What Is the Canada Super Visa?

The Super Visa is a multi-entry temporary resident visa that allows the parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents to stay in Canada for up to 5 years at a time — without needing to renew their status. The visa itself can remain valid for up to 10 years, giving your family genuine flexibility to visit, stay, and build real time together over an extended period.

Unlike a standard visitor visa — which typically allows stays of up to 6 months — the Super Visa was designed specifically with family reunification in mind. It is the most accessible and immediate option available to most families today, and for many, it is the right one.

It is important to understand one key distinction: the Super Visa does not grant permanent residency. Your parents remain temporary residents in Canada, which means they are not entitled to provincial health coverage and cannot work here. But for families whose primary goal is meaningful, extended time together, it is a powerful tool.

What Your Family Needs to Qualify

The Super Visa has requirements on both sides — yours as the host, and your parents' as the applicants.

As the Canadian citizen or permanent resident, you must:

• Meet a minimum annual income threshold known as the Low-Income Cut-Off (LICO), set by the federal government to confirm you can support your parents financially during their stay

• Provide a signed letter of invitation confirming your relationship and your commitment to support them

Your parents must:

• Obtain Canadian private health insurance with a minimum coverage of $100,000 — this must be in place before they apply and maintained throughout their stay

• Pass an immigration medical examination

• Demonstrate strong ties to their home country to satisfy the officer that they intend to return

Processing times for the Super Visa typically run several months, and applications can be submitted at any time — there is no intake window, no lottery, and no limited pool of spots.

What About Parent Sponsorship in Canada?

The Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) is the permanent residency pathway for parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and PRs. Under this program, once approved, your parents could live in Canada indefinitely — accessing provincial healthcare, building a life here fully, and in many cases pursuing Canadian citizenship over time.

It is the more permanent of the two options, and for families who envision their parents settling here for good, it has historically been the goal.

However, as of 2026, IRCC has not opened a new PGP intake round, and no confirmed reopening date has been announced. The program has been paused, and the timeline for when — or whether — a new intake will be launched remains uncertain.

This is a reality many families are navigating right now, and it is important to be honest about it. The PGP remains a program worth watching and preparing for. But it is not a pathway you can initiate today.

Super Visa vs. Parent Sponsorship — How They Compare Right Now

Understanding the difference between these two options helps set clear expectations for your family's planning.

Super Visa:

• Grants temporary resident status — not permanent residency

• Parents can stay up to 5 years per visit, with a visa valid for up to 10 years

• Requires private health insurance — provincial health coverage does not apply

• Parents cannot work in Canada

• Can be applied for at any time — no lottery or intake window

• Processing typically takes several months

Parent Sponsorship (PGP):

• Grants full permanent residency

• Parents can live in Canada indefinitely and access provincial healthcare

• Parents may work in Canada

• Involves a lengthy application and undertaking process

• Has historically been subject to limited intake with a pool-based system

• Currently paused — no reopening date confirmed for 2026

What This Means for Your Family Right Now

If your goal is to have your parents in Canada as soon as possible, the Super Visa is the clear path forward in 2026. It is available, it is meaningful, and it allows your parents to spend significant, uninterrupted time with you in Canada — not just a few months at a time.

If permanent residency is your long-term goal, the most important thing you can do right now is prepare. Keep your income documentation in order, stay informed about any IRCC announcements regarding a new PGP intake, and have a plan ready to move quickly when an opening is confirmed. Working with a licensed consultant means you will not miss the window when it comes.

Bringing Your Family Together Starts With the Right Guidance

Whether you are ready to apply for the Super Visa today or you are preparing for parent sponsorship whenever the program reopens, every family's situation is different — and the details matter enormously.

At Elbrus Immigration Inc., we help Canadian citizens and permanent residents understand exactly where they stand, what is available to them right now, and how to plan ahead for what comes next.

Navigating Canada's immigration system can be complex — but you don't have to do it alone. Book a consultation with Elbrus Immigration Inc. today and let us help you find the right path forward for your family.