Quick answer
A Super Visa lets parents and grandparents stay up to five years per entry, but the host must meet a minimum income and the parent must buy $100,000 of medical insurance for at least a year. A regular visitor visa usually allows up to six months per entry, has no fixed income test and doesn't require insurance. Both cost $100 plus $85 for biometrics. Choose the Super Visa for long stays, the visitor visa for shorter, flexible visits.
Super Visa vs Visitor Visa at a Glance
| Super Visa | Visitor visa | |
|---|---|---|
| Who can apply | Parents and grandparents of citizens and PRs | Anyone who qualifies as a visitor |
| Stay per entry | Up to 5 years | Usually up to 6 months |
| Extend from inside Canada | Up to 2 years at a time | Yes, by visitor record |
| Host income test | Yes, minimum necessary income | No fixed test |
| Medical insurance | Required: $100,000, 1 year, paid | Not required, strongly advised |
| Immigration medical exam | Required | Sometimes |
| Government fee | $100 + $85 biometrics | $100 + $85 biometrics |
| Validity | Up to 10 years, multiple entry | Up to 10 years, multiple entry |
Fees and rules from IRCC as of October 2026. The border officer decides the actual length of stay on arrival.
Which Visa Fits? A 4-Question Chooser
A starting point, not immigration advice. IRCC assesses every application on its own facts.
How Insurance Differs for Each Visa
Super Visa. The policy is part of the application. It must be at least $100,000, cover health care, hospital stays and repatriation, last a year from entry, and be paid in full or by instalments with a deposit. It has to come from a Canadian insurer or one authorized by OSFI. Our live quotes on October 29, 2026 started at $1,711.85 for a 70-year-old.
Visitor visa. No insurance is required, but your parents still don't qualify for OHIP or any other provincial plan. You can buy exactly the days they'll be here, often with a lower limit. That flexibility is why many families with shorter visits never bother with the Super Visa.
The bill for going without is the same either way. In Ontario, an uninsured visitor pays hospital rates of thousands of dollars a day. A heart attack with a few days in hospital can pass $50,000 quickly.
Your parents can't switch to a Super Visa from inside Canada. They apply from outside. Meanwhile, keep their visitor insurance running for every day they're here.
Visitor insurance pricesBuy the policy before you apply. A refused visa usually gets a full refund if you send the letter before the start date.
Super Visa checklistSuper Visa or Visitor Visa: Your Questions
What is the main difference between a Super Visa and a visitor visa?
Length of stay. A Super Visa allows up to five years per entry. A visitor visa usually allows up to six months. In return, the Super Visa needs a host income test and $100,000 of insurance.
Do the two visas cost different amounts?
No. Both are $100 plus $85 for biometrics per person. The real cost difference is the year of Super Visa insurance.
Is insurance required for a visitor visa?
No, but it's strongly advised. Visitors don't get provincial health coverage, so every hospital bill is paid by the family without it.
Can my parents change from a visitor visa to a Super Visa while in Canada?
No. The Super Visa is applied for from outside Canada. They can extend a visitor stay from inside Canada with a visitor record.
Which is easier to get approved?
It depends on the family. The Super Visa adds an income test and medical exam, but the extra documents can also show strong support from the host. An immigration professional can advise on your case.
How long can a parent stay on a Super Visa in total?
Up to five years per entry, and they can ask to extend by up to two years at a time from inside Canada.
Pankaj Bhatia, PFA, CHS
Pankaj is a licensed insurance advisor with offices in Mississauga and Cambridge, Ontario, and a member of Advocis. He helps families compare Super Visa and visitor plans from Canadian insurers and sorts out claims and refunds when plans change.
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