Canada’s super visa is a multiple entry visa that allows holders to enter Canada to visit their children or grandchildren. Super visa holders may visit Canada for up to 5 years per entry. The visa itself is valid for up to 10 years, provided each entry to Canada is less than 5 years.

Eligibility for Super Visas

Canada’s super visa program has specific requirements, and you must satisfy all criteria before your application will be approved by a reviewing officer. To be eligible for a super visa, you must:

• Be the parent or grandparent of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident;
• Proof such as birth certificate, baptismal certificate, etc.
• Be admissible to Canada;
• Apply for the super visa from outside of Canada and have the visa printed outside of Canada;
• Have a signed letter from your child or grandchild that invites you to Canada. That letter must include:
• A promise of financial support for the length of your visit;
• The list and number of people in their household;
• A copy of the child or grandchild’s Canadian citizenship or permanent resident document
• Have proof of private medical insurance from a Canadian insurance company. This medical insurance must:
• Be paid in full, or in installments with a deposit;
• Be valid for at least one (1) year from the date you enter Canada;
• Cover healthcare, hospitalization, and repatriation;
• Provide for at least $100,000 emergency coverage; and
• Be valid for each entry to Canada
• Undergo a medical exam; and
• Meet certain other conditions.

The required private medical insurance must be purchased before you apply for the super visa, as you will need to provide the valid policy document in your application as proof of coverage.

In addition, super visa holders may not include dependents on their application.

Minimum Income Requirements

The child or grandchild that invites you to Canada must prove that their household income is equal to or greater than the minimum necessary gross income. The minimum income required is dependent on the size of the family unit. As of February 2023, the below income scale applies:

You can find the most up-to-date income requirements here.

Your child or grandchild may demonstrate that they meet the minimum necessary gross income through documents such as:

• Bank statements
• Pay stubs
• Notice of Assessment (NOA) or T4/T1 for the most recent tax year
• Employment Insurance Benefit statements
• Letter from their employer stating salary, job title, job description, and date of hire

If your child or grandchild that invited you has a spouse or common-law partner, their income may be included to meet the minimum income requirement.

Other Factors

Canada’s super visa program is not a pathway to permanent residency. Super visa holders are visitors to Canada, and are in the country on a temporary basis. Holders of super visas must be prepared to leave the country at the end of their visit. To ensure that applicants have temporary intention, IRCC will consider the following when assessing your application:

• The purpose of your visit
• Your family and finances
• Your ties to your home country
• The overall economic and political stability of your home country.

Canada’s super visa program is a terrific and affordable pathway for temporarily reuniting families. If you would like to learn more, we encourage you to Schedule a Strategy Session with our lawyers. We also encourage you to learn more about our Super Visa Application Service.