Elderly visitors required to have private health insurance
A program that allows parents and grandparents of Canadian immigrants to join their families through a 10-year so-called super-visa kicked off on Thursday. The new visa, which must be renewed every two years, requires elderly relatives of Canadian citizens and permanent residents to have private health insurance. Family sponsors in Canada must also show evidence that they can financially support their parents and grandparents. The program represents the Conservatives’ attempt to tackle a backlog of about 165,000 of elderly relatives applying for Canadian permanent residence that has kept families in the waiting for as long as a decade.