Bringing your parents to Canada: sponsorship and the super visa

Two routes

• Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP): permanent residence. IRCC invites a limited number of potential sponsors each year; check IRCC for the current intake.
• Super visa: a long-stay visitor visa. Available year-round and usually much faster.

How the super visa works

A super visa lets your parents or grandparents stay in Canada for up to five years at a time. It can be valid for up to 10 years, with multiple entries. They can’t include dependants on the application, and they may need to give biometrics.

Requirements

• You (the child or grandchild) must be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or registered Indian, be at least 18 years old, live in Canada and meet a minimum necessary income
• A signed letter inviting them and promising financial support (see the checklist below)
• Your parent or grandparent must be outside Canada when they apply and must take an immigration medical exam
• Private medical insurance from a Canadian company or an approved company outside Canada
• Coverage of at least $100,000 for emergency care, hospitalization and repatriation, valid for at least one year from entry

The letter of invitation

You must write and sign a letter of invitation. You must tell the truth and plan to keep the promises you make in the letter. IRCC says a letter “doesn’t guarantee that we’ll issue a visa”.

About your parent or grandparent: name, date of birth, address and phone number, how they are related to you, the purpose of the visit, how long they will stay, where they will stay, how they will pay, and when they will leave.

About you: name, date of birth, address and phone number in Canada, job title, your status in Canada with a copy of proof, and details about your family.

Two extras for a super visa:

• A promise of financial support for the whole visit
• The list and number of people included in your family size calculation

Read the IRCC letter of invitation page before you write it.

If your parent was refused a visitor visa before

A past refusal does not always end the plan. IRCC says that if it refuses an application to come to Canada, you can apply again at any time unless the decision letter says you can’t. IRCC also says you should only apply again if you can include information you did not include before.

1. Read the refusal letter and the officer decision note. The letter lists the reasons for the refusal. IRCC has included decision notes with refusal letters for visitor visas and super visas since July 29, 2025. IRCC may remove parts of the note.
2. Find out what has changed. IRCC says that applying again with the same information will likely not change the decision, even with a representative such as a consultant or agent. If the situation has changed, you can apply again with new information or documents that address the reasons for the refusal. Examples are a changed purpose of visit, or a change in employment or finances.
3. Know what IRCC will check. IRCC also considers whether your parent is a genuine visitor who will leave by choice at the end of the visit, their ties to their home country, the purpose of the visit, and their family and finances.
4. Know the other route. If you believe the process was unfair, you can ask the Federal Court for a judicial review.

See IRCC’s Help Centre answer on applying again after a refusal and its answer on reapplying at any time.

Planning the money side

Budget for insurance, flights and their living costs while they’re here. If you’re already sending money home to support them, a visit can change how much you send; use our budget calculator to plan.

Sources

• IRCC: Super visa for parents and grandparents
• IRCC: Super visa, who can apply
• IRCC: Letter of invitation
• IRCC Help Centre: applying again after a refusal
• IRCC Help Centre: reapplying after a refusal
• IRCC: Officer decision notes

Sources checked October 18, 2026.