Super Visa
Canada’s Super Visa program allows parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents to visit Canada for up to five years, with the option to apply for extensions.
What is a Super Visa?
Since December 1, 2011, parents and grandparents of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada can apply for the parent and grandparent super visa. The super visa category was created to combat the lengthy sponsorship processing for permanent residence, so that family members can be reunited more quickly.
With the issuance of a ten-year super visa, parents and grandparents can enter Canada for up to fives years at a time without the need to renew their status in six months, as required under a regular visitor visa. They may re-enter Canada as many times as they would like over the ten-year period.
Am I Eligible To Apply For A Super Visa?
To sponsor your parents or grandparents under the super visa category, you must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada. You will be required to provide a written commitment of financial support, including a letter of invitation with details on your living arrangements and how you plan to support your family during your parent's or grandparent's stay in Canada.
You must also establish that you meet the minimum income threshold according to the low-income cut-off, otherwise referred to as "LICO." The minimum requirement will vary based on the size of your family household.
What is the LICO requirement?
The amount you must prove to be eligible to support your parent's or grandparent's application will depend on the size of your family.
Documents that can be submitted to support your proof of funds include:
Notice of Assessment or T4/T1 for the most recent tax year
Employment Insurance stubs
Employment letter with salary and start date
Pay stubs
Bank Statements
Low Income Cut-Off (LICO)
| Size of Family Unit | Minimum Necessary Gross Income |
|---|---|
| 1 person (your child or grandchild) |
$25,921 |
| 2 persons | $32,270 |
| 3 persons | $39,672 |
| 4 persons | $48,167 |
| 5 persons | $54,630 |
| 6 persons | $61,613 |
| 7 persons | $68,598 |
| More than 7 persons, for each additional person add | $6,985 |
Source: Citizenship and Immigration Canada
What does my parent or grandparent need to provide?
Specific to the super visa category is the requirement for all applicants to undergo a medical examination and purchase Canadian medical insurance for at least one year from the date of entry. The medical insurance must provide minimum coverage of $100,000 for health care, hospitalization and repatriation.
Other conditions will also be assessed during your application process to determine whether you are a genuine visitor to Canada. This can include an assessment of your ties to your home country, the purpose of your visit and the overall economic and political stability of your home country. Read more about the assessments of visitor visas.