Missed the PGP? Canada’s Super Visa may allow you to reunite with your parents and grandparents

Shelby Thevenot
Published: October 6, 2021

If your goal is to bring your parents or grandparents to Canada — even temporarily — the Super Visa may be an option for you.

The Super Visa is a document that allows your parents or grandparents to come visit you in Canada for up to two years at a time. If you were to go with the regular Visitor Visa (TRV), or electronic Travel Authorization  (eTA), you would only be allowed to stay for six months at a time.

Also, the Super Visa is valid for 10 years, much longer than most other types of Canadian travel visas. The processing times vary by country, and do not include the time needed to give biometrics.

Contact the Law Firm of Campbell Cohen for help with Super Visas

Of course, there are certain eligibility and admissibility criteria for the visa. Not just any parent or grandparent of a Canadian can benefit. Before making arrangements to welcome your family to Canada, here are some of the general eligibility requirements of the Super Visa, according to the government website.

How to help your parents or grandparents get the visa

The Super Visa is meant for parents and grandparents of Canadian permanent residents and citizens. To help them get the visa, you will need to write a letter of invitation, and include your permanent residency or citizenship document.

In your letter, you will need to promise to financially support your parents for their entire stay in Canada. You will also need proof that your income meets or exceeds the Low-Income Cut-Off (LICO). For this, you will need a list of all the people in your household, as the LICO is partially determined by family size.

Some of the documents you can use as proof of funds include your Notice of Assessment, T4, or T1 for the most recent tax year, Employment Insurance stubs, an employment letter including salary and date of hiring, pay stubs, and bank statements.

Also, your parents or grandparents will need medical insurance from a Canadian insurance company that is at least $100,000 in coverage. It has to be valid for a minimum of one year from the date of entry. Quotes are not accepted, you need proof that the insurance has been paid.

Your parents or grandparents must apply for the super visa from outside Canada. They must be admissible to Canada and take an immigration medical exam, among other requirements.

When making a decision on your application, the immigration officer is supposed to determine whether or not the nature of your stay is actually temporary. In the government's words: "You must be a genuine visitor to Canada who will leave by choice at the end."

They will look at your ties to your home country, the purpose of your visit, your family and finances, as well as the overall economic and political stability of your home country.

Again, this program is only for parents and grandparents. Any dependents they have cannot be included in the application for the Super Visa.

Applications can be done online or at your nearest visa application centre.

Contact the Law Firm of Campbell Cohen for help with Super Visas

© CIC News All Rights Reserved. Visit CanadaVisa.com to discover your Canadian immigration options.

Share this article
Share your voice
Did you find this article helpful?
Thank you for your feedback.
Subscribe to our newsletter
Did you find this article helpful?
Please provide a response
Thank you for your helpful feedback
Please contact us if you would like to share additional feedback, have a question, or would like Canadian immigration assistance.
  • Do you need Canadian immigration assistance? Contact the Contact Cohen Immigration Law firm by completing our form
  • Send us your feedback or your non-legal assistance questions by emailing us at media@canadavisa.com
Related articles
How can my parents and grandparents join me in Canada?
A picture of a man and his mother smiling.
How does IRCC choose sponsors through the Parents and Grandparents Program?
A man and his elderly father walking in a garden on a summer day.
When to inform IRCC about changes to your family after submitting a family class application
Happy family takes a selfie
Quebec imposes cap on family sponsorship applications
A family waving the Quebec provincial flag while standing in a field
Top Stories
Canada-US to change border crossing hours at multiple ports of entry in 2025
New Brunswick pauses several permanent residence pathways
Free tools and resources for your immigration journey
Join our free newsletter. Get Canada's top immigration stories delivered to your inbox.
Subscribe
More in Canada
Free tools and resources for your immigration journey
A person accesses powerful web tools that will help them immigrate to Canada.
How the Canadian government supports newcomers with Canada Connects
A multicultural group of youths sit on the steps of a building in Toronto, laughing and socializing.
IRCC to update application fees on December 1
A couple looks to their laptop, credit card in hand, anticipating the online payment of their IRCC fees.
International students in Canada can work 24 hours a week off-campus
A young woman walks while carrying a laptop
Link copied to clipboard