Calgary hosts need at least $100,000 of emergency medical cover for one year from a Canadian insurer, priced from about $1,577 a year at 55 and $4,000 at 75 with stable conditions covered (lowest of eight insurers compared in October 2026). SuperVisaDirect serves Ontario residents today; coverage for Alberta residents is coming in 2028, so this page is informational.
Who in Calgary is buying super visa insurance?
Immigrants were 31.5 percent of Metro Calgary in the 2021 Census, 460,875 people, and the largest birthplaces were the Philippines (68,825, 14.9 percent of immigrants), India (61,225, 13.3 percent) and China (36,785, 8.0 percent) per Statistics Canada via Wikipedia. South Asian residents were 10.97 percent of the city, Southeast Asian 8.56 percent and East Asian 8.49 percent.
Calgary is unusual in that Filipino families outnumber Indian ones, which lowers the average applicant age. Parents apply from abroad and see a panel physician in their own country for the immigration medical, so Calgary clinics are not involved. September 2026 processing ran 90 days for the Philippines, 70 for India and 77 for China.
What does IRCC require from a Calgary host?
The IRCC rules are national: at least $100,000 per applicant for health care, hospitalisation and repatriation, valid one year from the date of entry and on each entry, from a Canadian insurer or an OSFI-authorised foreign insurer issuing in Canada. Instalments are accepted with a deposit; quotes are not.
| IRCC requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Minimum coverage | $100,000 per applicant |
| Must cover | Health care, hospitalisation, repatriation |
| Validity | At least 1 year from date of entry, on each entry |
| Insurer | Canadian, or OSFI-authorised foreign insurer issuing in Canada |
| Proof | Certificate naming the underwriter, uploaded with application, shown to CBSA |
| Not accepted | Quotes, broker letters, Philippine, Indian or Chinese domestic insurers |
Full rules are on our super visa insurance guide.
How does buying work, and when can Calgary use SuperVisaDirect?
Buying is online with any licensed agent: enter the parent’s age, entry date and health answers, compare prices, pay, and download the certificate naming the underwriter. SuperVisaDirect’s quoter serves Ontario residents now and Alberta residents from 2028. The site is in English, with Punjabi, Hindi, Urdu and Tagalog pages planned before the Alberta launch.
All eight carriers we track sell in Alberta; GMS, a Regina direct insurer popular on the Prairies, is reviewed on our GMS page.
What does a Calgary hospital charge an uninsured parent?
Alberta Health Services does not publish a single public day rate for visitors, and the Alberta Medical Association advises physicians to bill out-of-country patients two to five times the provincial fee schedule, excluding the hospital’s own charge. Published non-resident rates elsewhere give the scale: $4,005 a day for a ward bed and $15,642 in intensive care at Queensway Carleton in Ontario, and $9,270 and $18,105 at BC Women’s.
| Item | Ontario (QCH, Apr 2026) ($) | BC (PHSA, Nov 2025) ($) |
|---|---|---|
| Ward bed, per day | 4,005 | 9,270 |
| Intensive care, per day | 15,642 | 18,105 |
Alberta’s AHCIP wait of up to three months applies to new residents, not visitors, so a super visa parent needs private cover for the whole stay. Answer the health questions exactly; see pre-existing conditions.
What will it cost a Calgary family?
Annual premium, $100,000 coverage, $0 deductible, stable pre-existing covered, rates seen Oct 2026 — verify at quote time.
| Parent’s age | Lowest of 8 insurers ($/yr) | Highest ($/yr) |
|---|---|---|
| 55 | 1,577 | 2,373 |
| 65 | 2,051 | 4,201 |
| 75 | 4,000 | 9,910 |
Source: BestQuote. Insurer figures are on the cost page, instalments on monthly plans, and the province’s other market on our Edmonton page.
Questions people ask
Can I buy from SuperVisaDirect if I live in Calgary?
Not yet. Super Visa Direct Insurance Services is licensed in Ontario and serves Ontario residents now. Coverage for Alberta residents is coming in 2028. Until then, use this page's rules, insurer list and October 2026 prices to buy correctly from an Alberta-licensed agent or an insurer directly.
My parents are from the Philippines. Does that change anything?
The insurance is the same: $100,000 for a year from a Canadian insurer. Filipino parents are often under 65, which keeps stability periods at 90 to 120 days with Secure Travel, TuGo and Destination. Philippine domestic insurers do not qualify. Processing from Manila took 90 days in September 2026.
Does Alberta's AHCIP waiting period matter for a super visa parent?
No. Super visa holders are visitors and never qualify for AHCIP, so the up-to-three-month wait is irrelevant; private cover must run the whole stay. The wait matters only if a parent later becomes a permanent resident in Alberta, when a visitor policy bridges the gap.
What does Foothills or Rockyview charge a visitor without insurance?
Alberta Health Services does not publish a single public visitor day rate, and Alberta physicians may bill out-of-country patients two to five times the provincial fee schedule. Published Ontario and BC non-resident rates run from $3,100 to $9,270 a day for a ward bed, so budget on the same scale and confirm with AHS patient accounts.
Get the policy IRCC requires, in minutes
Three questions, one price, one button. The certificate your parent needs is emailed the same day.
Sources
- Statistics Canada, Census Profile 2021, Calgary (City)
- Wikipedia, Demographics of Calgary (2021 census, citing Statistics Canada)
- IRCC, Super visa: documents and insurance requirement
- Alberta Medical Association, billing for out-of-country patients
- Queensway Carleton Hospital, fees for patients without health insurance (April 2026)
- BC Women's Hospital, patient rate list (November 2025)
- BestQuote, Super Visa Insurance rates