Visitor to Canada Insurance
Welcome your guests to Canada — protected from day one.
✓ Compare 12 insurers✓ Cover from a few days to a year✓ No cost for my advice✓ Licensed ON · BC · AB
Visitors to Canada aren't covered by provincial health plans, and a single emergency can cost thousands. Visitor insurance covers emergency medical and hospital expenses so your guests — or you, if you're new or returning — are protected from the moment they arrive.
I arrange flexible visitor plans for tourists, visiting family, new immigrants waiting for provincial coverage, and returning Canadians, with options to suit different ages, trip lengths and budgets.
What this coverage gives you
Emergency medical cover
Protection for unexpected illness or injury, including hospital and physician costs.
Flexible durations
Cover short visits or extended stays, with options to extend while in Canada.
Coverage from arrival
Choose a start date that protects your guests from the day they land.
Options for every age
Plans for children through to seniors, including coverage for visiting parents.
Who it's for
- Tourists and visiting family
- New immigrants awaiting provincial coverage
- Returning Canadian residents
- Workers on temporary permits
- Anyone hosting overseas guests
Visitor to Canada Insurance questions
Why do visitors need insurance if Canada has public healthcare?
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Provincial plans don't cover visitors, so any emergency is paid out of pocket — and Canadian healthcare is expensive for the uninsured. Visitor insurance protects against those potentially huge bills.
Can I buy coverage after my guest arrives?
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It's best to buy before arrival, but coverage can often be arranged after arrival with a waiting period. I'll explain the options and any conditions.
Are pre-existing conditions covered?
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Some plans cover stable pre-existing conditions depending on age and the insurer. I'll help you choose a policy with the right terms for your guest.
How much visitor coverage should I buy?
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Outside of Super Visa there is no legal minimum, but a hospital stay in Canada can cost thousands of dollars a day for someone uninsured. Most families choose between $50,000 and $150,000, with more for older visitors or longer stays.
How short or long can a visitor policy be?
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Anything from a few days up to a year, priced by the day. You can often extend before the policy ends if the visit runs longer, usually as long as there have been no claims.
Is there a waiting period if I buy after they arrive?
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Usually yes. Illness that starts in the first few days after buying, often 48 hours to about a week depending on the insurer, is not covered, though accidents usually are. Buying before arrival avoids this.
Does visitor insurance cover new immigrants or returning Canadians?
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Many visitor plans also cover new permanent residents and returning Canadians while they wait for provincial health coverage to start, which in some provinces takes a couple of months.
Does visitor insurance cover routine check-ups?
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No. It covers emergencies: sudden illness or injury, hospital care, ambulance and emergency prescriptions. Routine visits, ongoing care for a known condition and planned treatment are not covered.
Government figures, contribution limits and eligibility rules on this page were last reviewed in October 2026. These are indexed and change periodically — always confirm current figures with Canada.ca or the CRA before acting.
What visitor and Super Visa cover costs
These are Super Visa rates — $100,000 of coverage for a full 365 days, which is what IRCC requires. Ordinary visitor cover with a lower limit or a shorter stay costs less.
| Age | $100 deductible | $1,000 deductible | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per day | Per year | Per day | Per year | |
| 0–25 | from $2.17 | from $792 | from $1.78 | from $650 |
| 26–40 | from $2.52 | from $920 | from $2.12 | from $774 |
| 41–54 | from $2.92 | from $1,066 | from $2.36 | from $861 |
| 55–60 | from $2.92 | from $1,066 | from $2.45 | from $894 |
| 61–64 | from $3.46 | from $1,263 | from $2.91 | from $1,062 |
| 65–69 | from $4.22 | from $1,540 | from $3.55 | from $1,296 |
| 70–74 | from $6.54 | from $2,387 | from $5.51 | from $2,011 |
| 75–79 | from $7.60 | from $2,774 | from $6.40 | from $2,336 |
| 80–84 | from $10.90 | from $3,978 | from $9.18 | from $3,351 |
| 85–89 | from $13.10 | from $4,782 | from $10.48 | from $3,825 |
Get your exact quote from 12 insurers
For general information only — this is not a quote.
These are the lowest rates available from the insurers I work with as at 1 July 2026, for $100,000 of emergency medical coverage. They are a starting point, not a price you have been offered.
Your premium will very likely be higher. The lowest available rates generally apply where no pre-existing medical conditions need covering. Where pre-existing conditions are included, premiums are higher, and individual medical underwriting may increase the premium further, apply exclusions, or result in an application being declined. Not every applicant qualifies for every plan.
Your actual premium depends on age, full medical history, the stability of any existing conditions, the coverage amount, the deductible, length of stay and each insurer’s own assessment. Rates change without notice and may have changed since the date shown.
No coverage exists until an application is approved and the premium is paid.
Worth knowing the difference. A Super Visa application will not succeed without at least $100,000 of emergency medical cover valid for a full year from entry. An ordinary visitor visa carries no such requirement, so a parent visiting for three months can buy a shorter, cheaper policy.
What does not change between the two is the pre-existing condition wording. That is what decides whether a claim is paid, and it is worth more attention than the premium.
Bringing family over: what to arrange, and when
For most families the insurance is the last thing arranged, and it works far better as one of the first.
Buy before they board
Coverage arranged before departure is cheaper, broader and more flexible than anything bought after arrival. Policies purchased once someone is already in Canada typically impose a waiting period of several days before illness is covered, and exclude anything that had already begun.
Buying in advance also lets you time the purchase around the stability window if a parent has a managed condition — which is often the difference between a claim being paid and refused.
Have the medical conversation properly
This is the part families find awkward and it matters more than anything else on this page.
Parents frequently describe themselves as healthy when they take daily medication for blood pressure, cholesterol or diabetes. That is not dishonesty — a well-controlled condition genuinely does not feel like illness. But for insurance purposes it is a pre-existing condition, and it must be declared.
Ask specifically: what medication, at what dose, changed when, and any tests or referrals pending. A dose adjustment in the weeks before travel can breach the stability period, and it is far better to know that before buying than at claim time.
Ask for a written list from their doctor with generic drug names — brand names differ between countries and cause confusion at exactly the wrong moment. Bring enough medication for the whole visit; refilling an existing prescription is not an emergency and will not be covered.
Length of stay changes the arithmetic
A Super Visa requires cover for a full 365 days from entry, whatever the actual visit length. For an ordinary visitor visa there is no such requirement, so a three-month visit needs only three months of cover — considerably cheaper.
Where families get caught is extending. Visits run long, and most policies can be extended — but usually only if you ask before the current policy expires and there have been no claims or new medical issues. Note the expiry date somewhere you will actually see it.
Multiple visits, and repeat travellers
If parents come regularly, ask about multi-trip options and about what happens to their rate as they move between age bands. A parent who turns 70 between visits will see a noticeably higher premium next time, and knowing that in advance is better than being surprised by it.
Who should hold the paperwork
Practical, and regularly overlooked. The policy number and 24-hour assistance line should be with the parent and with the family here — on paper and on a phone. If someone is seriously unwell, they are not the one making the call, and the person who needs to make it should not be searching an inbox at 2am.
Five situations that need visitor cover
Visitor insurance is not only for tourists. These are the cases that come up most, and several surprise people.
1. Parents and grandparents visiting
The most common by far. For an ordinary visitor visa there is no legal requirement to hold insurance — but there is also no provincial coverage whatsoever, so every medical cost falls on the family. For a Super Visa, cover meeting the government minimum is mandatory.
2. New permanent residents in a provincial waiting period
Depending on the province, a new resident may wait before provincial health coverage begins. During that window the exposure is identical to a visitor’s, and the same product covers it. Rules differ between provinces and have changed in recent years, so confirm your own province’s current position.
3. Returning Canadians
Citizenship does not preserve provincial coverage. Someone who has lived abroad long enough to lose residency may face the same waiting period as any newcomer. This catches families regularly, because everyone assumes a citizen is automatically covered.
4. Work and study permit holders
Coverage varies. Some permit holders qualify for provincial health care, sometimes immediately and sometimes after a wait; others do not qualify at all. Many employers and institutions provide a plan, but the limits are often modest. Check what you actually have before assuming you are covered.
5. Extended family for an event
A wedding, a funeral, a birth. Trips arranged quickly, often for older relatives, and insurance is the thing that gets forgotten in the rush. A short policy costs very little, and this is precisely the group most likely to need it.
Compare the premium for the whole visit against the cost of one night in hospital for someone with no provincial coverage. Hospitals bill uninsured patients at the full rate, and a single emergency admission can exceed the premium for the entire stay many times over.
The bill also lands on the family here, not on the visitor.
What to check before buying
- Coverage amount — $100,000 is the Super Visa minimum and a sensible floor generally.
- Pre-existing conditions — whether they are covered at all, and what stability period applies.
- Deductible — a higher one lowers the premium, provided the family could pay it.
- Extension terms — whether the policy can be extended, and by when you must ask.
- Refund terms — what happens if the visa is refused or the trip is cancelled.
The provincial coverage gap nobody warns newcomers about
Canada’s public healthcare is genuinely good. It is also provincial, not federal — and in several provinces it does not start the day you arrive.
New permanent residents, work and study permit holders, and Canadian citizens returning from abroad can all face a waiting period before provincial coverage begins. During that gap, every medical cost is yours: an ambulance ride, a night in hospital, a fracture treated in emergency — each can run to thousands of dollars.
British Columbia is consistently reported as requiring roughly three months (the balance of the month you establish residency, plus two further full months) before MSP coverage activates.
Ontario and Alberta have both changed their rules in recent years, and published sources currently disagree about the present position. We are not going to guess. Confirm directly with your province before assuming you are covered — and arrange private coverage for any gap: OHIP · BC MSP · Alberta AHCIP.
Two things that are true regardless of province
Apply the day you are eligible. Waiting periods generally run from when you establish residency or apply, not from when you get around to it. Every week of delay is a week added to the uninsured gap at the far end.
Bridge the gap with private coverage. This is what visitor or newcomer insurance is for — the same product that covers a visiting parent covers a new permanent resident during the wait. Buying it before or immediately on arrival is cheaper and broader than buying it afterwards.
What provincial coverage never includes
Even once your card arrives, the public plan does not cover prescription medication outside hospital for most adults under 65, dental care, vision care and glasses, physiotherapy and most paramedical services, ambulance fees in many provinces, or private and semi-private hospital rooms. If your employer offers a benefits plan, this is the gap it fills — and it is worth weighing properly when comparing job offers.
What families ask about visitor cover
Visitor insurance is optional, unlike Super Visa cover — which is exactly why it gets skipped.
They’re only here for a few weeks.”
Length of stay barely affects the risk of the thing you are insuring against. A fall, a cardiac event or an appendicitis does not care whether someone arrived on Tuesday.
What it does affect is price — a short policy costs very little. Provincial health care does not cover visitors at all, so a single night in hospital can exceed the premium for the entire visit many times over.
We’ll buy it after they arrive if we need it.”
You can, but it costs more and covers less. Policies bought after arrival typically impose a waiting period of several days before illness is covered, and anything that has already begun is excluded entirely.
Buying before departure also lets you time the purchase around the stability window if a parent has a managed condition — which is the difference between a covered and an uncovered claim.
We’ll just pay out of pocket if something happens.”
A reasonable plan for a walk-in clinic. Not for anything serious. Emergency admission, surgery and a few days in hospital run well into five figures for someone with no provincial coverage, and hospitals in Ontario bill uninsured patients at the full rate.
The uncomfortable part is that the bill lands on the family here, not the visitor.
My parent is a Canadian citizen living abroad.”
Citizenship does not restore provincial coverage. A returning Canadian who has been out of the country long enough to lose residency faces the same waiting period as any newcomer in provinces that apply one.
This catches families regularly, because everyone assumes a citizen is automatically covered. Check the province’s current rule and arrange cover for the gap.
- Pre-existing conditions and stability — the clause that decides most claims
- What to do in a medical emergency — the call that protects your claim
- Super Visa requirements — $100,000, 365 days, repatriation
Visitor visa processing times right now
Current IRCC estimates for the countries our clients most often apply from. Insurance is only one part of the timeline — knowing the processing window helps you decide when to apply and how long a policy needs to run.
Current estimate
Verified 2026-08-27 · updating…| Applying from | Visitor visa processing time |
|---|---|
| India | 32 days |
| Pakistan | 77 days |
| Bangladesh | 43 days |
| Sri Lanka | 39 days |
| Nepal | 34 days |
| Philippines | 20 days |
These are IRCC estimates covering 80% of applications — not a maximum or a guarantee. Your own application may take longer. Always confirm against the official IRCC processing times tool.
What the visa itself covers
The insurance and the visa are separate pieces. Here is how the temporary resident visa works, so the two line up properly.
Government fees
IRCC fees, in Canadian dollars| Application | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Visitor visa / TRV | $100 per person | Family of 5 or more applying together: $500 maximum |
| Biometrics | $85 per person | Family of 2 or more applying together: $170 maximum |
| Visitor record (extension from inside Canada) | $100 per person | Apply at least 30 days before status expires |
| Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) | $7 | For visa-exempt travellers only — not an alternative to a TRV |
Government fees only — visa application centres charge a separate service fee, and fees are subject to change. Confirm current amounts on the IRCC website before applying.
Who needs one
Citizens of visa-required countries need a Temporary Resident Visa to enter Canada. Visa-exempt travellers arriving by air need an eTA instead. A Super Visa is a special multiple-entry TRV for parents and grandparents.
How long the visa lasts
Most TRVs are issued as multiple-entry visas valid up to 10 years, or until the passport expires — whichever comes first. Single-entry visas are less common and typically valid about 6 months.
How long you can stay per visit
A standard visitor is normally admitted for up to 6 months per entry, at the border officer's discretion. A Super Visa holder can be admitted for up to 5 years per entry — the key practical difference.
Biometrics
Most applicants aged 14 to 79 must give fingerprints and a photo. They stay valid for 10 years across temporary-residence applications, so a repeat trip within that window usually doesn't need them again.
When the clock starts
IRCC counts processing time from when it receives your biometrics, not from when you submitted online. Booking that appointment promptly is the easiest way to avoid adding weeks to your wait.
Extending a stay
Apply for a visitor record from inside Canada at least 30 days before your current status expires. Applying on time generally lets you remain under implied status while the decision is pending.
A 10-year passport does not guarantee a 10-year visa. If your biometrics expire sooner, the visa is capped at the biometrics expiry date — which is a common reason a visa comes back shorter than expected. It is worth checking biometric validity before applying.
Visitor visa demand and approvals
How many temporary residence applications IRCC received from these countries each month, and how many visitor visas it approved. If you are planning a visit or hosting family, this is the picture behind the processing times above.
Monthly volumes by country
January 2026 – June 2026 · IRCC Open Data| Country | Jan 26 | Feb 26 | Mar 26 | Apr 26 | May 26 | Jun 26 | 6-month total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recd | Appr | Recd | Appr | Recd | Appr | Recd | Appr | Recd | Appr | Recd | Appr | Recd | Appr | |
| INIndia | 93,210 | 27,225 | 92,125 | 33,015 | 105,220 | 30,065 | 104,820 | 33,365 | 122,805 | 32,655 | 110,155 | 34,255 | 628,335 | 190,580 |
| PKPakistan | 9,995 | 1,825 | 10,160 | 1,890 | 10,205 | 1,895 | 12,340 | 2,350 | 13,300 | 2,980 | 14,260 | 2,865 | 70,260 | 13,805 |
| BDBangladesh | 6,965 | 935 | 6,270 | 1,135 | 7,060 | 1,150 | 8,285 | 1,385 | 10,700 | 1,260 | 9,120 | 1,360 | 48,400 | 7,225 |
| LKSri Lanka | 2,980 | 635 | 3,045 | 650 | 3,495 | 935 | 3,345 | 920 | 3,835 | 790 | 3,670 | 920 | 20,370 | 4,850 |
| NPNepal | 3,710 | 740 | 3,280 | 1,165 | 3,780 | 1,365 | 3,535 | 1,355 | 4,640 | 1,220 | 3,945 | 1,360 | 22,890 | 7,205 |
| PHPhilippines | 13,340 | 1,205 | 11,975 | 1,660 | 14,310 | 2,210 | 12,635 | 2,210 | 14,820 | 2,430 | 12,875 | 2,230 | 79,955 | 11,945 |
Recd = new applications and extensions received for all temporary residence (visitor, study and work). Appr = visitor visas approved (V-1 counterfoil), which includes super visas — IRCC does not publish super-visa-only volumes. The two columns cover different application types, so they are not a decision rate, and approvals in a month largely relate to applications filed earlier. Counts are rounded by IRCC to the nearest 5. Source: IRCC monthly open data, Open Government Licence – Canada.
Approvals in a given month mostly relate to applications filed earlier, so read these as monthly volumes rather than a success rate.
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