Markham families can buy IRCC-compliant super visa insurance online now, from about $1,577 a year for a 55-year-old parent and $4,000 at 75 with stable conditions covered (lowest of eight insurers compared in October 2026). Super Visa Direct Insurance Services is licensed in Ontario and serves Markham residents today.
Who in Markham is buying super visa insurance?
Markham is the most Chinese city in Canada: immigrants were 58 percent of its 338,503 residents in the 2021 Census, with Chinese background at 47.9 percent, South Asian 17.6 percent and Filipino 2.7 percent, per Wikipedia citing the Statistics Canada Census Profile. Immigrant origins are China 33.8 percent, Hong Kong 16.4 percent, India 7.2 percent, Sri Lanka 6.4 percent, the Philippines 3.6 percent and Iran 3.5 percent.
That shapes the applications. Chinese parents are often in their 70s, which makes the stability period and maximum age the deciding questions; Sri Lankan Tamil and Indian parents from Milliken and Unionville cluster at 60 to 70. Nationally, China supplied 11 percent of super visa applicants from 2011 to 2023, and processing from China took 77 days in September 2026 per Immigration.ca.
How does buying work from Markham?
The purchase is online and takes about ten minutes: enter the parent’s date of birth, planned entry date and health answers, compare live prices, pay annually or by deposit and instalments, and download a certificate naming the underwriter. IRCC accepts the certificate, not a quote.
| Step | What you do | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Enter age, entry date, health answers | Live prices from available insurers |
| 2 | Choose plan and deductible | Policy summary naming the underwriter |
| 3 | Pay in full or 2-month deposit plus fee | Certificate PDF by email |
| 4 | Upload to the IRCC application | Proof of insurance on file |
| 5 | Forward to your parent | Shown to CBSA at Pearson |
The IRCC rules require at least $100,000 per applicant covering health care, hospitalisation and repatriation, valid one year from entry, from a Canadian insurer or a foreign insurer on OSFI’s register. No mainland Chinese or Hong Kong domestic insurer is on it. The full guide is at super visa insurance, and the country page at from China.
Which languages does SuperVisaDirect support?
English now. Chinese-language support is under review given Markham’s demand, with Punjabi, Hindi, Urdu and Tagalog pages planned. A family member can translate during a phone walkthrough of the health questions, and every listed insurer runs a multilingual 24-hour assistance line.
What does a Markham hospital charge an uninsured parent?
Markham Stouffville Hospital (Oak Valley Health) does not publish a simple daily rate for non-residents. Neighbouring Mackenzie Health lists $3,000 a day for an international patient in a ward and $5,300 a day in critical care; Queensway Carleton in Ottawa publishes an April 2026 schedule of $4,005 a day for a ward, $15,642 in intensive care and $1,242 for an emergency visit.
| Item | Mackenzie Health, international ($) | Queensway Carleton, Apr 2026 ($) |
|---|---|---|
| Ward bed, per day | 3,000 | 4,005 |
| Intensive care, per day | 5,300 | 15,642 |
| Emergency visit | Not listed | 1,242 |
Physician fees are extra at both. A week in intensive care for a 74-year-old exceeds $37,000 at the lower schedule, which is why the health questions must be answered exactly; see pre-existing conditions.
What will it cost a Markham 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-by-insurer figures are on the cost page, instalments on monthly plans, and the neighbouring market on our Richmond Hill page.
Questions people ask
My parents are in their 70s and applying from China. Which plans cover them?
Plans with stable pre-existing cover at 70 to 79: Secure Travel (180 days stability to 84, max age 90), TuGo (180 days 70 to 85, no max age), Manulife CoverMe (180 days, to 85), Destination (180 days 70 to 79) and GMS (180 days, to 79). Processing from China took 77 days in September 2026, so choose a start date you can move.
Can my parents use a Chinese insurer like Ping An or PICC for the super visa?
No. IRCC accepts a Canadian insurer or a foreign insurer authorised by OSFI, on OSFI's public register, issuing in the course of its business in Canada. Mainland Chinese and Hong Kong domestic insurers are not on that register. There is no IRCC-approved list; the OSFI register is the only test.
Do I need to visit an office in Markham to buy?
No. The purchase is online: enter the parent's date of birth, planned entry date and health answers, compare live prices, pay annually or by deposit and instalments, and download the certificate naming the underwriter. Upload it with the IRCC application and send a copy to your parent for CBSA at Pearson.
What does Markham Stouffville Hospital charge a visitor without insurance?
Oak Valley Health does not publish a simple daily rate. Neighbouring Mackenzie Health lists $3,000 a day for an international patient in a ward and $5,300 in critical care; Queensway Carleton's April 2026 schedule is $4,005 a day for a ward, $15,642 in intensive care and $1,242 for an emergency visit, before physician fees.
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, Markham (City)
- Wikipedia, Markham, Ontario (2021 census demographics, citing Statistics Canada)
- IRCC, Super visa: documents and insurance requirement
- OSFI, Canadian and foreign insurance companies
- Mackenzie Health, accommodations and rates
- Queensway Carleton Hospital, fees for patients without health insurance (April 2026)
- Immigration.ca, Super visa processing times by country
- BestQuote, Super Visa Insurance rates