Super Visa eligibility in Canada generally applies to a parent or grandparent outside Canada whose child or grandchild is a qualifying Canadian host. The host must meet the status, age, residence and income rules. The applicant must show the family relationship, obtain qualifying health insurance, meet admissibility requirements and apply from outside Canada.
Rules checked on canada.ca on October 30, 2026.
Key facts
- A Super Visa can allow stays of up to 5 years at a time, with multiple entries for up to 10 years.
- The host must be the applicant’s child or grandchild, at least 18, living in Canada and a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or registered Indian.
- The applicant must apply from outside Canada.
- Insurance must provide at least $100,000 in emergency coverage for health care, hospitalization and repatriation and be valid for at least 1 year from entry.
- From March 31, 2026, the income requirement can be met through either of two options, including a 75% option involving the parent or grandparent’s own income.
Who can apply for a Super Visa?
A parent or grandparent can apply when the Canadian host meets the required family relationship, status, age and residence conditions. The applicant must also apply from outside Canada and satisfy the temporary-purpose and admissibility requirements.
The host must be the applicant’s biological or adopted child or grandchild. A sibling, cousin, in-law or family friend does not meet this host relationship requirement solely because that person lives in Canada.
The host must be at least 18 and live in Canada. The qualifying status is Canadian citizenship, permanent residence or registered Indian status. Review the official Super Visa eligibility requirements before collecting documents.
Use this eligibility path
- Confirm that the applicant is the parent or grandparent of the proposed host.
- Confirm that the host is the applicant’s child or grandchild.
- Check the host’s Canadian status, age and residence.
- Confirm that the applicant will apply from outside Canada.
- Calculate the family size and review the host’s income option.
- Check the insurance conditions before purchasing a policy.
- Review the applicant’s temporary purpose and admissibility history.
How does the 2026 Super Visa income rule work?
Since March 31, 2026, the host, with a co-signer if applicable, can meet the minimum income in either of the two tax years before applying. Alternatively, the host can have at least 75% of the minimum in the year before applying, while the parent or grandparent’s own income covers the rest.
The applicable minimum depends on family size and the application year. Do not use a static dollar figure from an older article. Check the IRCC host financial-support table and instructions for the current amount and proof requirements.
What counts in the family-size review?
Start with the host’s household and then add the people included under the current rules. The calculation can include the host, spouse or common-law partner, dependent children, visiting parent or grandparent applicants, people previously approved for a Super Visa under the host’s support and relevant previous sponsorship obligations.
A CRA notice of assessment is the preferred income proof. Identify the people included, the tax year or years used, any co-signer and the income source used for the 75% option before completing the forms.
| Income option | What to establish | Evidence to review |
|---|---|---|
| Regular option | The host, with a co-signer if applicable, meets the minimum in either of the two tax years before applying. | Family-size calculation and the relevant CRA notice of assessment. |
| 75% option | The host reaches at least 75% of the minimum in the year before applying, and the applicant’s own income covers the rest. | The host’s income proof and evidence of the parent or grandparent’s income. |
What health insurance does a Super Visa require?
The applicant needs qualifying private health insurance before travelling. The policy must come from a Canadian insurer or a foreign insurer authorized by OSFI, be valid for at least 1 year from entry and provide at least $100,000 in emergency coverage for health care, hospitalization and repatriation.
The insurance can be paid in full or in instalments with a deposit. A quote is not accepted as proof. The applicant must have proof of the required insurance on each entry to Canada. Check the IRCC Super Visa document instructions for the current evidence requirements.
What other health and admissibility checks apply?
Follow the medical examination and biometrics instructions issued for the individual application. Medical, criminal and immigration history can affect admissibility separately from the host’s income and the insurance policy.
Prepare accurate information about prior travel, applications and relevant history. A family relationship does not remove the need to show a genuine temporary visit and meet Canada’s admissibility requirements.
Which documents should the family prepare?
Each document should answer a specific eligibility question. Names, dates, addresses and family details should be consistent across the forms and supporting evidence.
| Document group | What it should establish |
|---|---|
| Passport, travel document and identity records | The applicant’s identity, nationality and ability to travel. |
| Birth, adoption, marriage or name-change records | The parent, grandparent, child or grandchild relationship. |
| Proof of the host’s Canadian status and residence | That the host has qualifying status and lives in Canada. |
| Invitation and financial-support documents | The visit purpose, support arrangements and host’s commitment. |
| Income evidence | The applicable family-size calculation and income option. |
| Insurance certificate and policy details | The insurer, coverage, dates, payment and required emergency coverage. |
| Medical and biometrics records, where requested | Completion of the processes identified for the application. |
Documents not in English or French may need translation or other treatment under the current checklist. Use the personalized IRCC checklist for the specific application.
How do you apply, and how long can you stay?
Apply from outside Canada through the IRCC portal, complete the required questionnaire, upload the personalized checklist and follow the instructions for biometrics or a medical examination if requested. Pay the applicable government fees and monitor the account for messages and deadlines.
- Confirm the relationship and host eligibility.
- Calculate family size and select the applicable income option.
- Prepare the host’s income evidence and invitation.
- Arrange qualifying insurance and retain proof of payment.
- Complete the application and upload the requested documents.
- Complete biometrics or a medical examination if instructed.
- Respond to IRCC messages by the stated deadlines.
A Super Visa can allow a stay of up to 5 years at a time, with multiple entries for up to 10 years. Visa validity and the period authorized in Canada are separate matters. Review the official Super Visa overview for the current stay information.
If the planned visit is shorter or the applicant does not meet the Super Visa conditions, compare the facts with the North Vista visitor visa guide. A Super Visa is temporary and does not provide permanent residence.
Why is the Super Visa the main family-visit route right now?
The Parents and Grandparents Program is paused and is not accepting new interest forms until further notice. IRCC points parents and grandparents toward the Super Visa, making it the relevant temporary family-visit route to assess while sponsorship intake is paused.
This does not make Super Visa eligibility automatic. The applicant still needs a qualifying host, documented income support, compliant insurance, a genuine temporary purpose and admissibility. Permanent residence is a separate question and requires a different pathway.
For families in Mississauga and the wider GTA, the practical gap is often the connection between these rules: selecting the correct income option, proving the relationship, arranging insurance that meets every condition and presenting a consistent temporary-visit plan. Work through those points together rather than checking only one requirement.
Common Super Visa refusal risks
Applications can be weakened by incomplete evidence, inconsistent information or an unaddressed eligibility concern. Check the file against the following issues before submission.
- Weak temporary-purpose evidence: Explain the visit, intended dates, accommodation, finances and circumstances outside Canada.
- Unclear relationship proof: Connect the generations through civil records and explain name changes or missing documents.
- Incorrect family-size calculation: Include relevant previous undertakings and approved Super Visa applicants.
- Incomplete income evidence: Match the tax-year evidence, co-signer details and selected income option.
- Unsuitable insurance: Check the insurer, one-year validity, $100,000 minimum coverage, payment evidence and proof required on entry.
- Inconsistent information: Compare names, addresses, dates, travel history and prior immigration information line by line.
- Admissibility concerns: Address medical, criminal or immigration history accurately.
Review the file especially carefully when civil records are incomplete, income is uncertain, a previous application was refused or the applicant has medical, criminal or immigration history.
Frequently asked questions
How much income does a Super Visa host need?
The required amount depends on family size and the application year, so use the current IRCC table rather than an older dollar figure. The host, with a co-signer if applicable, may meet the minimum in either of the two tax years before applying. Another option allows at least 75% in the preceding year, with the parent or grandparent’s income covering the rest.
Who counts in the Super Visa family-size calculation?
The calculation can include the host, the host’s spouse or common-law partner, dependent children, the visiting parent or grandparent applicants, people previously approved for a Super Visa under the host’s support and relevant previous sponsorship obligations. List everyone covered by the current IRCC instructions before assessing whether the income meets the applicable minimum.
Does Super Visa insurance have to be from a Canadian insurer?
No. The policy can come from a Canadian insurer or a foreign insurer authorized by OSFI. It must be valid for at least 1 year from entry and provide at least $100,000 in emergency coverage for health care, hospitalization and repatriation. It can be paid in full or by instalments with a deposit, but quotes are not accepted.
Can a parent apply for a Super Visa from inside Canada?
No. The applicant must be outside Canada when applying for a Super Visa. The application should be prepared through the IRCC process with the required relationship, host, income, insurance, identity and admissibility evidence. A person already in Canada should not assume that visitor status can simply be changed into a Super Visa application.
How long can a parent or grandparent stay on a Super Visa?
A Super Visa can allow a stay of up to 5 years at a time, with multiple entries for up to 10 years. The visa’s validity and the period authorized in Canada are separate matters. Check the current IRCC instructions and the documents issued for the individual traveller rather than treating the multiple-entry period as one continuous stay.
To assess your family’s documents, income option and insurance before applying, book a review with North Vista Immigration’s licensed consultant through its Super Visa page.