Reviewed July 13, 2026 · Health and dental plans for Canadians outside Quebec.
A Super Visa can let a parent or grandparent stay in Canada for years at a stretch, but the visa hinges on one thing many families underestimate: proof of the right medical insurance. The federal rules are specific, and getting them wrong can stall an application. Here is what is actually required, and where this differs from the resident health and dental plans we compare.
Is this you?
- You are sponsoring a parent or grandparent to visit Canada and need to understand the insurance condition before applying.
- You are the visiting parent or grandparent and want to know what the coverage has to include.
- You are trying to tell the difference between visitor medical insurance and the everyday health and dental plans Canadian residents buy.
If any of those fit, read on.
What the federal rules require
A Super Visa is a special type of visitor visa for the parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents. Because a visitor on this visa is not eligible for provincial or territorial health care, the government requires private medical insurance as a condition of the visa.
Per Canada.ca, the medical insurance must:
- Provide at least $100,000 CAD in coverage.
- Cover health care, hospitalization, and repatriation.
- Be valid for at least one year from the date of entry to Canada.
- Be valid for each entry to Canada.
You submit the actual policy or certificate of insurance with the application. A quote on its own is not accepted, and the insurance is proof you must show, not a box you tick.
Where the insurance can come from
For years, the policy had to be issued by a Canadian insurance company. A 2022 change widened this: you may now also use a policy from an insurer outside Canada, as long as that company is authorized by the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) to sell accident and sickness insurance and appears on OSFI's list of federally regulated financial institutions.
That flexibility helps families who already have a trusted insurer abroad, but the OSFI condition is strict. If in doubt, a Canadian visitor-insurance policy is the simplest way to satisfy the requirement.
How this differs from a resident health and dental plan
This is the point families most often confuse, so let us be direct.
- Super Visa insurance is *emergency medical* coverage for a visitor who has no provincial health card. It is designed to pay if something goes wrong: an accident, a sudden illness, a hospital stay.
- A resident health and dental plan — the kind compared on this site — is for people already covered by a provincial health plan. It fills the everyday gaps that provincial care leaves: prescription drugs, dental, vision, and paramedical care like physiotherapy or massage.
They are different products, bought for different reasons, and they are usually purchased in different places. Super Visa insurance is typically arranged through a visitor-insurance specialist. We would rather say that plainly than imply our comparison does something it does not.
When resident coverage does become relevant
If a visiting parent or grandparent later becomes a permanent resident and enrolls in a provincial or territorial health plan, the picture changes. At that point they face the same gaps every resident does — drugs, dental, and the rest — and an individual health and dental plan becomes the right tool. That is exactly what we help with, in every province and territory except Quebec.
Many newcomers also find they are inside a valuable no-medical-questions window when they first arrive or when a temporary group plan ends, so it is worth checking eligibility early rather than assuming coverage has to wait.
The honest bottom line
For the Super Visa itself, plan on carrying compliant visitor medical insurance that meets the $100,000, one-year, health-hospitalization-repatriation standard, and confirm the current wording on Canada.ca before you file — federal requirements can be updated. When the person you are sponsoring becomes a resident, come back and compare plans side by side to cover the everyday health and dental costs provincial care does not.
Get Health Coverage is an independent comparison platform for individual health and dental insurance. We do not sell Super Visa or visitor medical insurance, and we take no commission — resident plans are ranked by price. Super Visa requirements are set by the Government of Canada; always confirm current rules on Canada.ca. Coverage we compare is available in every province and territory except Quebec.
Frequently asked questions
How much medical insurance is required for a Super Visa?
The federal government requires proof of Canadian medical insurance with at least $100,000 CAD in coverage that pays for health care, hospitalization, and repatriation, and that is valid for at least one year from the date of entry. These are the published minimums on Canada.ca; an individual insurer may offer higher limits. Because a Super Visa applicant is not eligible for provincial or territorial health care, this private coverage is a condition of the visa, not an optional extra.
Does the insurance have to come from a Canadian company?
Historically yes. Following a 2022 change, the government also allows a policy from an insurer outside Canada, provided that company is authorized by the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) to sell accident and sickness insurance and appears on OSFI's list of federally regulated financial institutions. Whichever route you use, you must submit the actual policy or certificate of insurance with the application. A quote alone is not accepted.
Is Super Visa insurance the same as a health and dental plan?
No. Super Visa insurance is emergency medical coverage for a visitor who is not a Canadian resident. A resident health and dental plan, like the ones compared on this site, is for people already covered by a provincial health plan and covers everyday gaps such as prescriptions, dental, and paramedical care. They are different products bought for different reasons. Super Visa insurance is typically arranged through a visitor-insurance specialist, not through a resident comparison tool.
What happens to the insurance if the visa is approved for years?
A Super Visa can allow stays of up to five years at a time, but the medical insurance requirement is measured in one-year terms tied to each entry. The policy must be valid for at least one year from the date of entry, and coverage must be in force for each entry to Canada. If a policy lapses during a long stay, it generally has to be renewed so there is no gap. Confirm the current renewal rules on Canada.ca before you rely on any single policy for a multi-year visit.
Can Get Health Coverage help with Super Visa insurance?
Get Health Coverage compares individual health and dental plans for people who are already residents of a Canadian province or territory outside Quebec. Super Visa insurance is a separate visitor-medical product with its own federal rules, and it is usually arranged elsewhere through a specialist. We would rather be honest about that scope than pretend our comparison covers it. Once a parent or grandparent becomes a permanent resident and joins a provincial health plan, resident health and dental coverage becomes relevant and we can help.