Canada | Change to super visa health insurance requirement

The Canadian government announced super visa applicants may now purchase private health insurance from companies outside Canada.

Key Points:

• The super visa is a multiple-entry visa that allows parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents to visit for up to five years per visit, with the option to extend their stay.
• Super visa applicants must prove they have a minimum level of private health coverage to be granted a super visa.
• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada confirmed applicants are now able to purchase a private health insurance policy from companies outside Canada to qualify.

Additional Information: Previously, proof of health insurance could only be from Canadian health insurance providers. To be eligible as valid health insurance coverage, the policy from a company outside Canada must be issued by a foreign insurance company authorized by the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) to provide accident and sickness insurance, appear on OSFI’s list of federally regulated financial institutions and be issued under the company’s insurance business in Canada. More information on the super visa can be found here.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice Group.

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