A Super Visa applicant must show private medical insurance valid for at least one year from the date of entry, with at least $100,000 in emergency medical coverage, covering health care, hospitalization and repatriation. The policy must be paid for, either in full or by instalments with a deposit, and it must be in force whenever the applicant actually enters Canada. A border services officer can ask to see proof of it at the port of entry.
What the requirement is actually asking for
The Super Visa insurance requirement is narrower than it sounds. IRCC is not asking for the best available policy, it is asking for a policy that meets a specific set of conditions: minimum duration, minimum coverage amount, specific covered events, and proof of payment. A policy can be expensive and still fail one of these conditions, and a modest policy can meet all of them. Several defined terms used here, including repatriation and inadmissibility, are explained in our glossary.
Duration and coverage amount
The policy must be valid for at least one year from the date of entry to Canada, and it must provide at least $100,000 in emergency medical coverage. That coverage has to include health care, hospitalization and repatriation, which is the cost of returning the person to their home country if that becomes necessary. A policy that covers only routine care, or that caps hospitalization well below the required amount, does not meet the standard.
Proof of payment, not just a quote
IRCC's documentation is specific that the policy has to be paid for. That can mean payment in full, or an instalment arrangement where a deposit has actually been made. A quotation or an unpaid application for coverage is not sufficient. Applicants should keep the receipt or confirmation of payment together with the policy document.
Coverage has to be live at the border, every time
The policy must be valid for each entry to Canada. That matters most for visitors who travel back and forth over the life of their Super Visa. A policy bought for the first entry does not automatically protect a later one if it has expired by then. Anyone planning a return trip should check the policy's expiry date against the planned travel date well in advance, and renew before the coverage lapses.
A border services officer may ask to see proof of the insurance at the port of entry, so it should be carried with the applicant's other travel documents rather than left at home or only held by the sponsor.
Canadian insurers and authorized foreign insurers
Coverage can come from a Canadian insurance company, or from a company outside Canada that has been authorized under IRCC's current rules. Those authorization conditions are specific and can change, so rather than paraphrasing them here, applicants should check the official forms and documents page directly before relying on a foreign policy. We do not recommend, compare or rank insurance providers, Canadian or foreign. If there is uncertainty about whether a specific policy qualifies, a short enquiry can point you toward the right next step.
A note on minimum necessary income
Separately from insurance, the host's minimum necessary income is part of Super Visa eligibility, and IRCC has changed how that income is calculated effective March 31, 2026. We are not reproducing the income tables here. Readers should confirm the current calculation directly on the official eligibility page before assuming an older figure still applies.
This is a general orientation to the stated requirements, not a substitute for reading the current official page.
| Consideration | What the policy must do | What commonly fails at the border |
|---|---|---|
| Duration | Valid for at least one year from the date of entry. | A policy that has already expired, or that expires partway through the intended stay. |
| Coverage amount | At least $100,000 in emergency medical coverage. | A policy with a lower cap, or one that only covers part of the required categories. |
| What is covered | Health care, hospitalization and repatriation. | A policy silent on repatriation, or one that excludes hospitalization above a low limit. |
| Payment status | Paid in full, or paid by instalments with a deposit already made. | A quote or an unpaid application presented as if it were an active policy. |
| Validity per entry | In force on the date of each and every entry to Canada. | A policy purchased for a first trip that has lapsed before a later return visit. |
| Availability for review | Proof of the policy carried with travel documents, ready to show an officer. | Proof left at home, only held digitally in an inaccessible account, or not carried at all. |
This table is a general orientation. The correct route depends on the facts of your matter, the timing of each step and the evidence you can actually produce.
Common mistakes
- Buying a policy that quotes but does not confirm payment in full or a deposit under an instalment plan.
- Letting coverage lapse between visits, then assuming the original policy still counts on a later entry.
- Choosing coverage below the $100,000 minimum, or coverage that excludes hospitalization or repatriation.
- Not carrying proof of the policy when travelling, so it cannot be produced if an officer asks at the port of entry.
- Assuming any foreign insurer qualifies without checking the current authorized-insurer conditions on the official page.
When professional help may be useful
If a policy has already lapsed, if a prior entry raised questions about insurance at the border, or if the household is weighing a foreign insurer against a Canadian one, a case-specific review before the next trip usually helps.
Official sources
Program rules change. Check the official source for current requirements.
Where this fits
For how we work on this, Super Visa. Terms used above are defined in the glossary, and related questions are answered in the FAQ.
About the reviewer
Awal Takkar, President, RCIC at Immigrate Now. RCIC (R531017), regulated by the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants.