Early this month, Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, the Honourable Sean Fraser announced changes to Canada’s super visa program. He said that these changes will make it easier for Canadians and permanent residents to reunite with their parents and grandparents in Canada and will allow parents and grandparents with the super visa to stay for a longer period of time in Canada.
Here are the changes below that will start in July 4, 2022:
- To increase the length of stay for super visa holders to 5 years per entry into Canada. Parents and grandparents who have a supervisa also have the option to request to extend their stay in Canada by up to two (2) years at a time while in Canada.
- To allow the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada 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 re 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.
The super visa for parents and grandparents’ program has been a popular program since 2011. The program has been able to reunite parents and grandparents with their children in Canada who are either a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. Supervisa is a 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.
To be eligible for a super visa, you must:
- Be the parent or grandparent of a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada
- Have a signed letter from your child or grandchild who invites you to Canada that includes: a promise of financial support for the length of your visit, the list and number of people in the household of this person and a copy of this person’s Canadian citizenship or permanent resident document.
- Have medical insurance from a Canadian insurance company that is: valid for at least 1 year from the date of entry, at least $100,000 coverage and have proof that the medical insurance has been paid.
- The child or grandchild (Canadian citizen or permanent resident) must prove that their household meets the minimum necessary income.
- The parent or grandparent must have completed the upfront medical exam.
If you have questions regarding the above article, you may contact Marjorie at [email protected]
Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
A word of caution: You should not act or rely on the information provided in this column. It is not a legal advice. To ensure your interests are protected, retain, or formally seek advice from a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) in good standing of CICC. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of RCIC’s.
