A six-month visitor plan costs about $812 for a 65-year-old and $1,464 for a 75-year-old for $100,000 of coverage without pre-existing conditions, or $1,028 and $2,006 with stable conditions covered. Those figures are PolicyAdvisor’s October 2026 monthly rates divided by 30 and multiplied by 183. A super visa year for the same 65-year-old is $2,051 to $3,095, roughly twice the six-month price. A parent who will visit twice a year or stay longer is better served by the super visa.
A worked example: a 68-year-old father, 10 March to 10 September
He arrives in Vancouver on 10 March to help with a new grandchild and flies home on 10 September: 185 days inclusive. He takes metformin and a statin, both unchanged for 14 months. His son buys 188 days of cover, $100,000, $0 deductible, on a plan that covers stable pre-existing conditions.
| Step | Decision | Figure |
|---|---|---|
| Count the days | 10 Mar to 10 Sep inclusive, plus 3 days for delays | 188 days |
| Authorized stay | Normally six months per IRCC; 10 September is inside it | Within 6 months |
| Coverage amount | $100,000; $150,000 if the budget allows for a parent over 65 | $100,000 |
| Pre-existing cover | Yes; 14 months stable meets every carrier’s 90- to 180-day test | Questionnaire plan |
| Deductible | $0, or $500 to save about 15% | $0 |
| Market average premium at 65 to 69 | PolicyAdvisor’s age-65 rate, $168.60 ÷ 30 × 188 | about $1,057 |
| Lowest carrier on the panel at 68 | Secure Travel, between $171 (65) and $282 (70) a month | about $1,070 to $1,770 |
| Payment | Lump sum, or an instalment plan with a two-month deposit | Either |
| Buy when | After the visa is approved, before the flight; start date movable | Day of booking |
The carrier range is wide because rates step up at 70 and PolicyAdvisor publishes five-year age bands. The quoter prices the exact age. The monthly payments page covers deposits and fees if a lump sum is hard.
What does six months cost at each age?
Between $620 and $2,470 without pre-existing cover, and between $705 and $2,769 with it. Six months is where the premium becomes a real line in the family budget, and where the super visa comparison starts to matter.
Estimated premium, $100,000 coverage, 183 days, $0 deductible, derived from PolicyAdvisor’s 30-day rates (modified 12 Oct 2026) — verify at quote time.
| Visitor’s age | 183 days, no pre-existing cover | 183 days, stable pre-existing cover |
|---|---|---|
| 45 | about $620 | about $705 |
| 55 | about $675 | about $791 |
| 65 | about $812 | about $1,028 |
| 75 | about $1,464 | about $2,006 |
| 85 | about $2,470 | about $2,769 |
Carrier by carrier, using PolicyAdvisor’s monthly rates multiplied by six, a 65-year-old with stable pre-existing cover pays about $1,026 at Secure Travel (iA Financial Group, claims by MSH). GMS (Group Medical Services) is about $1,200, Destination (Zurich Insurance Company Ltd, Canadian Branch) $1,374 and TuGo (iA Financial Group) $1,422. Manulife CoverMe Plan B (Manufacturers Life) is about $1,440 and 21st Century Enhanced (Manulife) $1,632. Lowest of the six carriers compared on 18 October 2026 for this profile: Secure Travel. Source: PolicyAdvisor carrier tables, modified 16 September 2026.
When does a super visa make more sense?
When the parent will spend more than about six months in Canada within a year, will return every year, or wants to stay in one stretch beyond six months. The super visa year costs roughly twice the six-month visitor premium at the same carrier, so the break-even is two visits a year.
Six-month visitor premium (monthly rate × 6) against the super visa annual premium, $100,000, $0 deductible, stable pre-existing conditions covered, rates seen Oct 2026 — verify at quote time.
| Carrier (underwriter) | Age | 6-month visitor plan | Super visa, 365 days | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Secure Travel (iA Financial Group, claims by MSH) | 60 | about $810 | $1,621 | 2.0 |
| Secure Travel | 65 | about $1,026 | $2,051 | 2.0 |
| Secure Travel | 70 | about $1,692 | $3,380 | 2.0 |
| Secure Travel | 75 | about $1,998 | $4,000 | 2.0 |
| Destination (Zurich Insurance Company Ltd, Canadian Branch) | 65 | about $1,374 | $2,624 | 1.9 |
| GMS (Group Medical Services) | 65 | about $1,200 | $2,405 | 2.0 |
| 21st Century Enhanced (Manulife) | 65 | about $1,632 | $3,095 | 1.9 |
Sources: PolicyAdvisor and BestQuote. The insurance cost is only half the comparison; the other half is approval odds and stay length.
| Factor | Visitor visa, 6 months | Super visa |
|---|---|---|
| Approval rate | About 49% in 2025, per Go Far Global | 75 to 81% |
| Stay per entry | Normally 6 months | Up to 5 years |
| Visa validity | Up to 10 years | Up to 10 years |
| Insurance | Optional; any length | $100,000 for 365 days, paid before applying, per IRCC |
| Host income test | None | LICO table for household size |
| Medical exam | None | IRCC panel physician |
| Where to apply | Anywhere | From outside Canada, per IRCC |
A parent on a six-month visitor stay who wants to switch should fly home at the end of the stay and apply from there, with a 365-day policy already paid. The decision guide sets the routes side by side.
Should I buy 183 days or something shorter and extend?
183 days, or the full authorized stay, if there is any chance the visit will run long. Extensions are granted only with no claim and no change in health: GMS requires that no insured person needed medical treatment, and Manulife requires no event that could lead to a claim. Early return refunds unused days pro rata, less a fee of $25 to $50, if no claim was made.
| Choice | If the stay goes to plan | If the parent is treated in month 2 and stays to month 6 |
|---|---|---|
| Buy 3 months, plan to extend | Pays 3 months | Extension refused; uninsured from month 4 |
| Buy 6 months, return at 3 | Pays 3 months plus a $25 to $50 fee after refund | Covered to month 6 |
A stay beyond six months needs a visitor record and a policy renewal; see visitor record extension.
How much does a deductible save over six months?
About $154 at $500 and $360 at $5,000 on a $1,028 premium at 65, or $301 and $702 on a $2,006 premium at 75, using Manulife’s 15% and 35% discounts. Over six months the saving is large enough to consider, and the exposure is unchanged: the full deductible on the first claim.
| Deductible | Discount | 183 days at 65, from $1,028 | 183 days at 75, from $2,006 |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0 | 0 | about $1,028 | about $2,006 |
| $500 | 15% | about $874 | about $1,705 |
| $1,000 | 20% | about $822 | about $1,605 |
| $5,000 | 35% | about $668 | about $1,304 |
For a parent over 70, $0 remains the usual choice; see the deductibles page for the break-even maths and the per-claim versus per-policy question.
What should be in place before the flight?
The certificate, the assistance number, a movable start date and a plan for month six. Buy after the visa is approved; a policy bought after arrival carries a 72-hour illness wait at Manulife and 2 days at GMS.
- Visa or eTA approved and flight booked.
- Policy bought for the return date plus three days, effective date equal to the arrival date.
- Medical questionnaire answered with the parent on the phone and the pharmacy record open.
- Instalment plan set up, if used, with the deposit paid and the payment card valid for six months.
- Certificate PDF emailed to the parent and printed for the carry-on.
- A calendar reminder at month five: fly home, extend with a visitor record, or start the super visa file from outside Canada.
For a shorter visit the 2-month trip page has the equivalent example; the cost page has every age and trip length.
SuperVisaDirect is operated by Super Visa Direct Insurance Services, an independent Ontario life and accident-and-sickness insurance agency licensed by FSRA (licence [FSRA-LICENCE]). We serve Ontario residents; other provinces are planned for 2028. Email [email protected] or request a callback, Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 6:00pm Eastern Time.
Questions people ask
How many days is a six-month visit?
181 to 184 days, depending on the start date, because six months is the same calendar date six months later. From 15 January it is 15 July, 181 days; from 1 March it is 184 days. If the border officer stamped a date, that date governs. Buy to the actual departure date plus three days; 183 days is the common choice.
Is it cheaper to pay monthly for six months?
Not cheaper, but easier on cash flow. 21st Century, Travelance, Secure Travel and Destination offer instalment plans with a two-month deposit plus a fee of $10 to $120. Destination requires a 180-day minimum term, so 183 days qualifies. A missed instalment lapses the cover and reinstatement usually brings a new waiting period.
When does a super visa cost less than a visitor plan?
When the parent will spend more than about six months in Canada within a year. At Secure Travel a 65-year-old pays about $1,026 for six months and $2,051 for a super visa year, so two six-month visits cost the same as the super visa. The super visa adds 75 to 81% approval odds, five years per entry and no second visa application.
Can my parent stay beyond six months on a visitor visa?
Only with a visitor record applied for from inside Canada before the authorized stay ends. The policy must then be extended or renewed, which carriers allow only with no claim and no change in health. A parent who was treated in month two cannot extend in month six; buy the longer term up front if an extension is likely.
What does six months cost for a parent over 80?
About $2,470 at 85 without pre-existing cover and $2,769 with it, derived from PolicyAdvisor's rates. Fewer carriers cover this age: GMS stops at 79, Destination excludes pre-existing conditions from 80, Manulife and 21st Century Enhanced stop at 85, Allianz at 89, Secure Travel at 90. TuGo Comprehensive has no maximum age.
What happens if my parent goes home for a month in the middle?
The policy keeps running and the home country is excluded from side-trip cover at every carrier; Allianz pauses cover during the trip. The days away still count against the term. For a long absence, cancelling for a pro-rata refund if no claim was made, and buying a new policy for the return, is often cleaner.
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Sources
- PolicyAdvisor – Visitor insurance Canada (monthly premiums by age, modified 12 Oct 2026)
- PolicyAdvisor – Super visa and visitor insurance cost tables (carrier monthly and annual rates)
- BestQuote – Super visa rate tables (annual premiums)
- IRCC – Visitor record: about the document (most visitors can stay up to 6 months)
- IRCC – Super visa: get the right documents (insurance condition)
- IRCC – Super visa eligibility (apply from outside Canada; income)
- Go Far Global – Visitor visa approval rate data (IRCC briefing note, 51% refusal in 2025)
- GMS – Visitors to Canada travel insurance (extension conditions; 365-day maximum)
- Manulife CoverMe – Visitors to Canada Standard plan (extension conditions; deductible discounts)