If the super visa is refused, cancel the insurance before its effective date and send the IRCC refusal letter; most insurers refund in full and two deduct an administration fee. IRCC’s report to Parliament puts the approval rate at 75 to 81 per cent, so about one applicant in five is refused. The after you apply page says IRCC sends an explanation with every refusal.
The money is the easy part. The harder question is what the letter says and whether the reason can be fixed before reapplying.
What happens to the premium?
It comes back, less a fee at two insurers, if you act before the effective date. The refund terms were written for exactly this situation because every super visa policy is bought before the decision. Terms seen October 2026 in insurer wordings and the PolicyAdvisor summary — verify in the policy document.
| Insurer (underwriter) | Refund on refusal | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Manulife CoverMe (Manufacturers Life) | Full | Before effective date |
| 21st Century (Manulife) | Full | Proof within 30 days of refusal |
| Travelance (Old Republic Insurance Company of Canada) | Full, no fee | Within 30 days |
| Destination (Zurich Insurance Company Ltd, Canadian Branch) | Full | Before effective date |
| GMS (Group Medical Services) | Full less administration fee | Before effective date |
| Secure Travel/RIMI (iA Financial Group; claims by MSH) | Full less administration fee | Within 60 days per MSH terms |
| TuGo (iA Financial Group) | Per policy terms | Before effective date |
| Allianz Global Assistance (CUMIS General Insurance) | Per policy terms | Before effective date |
On a monthly plan, the deposit is refunded on the same basis and the set-up fee is kept. The refund how-to lists the steps and documents.
What does the refusal letter usually say?
The letter names the ground. The common ones are income below the LICO threshold for the family size, a missing or defective document, doubts about the purpose of visit or ties to the home country, and medical inadmissibility. The eligibility page says officers consider “whether you’re a genuine visitor to Canada who will leave by choice at the end of your visit.”
| Ground in the letter | What it usually means | Fix before reapplying |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum necessary income not met | Host’s income below LICO for the family size | Use the other of the two preceding tax years, or add a co-signer under the March 2026 rules |
| Proof of medical insurance not satisfactory | Quote uploaded, less than $100,000, under one year, foreign non-OSFI insurer, or broker named instead of underwriter | Buy a compliant policy; see mistakes |
| Purpose of visit or ties to home country | Officer not satisfied the parent will leave | Stronger evidence of property, pension, family and return plans |
| Incomplete application | A document missing or unreadable | Rebuild the checklist; scan clearly |
| Medical inadmissibility | Panel physician findings | Specialist advice; this is rarely fixed by paperwork |
| Misrepresentation | A false statement found | Serious; get legal advice before anything else |
Should you cancel or keep the policy?
Keep it and move the effective date if you can fix the ground and reapply within a few weeks. Cancel if the fix takes months or is uncertain. Keeping the policy avoids any fee and keeps the original stability date; cancelling returns the cash now.
| Situation | Better option | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Income shortfall solved by using the other tax year | Keep; move the date | Reapplication is fast; no fee |
| Co-signer needed and willing | Keep; move the date | Weeks, not months |
| Ties to home country doubted | Cancel | Rebuilding the file takes time and may fail again |
| Insurance document was the problem | Keep; get a corrected certificate | The policy itself is fine; the upload was not |
| Family decides on an ordinary visitor visa instead | Cancel; buy visitor cover for the shorter stay | Different product, different term |
| Parent’s health changed during the wait | Cancel | A new questionnaire is needed anyway |
The date change page explains the move; the cancellation page explains the fees.
What are the alternatives to reapplying?
An ordinary visitor visa, or waiting for the parent and grandparent permanent residence programme. The visitor visa has no insurance minimum, no income test and no medical exam, but shorter stays and a lower approval rate. Ordinary visitor visa approvals ran at about 50 per cent in 2025, against 75 to 81 per cent for the super visa.
| Route | Insurance requirement | Stay | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reapply for the super visa | $100,000, 1 year, Canadian or OSFI-listed insurer | Up to 5 years per entry | Fix the stated ground first |
| Ordinary visitor visa | None required by IRCC; strongly advised | Typically 6 months | ~50 per cent approval in 2025; see visitors to Canada insurance |
| Parent and grandparent PR sponsorship | None at application | Permanent | Intake paused 15 July 2026 until further notice; admissions capped at 15,000 per year 2026 to 2028 |
Whatever the route, buy medical cover for any visit. Ontario hospitals charge non-residents thousands of dollars per day, and OHIP does not cover visitors. The requirements page sets out the full list for a second attempt, and the mistakes page lists what to check before resubmitting.
Questions people ask
Do I lose the insurance premium if the visa is refused?
No, provided you cancel before the effective date and send the refusal letter. Manulife CoverMe, 21st Century, Travelance and Destination refund in full. GMS and Secure Travel refund less an administration fee. On monthly plans the set-up fee of $10 to $120 is kept. A claim, which is impossible before arrival, is the only other bar.
How common is a refusal?
IRCC's approval rate for super visas is 75 to 81 per cent, so roughly one in five applications is refused. That is much better than ordinary visitor visas, which ran at about 50 per cent in 2025. The common reasons are income below LICO, an incomplete file, and doubts the parent will leave at the end of the visit.
Should I cancel the policy or keep it for the reapplication?
Cancel if the reapplication is more than a few months away or if the refusal reason is hard to fix. Keep it and move the effective date if you can reapply within weeks. Keeping it avoids a fee and keeps the original stability date; cancelling gets the money back now.
Can the parent come on an ordinary visitor visa instead?
They can apply for one. It carries no minimum insurance requirement, no income test and no medical exam, but stays are typically 6 months and the approval rate is lower. Buy visitor medical insurance anyway; Ontario hospitals bill non-residents thousands of dollars a day. See the visitors to Canada insurance page.
Can I appeal a super visa refusal?
There is no formal appeal for a temporary resident visa refusal. The options are to reapply with a stronger file, to request reconsideration if there was an obvious error, or to seek judicial review at the Federal Court, which is costly and slow. For most families, a corrected reapplication is the practical route.
Will a refusal affect the insurance on the next application?
No. The insurer does not see the refusal and does not rate for it. The new policy is bought the same way, with a new effective date and a fresh stability test. If the parent's medications changed during the wait, the questionnaire answers will change too.
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Sources
- IRCC — Super visa: after you apply (IRCC sends an explanation with a refusal)
- IRCC — Report on super visa income requirement (approval rates and volumes)
- IRCC — Super visa: eligibility (genuine visitor who will leave by choice)
- IRCC — Changes to how the super visa income requirement is calculated (March 2026)
- GMS — Immigrants and Visitors to Canada policy wording (refund terms)
- PolicyAdvisor — Super visa insurance cost tables (refund notes)