Super Visa (Parents, Grandparents)
The super visa is a multiple-entry visitor visa for the parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents. It allows stays of up to five years at a time and can be valid for up to 10 years. It doesn’t grant permanent residence, work rights or provincial health coverage.
White Swan Immigration Consultants is a licensed RCIC firm in Richmond, British Columbia. We help hosts in BC work out their income and family size, prepare the invitation letter and evidence, and avoid the mistakes that cause refusals. We also work with families whose parents are applying from Pakistan.
Start your assessment | Book an initial consultation | Call +1 778 772 7865
Super visa at a glance
- Who it’s for: parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens, permanent residents and people registered under the Indian Act.
- Stay: up to five years at a time, with multiple entries for up to 10 years.
- Host must show: minimum necessary income for the family size, and a signed letter of invitation.
- Applicant must have: private health insurance, an immigration medical exam, and a plan to leave Canada when the stay ends.
- Not included: permanent residence, work authorization or public health coverage.
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Super visa, visitor visa or sponsorship?
| |
Super visa |
Standard visitor visa |
Parents and Grandparents Program |
| Purpose |
Long visits to a child or grandchild in Canada |
Short visits, tourism, business |
Permanent residence for a parent or grandparent |
| Typical stay |
Up to 5 years at a time |
Usually up to 6 months |
Permanent |
| Health insurance |
Required, minimum $100,000 for at least one year |
Not required |
Not applicable. Permanent residents may qualify for provincial coverage |
| Host income test |
Yes, minimum necessary income |
No host income test |
Yes, a higher income test |
| Status today |
Open |
Open |
New intake paused since July 15, 2026 |
For a permanent move, see our family sponsorship page, which covers the Parents and Grandparents Program pause and what it means for you.
Who qualifies for a super visa?
The host (you)
- You are the child or grandchild of the applicant, by birth or adoption.
- You are a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident or a person registered under the Indian Act, at least 18 years old and living in Canada.
- You meet the minimum necessary income for your family size.
- You sign a letter of invitation promising financial support for the length of the stay. Your spouse or common-law partner can co-sign if they also qualify. Siblings and other relatives can’t.
The applicant (your parent or grandparent)
- Your parent or grandparent applies from outside Canada.
- They are admissible to Canada on security, criminal and health grounds, and complete an immigration medical exam with an IRCC-approved panel physician.
- They hold the required private health insurance.
- They satisfy the officer that they will leave Canada at the end of their authorized stay.
- Dependants can’t be added. A spouse who is also a parent or grandparent of the host files a separate application.
Income requirement and the 2026 change
The minimum necessary income (MNI) is based on Statistics Canada’s low income cut-off and rises with family size. Before March 31, 2026, IRCC looked only at the tax year before your application. IRCC’s change gives hosts two alternative ways to qualify, and you need to meet only one.
- Two tax years. You and any co-signer meet or exceed the income requirement in either of the two tax years before you apply.
- Adding your parent’s income. If you and any co-signer meet the required minimum share of the income, your parent’s or grandparent’s own income can be added to cover the rest. You must document it.
IRCC assesses applications already in processing on March 31, 2026 under the new criteria as well. To use either option, you have to submit the documents that prove it for your family size.
These figures come from the table IRCC last updated on July 29, 2025. IRCC updates the table annually, so check the current version before you rely on a number.
Health insurance requirements
- At least $100,000 in emergency coverage for health care, hospitalization and repatriation.
- Valid for at least one year from the date of entry, and valid for each entry to Canada.
- Paid in full, or paid by instalments with a deposit. A quote isn’t accepted as proof.
- Issued by a Canadian insurer, or by a non-Canadian insurer that meets IRCC’s conditions. A broker isn’t an insurer.
- Available for a border services officer to review on request, and renewed if it expires before your parent leaves.
Insurance is a separate purchase, and premiums depend on age and health. We explain what the policy must say and check quotes against IRCC’s rules before you pay.
Documents you’ll need
- Your signed letter of invitation, listing every person in the family-size count.
- Proof of your status: citizenship document, permanent resident card or status card.
- Proof of income, such as your latest notice of assessment from the Canada Revenue Agency, for the tax year you’re using.
- Proof of relationship, such as your birth certificate showing your parent.
- Proof of paid health insurance.
- Proof of a completed immigration medical exam.
- Passport pages, photos and any extra documents the visa office asks for, with certified translations for documents not in English or French.
How to apply, step by step
- Check your income and family size. Work out which tax year or option you’ll use before anything else.
- Arrange insurance. Buy a policy that meets IRCC’s rules and keep proof of payment.
- Book the medical exam. Your parent sees an IRCC-approved panel physician.
- Prepare the invitation letter and evidence. Make names, dates and addresses match across every document.
- Apply online from outside Canada. Select the super visa as the purpose of the visit, pay the fee and give biometrics.
- Respond to requests. The visa office may ask for more documents or an interview.
- Travel and arrival. Approval doesn’t guarantee entry. A border services officer makes the final decision and may ask to see the insurance.
IRCC accepts paper applications only if you can’t apply online because of a disability, or if you travel on a refugee or stateless-person document. Processing times vary by visa office, so check IRCC’s processing-times tool for the office serving your parent.
Super visa for parents applying from Pakistan
Parents applying from Pakistan follow the same online process, and IRCC publishes instructions for the visa office that serves Pakistan. These are the points that need the most care.
- Biometrics and medical. Pakistani applicants normally give biometrics, and the immigration medical exam must be done with an IRCC-approved panel physician. Book both early, because results and biometrics can affect how long the visa is valid.
- Relationship proof. Use documents that show the parent-child link clearly, and make sure names and dates match across passports, CNICs and your Canadian records.
- Translations. Documents in Urdu or another language need certified translations with copies of the originals.
- Ties and the plan to leave. Officers look for evidence that your parent will return home. Explain the purpose and length of the visit, and include proof of their situation in Pakistan, such as family, property, pension or other ongoing commitments.
- Your side. Your invitation letter, income documents and family-size count are assessed too, so errors on your end can sink an otherwise strong application.
How White Swan helps with your super visa
- Eligibility and family-size review. We count your family size the way IRCC does and tell you which income option fits.
- Invitation letter. We draft a letter that matches your documents and lists everyone it should.
- Evidence and insurance check. We review income documents, relationship proof and insurance quotes against IRCC’s rules.
- Medical and biometrics guidance. We explain what your parent needs to complete and when.
- Submission and follow-up. We prepare and submit the application and help you respond to requests.
- Extensions. We help plan an extension before the authorized stay ends.
We can’t guarantee a visa. IRCC and the border services officer decide. Your file is handled by a licensed RCIC: [RCIC full name, CICC licence number, link to CICC register profile].
Is the super visa right for your family?
Answer yes to most of these and an assessment is worth your time:
- My parents want long visits, not permanent residence.
- I’m a Canadian citizen or permanent resident living in Canada.
- My income, or my income plus my spouse’s, may meet the minimum for my family size.
- My parents are willing to buy private health insurance and complete a medical exam.
- My parents plan to go home between visits or at the end of the stay.
If you’d rather aim for permanent residence for a spouse or child, see our family sponsorship page.
Start your assessment
FAQs
Is the super visa still available after the Parents and Grandparents Program pause?
Yes. IRCC paused new Parents and Grandparents Program intake on July 15, 2026, but the super visa wasn’t affected, and IRCC pointed to it as the route that remains open. Existing sponsorship applications are still being processed. The super visa gives your parents a long visit, not permanent residence.
How long can my parents stay in Canada on a super visa?
Applicants who applied on or after June 22, 2023 can stay up to five years at a time. The visa can be valid for up to 10 years, or until one month before the passport expires, whichever comes first. Before the authorized stay ends, your parent must leave Canada or apply to extend it.
What income do I need as the host?
You need to meet the minimum necessary income for your family size, which is based on Statistics Canada’s low income cut-off. Since March 31, 2026 you can meet it in either of the two tax years before you apply, or show at least 75% of the amount and add your parent’s own income to cover the rest. Confirm the current figures on IRCC’s table.
How is family size counted?
IRCC counts more people than most families expect. The count includes you, your spouse or common-law partner, your dependent children, every super visa applicant you’re inviting, and anyone already on a super visa or under a sponsorship undertaking from you that is still in effect. Miscounting is a common source of errors.
What health insurance does a super visa require?
The policy must be valid for at least one year from the date of entry, valid for each entry, and provide at least $100,000 in emergency coverage for health care, hospitalization and repatriation. You must show proof of payment, not just a quote. The insurer can be Canadian or a non-Canadian insurer that meets IRCC’s conditions.
Can I apply for a super visa while a sponsorship application is pending?
Generally yes. A super visa application is separate from a Parents and Grandparents Program application and shouldn’t affect it. Your circumstances matter, so check with us before you apply.
Talk to a licensed consultant about your parents’ super visa
Tell us your family size, your income and where your parents live. We’ll come back with the route that fits and what to prepare.
Book an initial consultation | Start your assessment
Phone: +1 778 772 7865 Email: info@wsic.ca Office: Richmond, BC V7A 1N8, Canada
