OTTAWA: The government of Canada has announced changes to Canada’s super visa program which will allow super visa holders to stay for a longer period of time for up to 7 years and also allow private medical insurance companies to provide coverage to super visa clients.
These changes, come into force on July 4, 2022.
According to the new enhancements,people who have a super visa also have the option to request to extend their stay by up to 2 years while in Canada. This means super visa holders will now be able to stay in Canada for up to 7 consecutive years.
It will also allow the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship to designate international medical insurance companies to provide coverage to super visa applicants in the future. Currently, only Canadian insurance providers can provide the necessary medical coverage that super visa applicants are required to have. Information about any designated medical insurance companies located outside of Canada will be communicated on IRCC’s website at a later date.
Since 2011, Canadian citizens and permanent residents have been able to reunite with their parents and grandparents in Canada for extended periods of time through Canada’s super visa program.
This multiple-entry visa, which is valid for up to 10 years, has allowed parents and grandparents to remain in Canada for 2 years at a time. This makes the super visa more beneficial than a regular multiple-entry visitor visa, under which the length of stay is usually 6 months or less.
“Families are at the heart of Canadian society. The enhancements to the super visa program allow family members to reunite for longer in Canada, which helps everyday Canadian citizens and permanent residents succeed and contribute to society, while affording their parents and grandparents invaluable opportunities to spend time with their family in Canada,” said Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship.
For over a decade, the super visa has remained a popular and accessible option for Canadian citizens and permanent residents to reunite with their parents and grandparents in Canada. Each year, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada issues approximately 17,000 super visas.
To adequately support super visa holders while in Canada, their host child or grandchild must meet minimum income requirements.
In addition, parents and grandparents applying for a super visa must have a medical examination and provide proof of private health insurance from an approved insurance provider.
This is so super visa holders can receive emergency health care while they are in Canada, while ensuring that the cost of those services does not fall upon Canadian taxpayers.
