Canadian Super Visa and Emergency Medical Insurance:
You may have found this page because you were searching for information on the Canadian super visa. This essential resource aims to answer your questions about the super visa and its emergency medical insurance requirement. It will also inform you about Canada’s health care system, provide links to additional helpful resources, and review some products that meet the super visa requirements.
About the Super Visa
The Canadian super visa is a multi-entry visa valid for 10 years. It allows parents and grandparents of citizens or permanent residents of Canada to enter the country for up to 2 years at a time. According to the Canadian government, to be eligible for a super visa, the visitor must:
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Be a parent or grandparent of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
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Be allowed to enter Canada
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Prove that the visitor’s child or grandchild has the minimum required income
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Have a written statement from the visitor’s child or grandchild saying that they will provide financial support for the visitor
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Pass an immigration medical examination
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Have valid Canadian medical insurance coverage of $100,000 for a minimum of 1 year, including coverage for health care, hospitalization, and repatriation
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An officer will also examine whether or not the visitor is an authentic visitor who will leave the country voluntarily following their visit. For more information about this examination, as well as a complete list of criteria for a super visa application, visit the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website. For a general overview, visit the super visa hub.
About the Canadian Health Care System
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You may be wondering, “why is there an insurance requirement for the super visa?” It is a common misconception that Canada has free healthcare for all. There are limitations to Canada’s national health insurance program. The key limitation for visitors to Canada is that the Government Health Insurance Plans (GHIP) do not cover “a tourist, a transient or a visitor to the province,” as stated on the Government of Canada’s website. This means if a visitor to Canada needs to see a doctor or visit the hospital while in Canada, it is not free and the visitor will be billed for the services they receive. Thus, the government requires visitors to Canada under the super visa to have individual medical insurance plans in case of an emergency.
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Government Health Insurance Plans (GHIP) do cover many medical care expenses for residents of their respective provinces. For more information on what is covered in our province or territory, visit its respective website below.
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Public hospitals in Canada often post their rates for non-residents in front of the help desk in the emergency room. If you want to know more about specific costs, it is recommended that you visit your local hospital and pick up a flyer for information, as costs vary by location.
About the Emergency Medical Insurance Requirement for the Super Visa
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The government of Canada requires visitors under the super visa to have emergency medical insurance because visitors are not covered by a Government Health Insurance Plan (GHIP). As discussed previously in this article, the insurance plan must :
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Provide coverage of $100,000 or more
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Include coverage for the following:
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Health care
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Hospitalization
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Repatriation
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Be valid for 1 year from the date of entry into Canada
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This coverage must be purchased each time the visitor enters Canada.
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If the visitor will only be staying in Canada for a 3 month period, do they still need to purchase insurance for 1 year?
Yes. For every entry into Canada, visitors under the super visa must provide proof of insurance valid for 1 year from their date of entry. If a visitor is insured with one of our Visitors to Canada Emergency Medical Insurance plans, they may be eligible for a refund of unused days, provided no claims have been incurred.
What happens if a visitor will be taking multiple trips to Canada within the 10 year period that the super visa is valid?
If a visitor will be entering Canada multiple times, Emergency Medical Insurance coverage must be purchased as per the Government of Canada requirements for every entry into Canada.
What are the steps involved in purchasing emergency medical insurance for the super visa application?
You can purchase Emergency Medical Insurance coverage HERE or contact me to discuss their needs. Working with me can give applicants access to professional expertise and could save time in the application process.
Products that are available
We have various plans for the Visitors to Canada Emergency Medical Insurance, all of which are super visa eligible when purchased in accordance with the Government of Canada requirements.
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To compare all of our products and see the full coverage details, click HERE.
Additional Resources
For the steps involved in applying for the super visa, visit the Government of Canada’s website.
For more reference material regarding the super visa, including more FAQs, review our previous blog posts on this topic:
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Visitors should renew insurance for the super visa if they will be staying in Canada longer than the initial coverage period. Here is a post on this topic: ’3 Tips for Renewing Your Super Visa Insurance’.
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To be prepared for an emergency, it is also good to be informed about the common reasons an emergency medical insurance claim may be denied. Read about why a claim may be denied in our blog post,‘Common Reasons an Emergency Medical Travel Insurance Claim May Be Denied.’
In Conclusion
I hope this has shed some light on the Canadian super visa, and that you feel better equip with the understanding that emergency medical insurance is a requirement. You’ve learned more about Canada’s health care policy and some options for the Visitors to Canada Emergency Medical Insurance that can help visitors meet the super visa requirements. I’ve provided you with helpful links to more information about the super visa and insurance.
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If you have any questions, thoughts or comments, about the Visitors to Canada Emergency Medical Insurance, please visit our contact page, I will be more than happy to answer any questions.
Thoughts? Questions? Comments?
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