Super Visa Canada for Parents and Grandparents: 2026 Rules
The Super Visa lets the parents and grandparents of a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or registered Indian stay in Canada for up to 5 years per entry, on a visa valid for up to 10 years. The host's income must meet the Low Income Cut-Off (LICO), and the visitor needs $100,000 in medical insurance valid for 1 year. An officer decides.
$100
IRCC’s Super Visa fee, per person
$85
Biometrics, per person, unless exempt
$170
Biometrics maximum for a family applying together
Paused
The Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP), the permanent-residence route
IRCC says applicants from a visa-exempt country pay neither the Super Visa fee nor the biometrics fee. The Fee Calculator adds up the government fees for your family.
How is the Super Visa different from sponsoring a parent?
The Super Visa is the long-stay visitor route. It is a temporary-resident (visitor) document, not permanent residence. The Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) is the permanent-residence route.
| Feature | PGP (PR sponsorship) | Super Visa |
|---|---|---|
| Result | Permanent residence (PR card) | Temporary status, extended visit |
| Intake in 2026? | Paused since July 15, 2026 | Yes, IRCC is accepting applications |
| Income test | Minimum necessary income (the LICO) plus 30% | LICO (no +30%) |
| Undertaking | 20-year financial undertaking (outside Quebec) | None (visitor) |
| Max stay per entry | Permanent (live in Canada) | 5 years at a time |
| Medical insurance required? | No (each province or territory decides who qualifies for its health plan) | Yes, generally minimum $100,000 CAD |
Who can apply, and who can be the host?
The applicant (parent or grandparent):
- Must be the parent or grandparent of a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or registered Indian
- Must be outside Canada when submitting the application, and be allowed to enter Canada
- Must intend to leave Canada at the end of the authorized stay
- Must have a letter of invitation written and signed by the host child or grandchild
The Canadian host:
- Must be the applicant's biological or adopted child or grandchild, at least 18 years old, a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or registered Indian, and living in Canada
- Must meet the minimum income for their family size, which for the Super Visa is the LICO, not the higher LICO + 30% used for the PGP
- May combine income with a co-signer who is their spouse or common-law partner and a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or registered Indian (other family members, such as siblings, cannot co-sign)
How much income does the host need?
The host's income must be at least the LICO for their family size, measured for an urban area of 500,000 people or more. As of March 31, 2026, IRCC generally assesses income using either of the two tax years immediately before you apply (the higher of the two can be used).
The same change added a second option. If you meet at least 75% of the required minimum in the year before the application, the visiting parent or grandparent can add their own income to make up the rest, with proof that the income continues during their stay in Canada and shows the currency it is paid in.
LICO figures are published annually by Statistics Canada and adopted by IRCC, so the exact amounts change each year.
Family size counts:
- The parents or grandparents you will support
- You, and your spouse or common-law partner
- Your and your partner's dependent children
- Earlier super visa holders whose letter from you is still in effect
- Anyone you or your co-signer sponsored whose undertaking is still in effect
The rule
The host's income must be at least the LICO for their family size.
What medical insurance does the visitor need?
Medical insurance is a mandatory Super Visa requirement. The insurance must:
- Provide at least $100,000 CAD in emergency medical coverage
- Be valid for a minimum of 1 year from the date of entry to Canada
- Cover health care, hospitalization, and repatriation
- Be issued by a Canadian insurance company, or by an eligible foreign insurer authorized by the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) to provide accident and sickness insurance in Canada
- Be paid in full, or in instalments with a deposit (quotes are not accepted)
- Be valid for each entry to Canada and available for a border services officer to review on request; if it will expire before the visitor leaves, IRCC says to renew it
How do you apply for a Super Visa?
Gather the host’s documents
Proof of Canadian citizenship, PR status or registration as an Indian, and proof of income: the Notice of Assessment and T4 for both of your two most recent tax years, an employment letter and recent pay stubs. Write and sign a letter of invitation with a promise of financial support for the whole visit, proof that you meet or exceed the minimum necessary income, and the list and number of people in your family size, with each person’s name and date of birth.
Complete the medical exam
The parent or grandparent takes an immigration medical exam with an approved panel physician. Arrange the exam before submitting the visa application: IRCC's forms page asks for proof that the applicant had the exam.
Buy the medical insurance
Buy at least $100,000 CAD of medical insurance from a Canadian insurer or an eligible foreign insurer, starting on the intended entry date and covering at least 1 year.
Submit the application online
Apply online through the IRCC Portal, from outside Canada. A person who cannot apply online can ask IRCC for an alternate format (braille, large print or paper). The Super Visa is issued as a multiple-entry visitor visa (temporary resident visa).
$100 per person
Give biometrics
Applicants give biometrics unless they are exempt. IRCC sends a biometrics instruction letter after the application, and the appointment is booked at a designated Visa Application Centre (VAC).
$85 per person
Show your documents at the border
On arrival, have the Super Visa, the medical insurance proof and the invitation letter ready: a border services officer may ask to see them.
How long can a parent stay, and can the stay be extended?
If the officer grants entry, a holder who applied on or after June 22, 2023 can stay for 5 years at a time, even if the border officer does not stamp the passport. The Super Visa itself can be valid for up to 10 years and allows multiple entries.
To stay longer, apply from inside Canada to extend the stay before status expires (otherwise, leave Canada). IRCC says to apply at least 30 days ahead, and an officer decides. A holder who applied and entered before June 22, 2023 can be approved for an extension of up to 2 years.
Which free tool checks your own case?
- Fee CalculatorCurrent government fees, itemized
- Document ChecklistTypical documents by application type
- Processing TimesIRCC wait times by program
Free, with no account. What you enter in a tool stays in your browser.
What do people ask?
What is the Super Visa in Canada for parents?
The Super Visa is a multiple-entry visitor visa for the parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens, permanent residents and registered Indians. It can be valid for up to 10 years and allows stays of 5 years at a time. It is a temporary document, so time spent on it does not turn into permanent residence.
How long can parents stay in Canada on a Super Visa?
Parents and grandparents who applied on or after June 22, 2023 can stay for 5 years at a time, even if the border officer does not stamp the passport. The visa itself can be valid for up to 10 years with multiple entries. To stay longer, the visitor can apply from inside Canada to extend the stay before their status ends (IRCC says at least 30 days before), and an officer decides.
What is the Super Visa income requirement?
The host's income must be at least the Low Income Cut-Off (LICO) for their family size, without the extra 30% the PGP uses. Since March 31, 2026, IRCC can generally use the higher of the host's two most recent tax years. If the host meets at least 75% of the minimum in the year before the application, the visiting parent's own income can make up the rest. The income section above explains who counts in family size.
What insurance does a Super Visa need?
The policy must give at least $100,000 in emergency medical coverage and be valid for at least 1 year from the date of entry. It must cover health care, hospitalization and repatriation. It can come from a Canadian insurer or from a foreign insurer authorized by OSFI. IRCC does not accept a quote: the policy must be paid in full or in instalments with a deposit. The Medical Insurance section above lists each rule.
What are the Super Visa fees?
The government processing fee is $100 per person; IRCC says applicants from a visa-exempt country pay neither this fee nor the biometrics fee. Applicants give biometrics unless exempt, which cost $85 per person, with a $170 maximum for a family applying together. The medical exam and the insurance premium are paid separately, to the panel physician and to the insurer. The Fee Calculator adds up the government fees for your family.
How long does Super Visa processing take?
There is no fixed processing time. IRCC processes the Super Visa as a multiple-entry visitor visa, and the time varies by visa office and changes often. IRCC publishes its current estimate in the processing-times tool on canada.ca, and you can track the file in your IRCC account. IRCC asks for proof of the medical exam with the application.
Can my parents work in Canada on a Super Visa?
Generally no. A Super Visa does not authorize work in Canada. For health care, each province and territory decides who qualifies as a resident for its health insurance plan, and the Super Visa itself requires private medical insurance.
Is the PGP open again, and how is it different from the Super Visa?
No. IRCC paused the Parents and Grandparents Program on July 15, 2026, and it is not accepting new interest to sponsor forms or sending invitations until further notice. The PGP leads to permanent residence but needs the LICO plus 30% for each of the 3 most recent tax years and a 20-year undertaking outside Quebec. The Super Visa needs only the LICO and is not paused.
Part of:Visiting Canada
- How Long Can You Stay in Canada as a Visitor?
- Why Canada Visitor Visas Get Refused: Top Reasons Explained
- How to Extend Your Visitor Visa in Canada
The textbook on this subject
Volume 1: Entering Canada $79
Six IRPA inadmissibility grounds (s.36 and s.38 to s.42), explained with the official text cited.
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This page is based on law and policy published by the Government of Canada.