What is Canadian Super Visa Program
Super Visa requirements have come into force from November 4, 2011 in Canada with a sole aim to provide visa to Parents and Grand Parents of Permanent Residents or Canadian Citizens under family reunification program. This new super visa scheme will offer a temporary visa valid for a period of ten years to parents and grandparents. A holder of Super Visa can stay in Canada for a maximum period of two years without renewing their visa.
• Be a parent or grandparent of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
• Be allowed to enter Canada
• Prove that the visitor’s child or grandchild has the minimum required income
• Have a written statement from the visitor’s child or grandchild saying that they will provide financial support for the visitor
• Pass an immigration medical examination
• Have valid Canadian medical insurance coverage of $100,000 for a minimum of 1 year, including coverage for health care, hospitalization, and repatriation
Your application for Super Visa will be examined by the visa officer to see if the visitor is genuine and intends to go back to home country after maximum stay of two years. For more information about this examination, as well as a complete list of criteria for a super visa application, visit the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website. For a general overview, visit the super visa hub.
About the Canadian Health Care System
The healthcare system in Canada gives free access to all for any medical needs. The out of pocket expense for Canadians is very limited and there are limitations to Canada’s National health insurance program.
The reason why medical insurance from Canadian health insurance provider is mandatory because the key limitation for visitors to Canada is that the Government Health Insurance Plans (GHIP) do not cover “a tourist, a transient or a visitor to the province,” as stated on the Government of Canada’s website. If a visitor gets sick or injured and he needs to see the doctor or visits hospital, all the expenses will be borne by him or the sponsor. The Government plan will not pay for it. This means if a visitor to Canada needs to see a doctor or visit the hospital while in Canada, it is not free and the visitor will be billed for the services they receive. Thus, the government requires visitors to Canada under the super visa to have individual medical insurance plans in case of an emergency.
Public hospitals in Canada often post their rates for non-residents in front of the help desk in the emergency room. Some rates of hospital charges across Canada include:
- $15.25 per day for basic television in Ontario
- $750 initial fee for visiting the emergency room in British Columbia
- $1,099.35 for medically essential ambulance transport in Nova Scotia
- $3,100 per day for a semi-private room in Ontario
The cost for medical procedures is also important to research. It can cost as much as:
- $20 for 5 cm of sutures in Newfoundland
- $49 for an x-ray (plus hospital fee) in Ontario
- $598.40 for an appendectomy in the Yukon
- $670.65 to repair a broken leg (open reduction of a lower leg fracture) in Manitoba
- $7,000 minimum to put in or replace a pacemaker in British Columbia
- The above costs are estimates, and intended for illustrative purposes only.