Super Visa Health Insurance: What the Government Actually Requires

You need proof on every entry

The insurance requirement isn’t a one-time box to tick at the visa stage. IRCC states that “You must have proof of a health insurance policy on each entry to Canada.” If the policy runs out partway through a stay, the guidance is equally direct: “If your health insurance will expire before you leave Canada, you should renew your policy to maintain coverage during your stay.” In other words, coverage has to be continuous for the whole visit, and you should be ready to show it at the border each time you arrive.

Who is allowed to issue the policy

This is where many applicants go wrong. The insurer has to be either a Canadian insurance company or an insurance company outside Canada that “is authorized by the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) under the Insurance Companies Act to provide accident and sickness insurance.”

A common trap is assuming any insurance-related business qualifies. IRCC is explicit that it does not: “Insurance brokers and insurance claims administrators are not insurance companies and will not appear on the OSFI list.” The full note reads, “OSFI does not keep a list of foreign insurance companies that are outside Canada, unless they are registered with OSFI as branches or subsidiaries in Canada. Insurance brokers and insurance claims administrators are not insurance companies and will not appear on the OSFI list.” The practical step: check the underwriting company against OSFI’s public list, not the name of the broker or agency that sold the plan.

What the policy itself has to cover

IRCC lists concrete minimums the policy has to meet. It has to “be valid for a minimum of 1 year from the date of entry,” it has to “provide a minimum emergency coverage of $100,000,” and it has to cover the applicant’s “health care, hospitalization and repatriation.” Payment terms are flexible but bounded: a policy can “be paid in full or in instalments with a deposit,” while a mere quote does not satisfy the requirement.

The medical exam is separate

Insurance is one requirement; a medical exam is another. IRCC states, “You must provide proof that you had a medical exam with an approved panel physician.” Budget time for this, because panel-physician appointments are not always same-week.

How to compare options without getting caught out

When you compare super visa insurance plans, the government’s own checklist is the most useful screen: confirm the underwriter is a Canadian insurer or an OSFI-authorized one, confirm at least $100,000 in emergency coverage, confirm a minimum one-year term from entry, and confirm the plan covers health care, hospitalization and repatriation. A plan that meets every one of those is compliant; a plan that misses any single one is a risk to the application, regardless of price. Comparing on those terms first, and cost second, is the order that protects the visa.