Published
Pardeep S. Grewal is a lawyer at Lawgical Law Corporation, called to the BC bar in 2024, and a member of the Law Society of British Columbia.
Updated November 12, 2026: IRCC’s super visa pages checked that day.
Short visits: a visitor visa, usually up to 6 months per entry.
Long visits: a super visa, up to 5 years at a time, with income and insurance rules.
Permanent: parent sponsorship is paused; humanitarian grounds are possible in strong cases. Why a lawyer
Our immigration lawyers
Sundeep S. GrewalBarrister and Solicitor
Prabhpreet Kaur SanghaBarrister and Solicitor
Pardeep S. GrewalBarrister and SolicitorAbout our lawyers
Sundeep S. Grewal founded Lawgical Law Corporation and argues immigration cases at the Immigration and Refugee Board and the Federal Court of Canada.
Prabhpreet Kaur Sangha focuses on refugee claims, immigration appeals, inadmissibility, detention reviews and Federal Court cases, and has presented at Continuing Legal Education seminars and the National Immigration Conference.
Pardeep S. Grewal is an immigration and estates lawyer known for clear communication and practical strategy.
Families in BC have four main ways to bring parents or grandparents to Canada, and the right one depends on how long they want to stay and the family’s circumstances. A visitor visa is the simplest and suits visits of up to about six months. A super visa allows stays of up to five years at a time, but the host must meet a minimum income and the parent needs a year of private medical insurance and a medical exam. Parent and grandparent sponsorship, the route to permanent residence, is currently paused. In strong cases, an application on humanitarian and compassionate grounds may be an option. Choosing the wrong route can lead to a refusal that stays on your parent’s record.
Lawgical Law Corporation, an immigration law firm in Surrey, Abbotsford and Vancouver, BC, advises families on bringing parents to Canada and challenges visitor and super visa refusals; this guide is by Pardeep S. Grewal.
Leave your details and our team will contact you to arrange a time with a lawyer. Or call (778) 598-3785.
Thank you, we have your request
A member of our team will contact you to arrange a time. If your matter is urgent, call us at (778) 598-3785, Monday to Friday, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm.
The options compared
| Route | Stay | Main requirements | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visitor visa | Usually up to 6 months per entry | Visitor test: ties, funds, purpose | Open |
| Super visa | Up to 5 years per entry; valid up to 10 years | Host income, 1-year insurance, medical exam, visitor test | Open |
| Parent and grandparent sponsorship | Permanent residence | Sponsor income over several years, undertaking | Paused; see sponsoring parents while the program is paused |
| Humanitarian and compassionate grounds | Permanent residence | Exceptional circumstances, best interests of any children affected | Case by case |
Which fits your family?
- Visits of a few months, or the host can’t meet the income rule: a visitor visa.
- Long stays, and the host meets the income rule: a super visa. See the super visa guide.
- Your parent should live here permanently: sponsorship when it reopens, or humanitarian grounds in exceptional cases.
If your parent was already refused
Every new application must disclose the refusal, and should answer the reasons in the officer’s notes. See a refused super visa and visitor visa refusals.
Why talk to a lawyer before choosing a route?
One lawyer, one file, every step:
- choosing the route that fits your family and your income;
- building an application that answers the visitor test;
- dealing with any past refusal properly;
- taking a refusal to the Federal Court if the officer got it wrong.
The route decides what the officer weighs, and a refusal on one route affects the next. A short consultation at the start avoids a refusal that follows your parent.
Immigration lawyers are members of a provincial law society (in our case, the Law Society of British Columbia), and only a lawyer can take a refusal to the Federal Court. An immigration consultant cannot file or argue it there.
Mistakes I have seen
- Applying for a super visa when the host’s income clearly falls short.
- Not disclosing an earlier refusal on the new application.
- A parent working while visiting, which can lead to removal and future refusals.
Frequently asked questions
Can my parent stay permanently on a super visa?
No. It’s a long-term visitor visa. Permanent residence needs sponsorship or another program.
Is parent sponsorship open?
It’s currently paused. See our guide on sponsoring parents while the program is paused.
Can my parent visit while a sponsorship is pending?
Yes, by applying for a visitor visa or super visa; the officer must still be satisfied they’ll leave if refused PR.
What should I do right now?
Decide how long your parent wants to stay, check whether you’d meet the super visa income requirement, and gather any earlier refusal letters.
Book a consultation with our immigration lawyers in Surrey, Abbotsford or Vancouver, or online from anywhere.
Ready to book? Open the booking form ↑
Sources (official)
- IRCC: Parent and grandparent super visa (modified July 6, 2026)
- IRCC: Super visa eligibility (modified July 6, 2026)
- IRCC: Super visa, how long you can stay in Canada (modified July 6, 2026)
This article is general information, not legal advice. Every case depends on its own facts.