you buy the policy, and it applies again on every later entry during the visa's validity.
Common mistake: travel plans change and the policy start date is not moved, so it no longer covers a full year from arrival.
Paid in full, or instalments with a deposit
IRCC accepts either payment method. You need an actual policy with proof of payment or of the deposit. Quotes, applications and unpaid policies are not accepted.
Common mistake: uploading a quotation instead of the policy confirmation.
Available to the border officer
Your parent should carry proof of insurance on every trip. The officer can ask to see it at the port of entry, on the first entry and every re-entry.
Common mistake: the policy is only in the host's email inbox. Print a copy for hand luggage.
Free Super Visa requirements checker
Check your insurance policy against IRCC's rules, and check whether the host meets the minimum income, in under a minute.
Does the policy meet IRCC's rules?
Use the details on the policy confirmation or certificate.
Does the host meet the minimum income?
For the child or grandchild in Canada who signs the invitation letter.
Family size counted: 6
These checkers are general guidance based on IRCC's published instructions. They are not immigration advice, and IRCC decides every application.
The other Super Visa requirements (beyond insurance)
Insurance is one of several tests. A complete application covers all of them.
Eligible applicant
A parent or grandparent of a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or registered Indian. The applicant's spouse can be included; dependent children cannot.
Invitation letter
Signed by the child or grandchild, with a promise of financial support for the whole visit, the list and number of people in their household, and proof of their Canadian status.
Minimum income
The host must meet the low income cut-off (LICO) for their family size, for example $38,002 for 2 people or $56,724 for 4. A spouse can co-sign.
Immigration medical exam
The applicant must complete an immigration medical exam with an IRCC-approved panel physician and be admissible on health grounds.
Apply from outside Canada
The application is made from outside Canada, and the applicant must meet the normal visitor requirements, including showing they will leave at the end of the stay.
Proof of relationship and status
For example a birth certificate naming the parent, and a copy of the host's citizenship or permanent resident document.
Minimum income for the host (2026)
Count yourself, your spouse or partner, your dependent children, the parents or grandparents applying, and anyone else you already support through a valid Super Visa or an active sponsorship.
Since March 31, 2026, IRCC accepts two ways to qualify:
- Option 1: the host (plus a co-signing spouse) meets the full minimum in either of the two tax years before applying.
- Option 2: the host meets at least 75% of the minimum over the latest 12 months or tax year, and the visiting parents' own income covers up to 25%.
| Family size | Minimum income |
|---|---|
| 1 person | $30,526 |
| 2 persons | $38,002 |
| 3 persons | $46,720 |
| 4 persons | $56,724 |
| 5 persons | $64,336 |
| 6 persons | $72,560 |
| 7 persons | $80,784 |
| Each additional person | +$8,224 |
Super Visa document checklist
Gather these before you apply. Missing or mismatched documents are a common cause of delays.
1Insurance
- Policy confirmation or certificate naming the insurer
- Insured names matching the passports
- Coverage of $100,000+ per person
- Start and end dates covering 1 year from entry
- Proof of payment, or of the deposit on a monthly plan
2From the host in Canada
- Signed invitation letter with a promise of financial support
- List and number of people in the household
- Proof of Canadian citizenship or PR status
- Income proof: Notice of Assessment, T4/T1, pay stubs, employer letter
- Proof of relationship, e.g. birth certificate
3From the parents
- Valid passport
- Visitor visa application forms
- Immigration medical exam
- Proof of their own income, if using Option 2
- Evidence of ties to their home country
When to buy the insurance: a simple timeline
- 1. Check the host's income and family sizeUse the checker above. If income falls short, look at a co-signing spouse, the other tax year or Option 2.
- 2. Get Super Visa insurance quotes and choose a planCompare coverage, deductible and pre-existing condition rules. Answer the medical questions accurately.
- 3. Buy the policy before you applyPay in full or pay the deposit on a monthly plan. Set the start date to the expected arrival date. Quotes are not accepted.
- 4. Submit the Super Visa application from outside CanadaInclude the insurance confirmation, invitation letter, income proof and medical exam.
- 5. Adjust dates if travel changesAsk the insurer to move the start date so coverage still runs a full year from entry. If the visa is refused, most insurers refund the premium less an admin fee.
- 6. Carry the policy at the border, and renew on timeKeep the policy in force for every day in Canada, renew before it ends, and extend it if the stay is extended.
Super Visa insurance requirements: FAQ
More answers in the full Super Visa insurance FAQ, and prices on the Super Visa insurance cost page.
What are the Super Visa insurance requirements in 2026?
At least $100,000 of emergency coverage for health care, hospitalization and repatriation, valid for at least one year from each entry, from a Canadian or OSFI-authorized insurer, and paid in full or in instalments with a deposit.
The policy must also be available for a border officer to review on request. Quotes are not accepted.
Does IRCC accept monthly payments for Super Visa insurance?
Yes. IRCC accepts insurance paid in full or in instalments with a deposit, as long as it is an actual policy and not a quote.
IRCC briefly required full upfront payment in 2022 and reversed the rule later that year. Only some insurers offer monthly plans, and missed payments can cancel the policy.
Can I buy Super Visa insurance from an insurer in my parents' home country?
Only if that insurer is authorized by OSFI for accident and sickness insurance and issues the policy as part of its business in Canada; most home-country policies do not qualify.
Buying from a Canadian insurer through a licensed Canadian advisor avoids this risk.
Does the one year start when I buy the policy or when my parents arrive?
When your parents enter Canada. The policy must cover at least one full year from the date of entry.
If the travel date changes, ask the insurer to change the start date before your parents travel.
Do my parents need insurance for each entry to Canada?
Yes. The insurance must be valid for each entry, so a parent re-entering on the same Super Visa needs a policy covering at least a year from that entry.
Carry proof of insurance on every trip in case the border officer asks to see it.
Can both parents share one $100,000 policy?
No. Each applicant needs at least $100,000 of their own coverage.
A couple policy is fine if it gives each person their own $100,000 limit.
Does Super Visa insurance have to cover pre-existing conditions?
No, IRCC does not require it. But a plan that excludes pre-existing conditions will not pay for claims related to them.
If your parent takes regular medication, covering stable pre-existing conditions is usually worth the extra cost. See typical prices on the cost page.
What proof of insurance should we submit?
The policy confirmation or certificate showing the insurer's name, the insured persons, the coverage amount, the coverage dates and that it is paid or the deposit is paid.
The documents should name the insurance company, not only the broker or claims administrator.
What happens to the insurance if the Super Visa is refused?
Most insurers refund the premium, less an admin fee, when you send them the IRCC refusal letter before the policy starts.
Check the cancellation terms before buying. Fees range from no fee to about $100 depending on the insurer.
What insurance is needed if my parents extend their stay?
The insurance must cover the extended stay too, so renew or extend the policy before it ends.
Super Visa holders can stay up to 5 years per entry and can ask IRCC to extend by up to 2 years at a time from inside Canada.
Get an IRCC-ready Super Visa policy
We compare leading Canadian insurers, check the policy against every requirement, and send documents ready for the application, usually the same day.
Sources and related pages
- IRCC: Temporary residents – Super visa (operational instructions)
- IRCC: Super visa for parents or grandparents
- IRCC news release: Super Visa enhancements (2022)
- Super Visa insurance cost 2026, with calculator
- Super Visa insurance FAQ
This page summarizes IRCC's published Super Visa requirements as of October 2026 for general information. It is not immigration or legal advice. Requirements can change; always confirm current rules with IRCC before applying. Coverage is subject to the terms, conditions, limitations and exclusions of the policy issued.