Visitor Insurance in Ontario: A Guide for Families Hosting Parents

October 15, 2026
Visitor Insurance in Ontario: A Guide for Families Hosting Parents

Hosting parents in Kitchener, Waterloo or Cambridge this winter? With IRCC pausing new Parents and Grandparents Program applications on July 15, 2026, many Ontario families now plan longer visits on a Super Visa instead. Either way, OHIP will not cover your parents. This guide shows what that means locally and the first steps to take before they fly.

Every year, thousands of families in Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, Brampton, Mississauga and across Ontario welcome parents and relatives from abroad. Before they arrive, one thing is easy to overlook: visitors are not covered by OHIP. This guide explains what that means and how to protect your family.

OHIP does not cover visitors

The Ontario Health Insurance Plan covers eligible residents of Ontario. Tourists, visiting parents, and people on visitor visas or Super Visas are not eligible. If they need care, the hospital or clinic bills them directly, often at non-resident rates that are higher than what OHIP pays.

What care can cost a visitor in Ontario

Costs vary by hospital and treatment, but visitors are commonly billed:

  • hundreds of dollars for an emergency room visit,
  • additional fees for ambulance transport,
  • several thousand dollars per day for a hospital bed, and more in intensive care,
  • separate fees for doctors, specialists, tests and surgery.

A serious illness such as a heart attack or stroke can quickly add up to tens of thousands of dollars.

Which insurance does your visitor need?

  • Super Visa applicants – a plan meeting IRCC's rules ($100,000 minimum, 1 year from entry). See the checklist.
  • Regular visitors – a visitor plan for the exact dates of the stay. See how to choose.
  • New permanent residents Ontario removed the 3-month OHIP waiting period, but new permanent residents must still apply in person at ServiceOntario and be approved.

Tips for Ontario host families

  1. Buy before the flight, so there's no waiting period.
  2. Know the closest hospital and walk-in clinic. For non-emergencies, a walk-in clinic costs far less than an emergency room.
  3. Save the insurer's emergency assistance number in your phone and your parent's phone. Call before treatment whenever possible.
  4. Bring a list of medications and conditions translated into English.
  5. Keep every receipt for smaller bills you pay first.
  6. Plan side trips. If your parents will visit the U.S. or Niagara Falls on the U.S. side, check side-trip coverage.

Why use a local broker

Life Advice Insurance Inc is based in Kitchener and has helped Ontario families since 2015. We compare visitor and Super Visa plans from many Canadian insurers, explain pre-existing condition rules in plain language, and help you choose coverage that fits your parent's age and health.

What the PGP pause means for Ontario families

IRCC confirmed on July 15, 2026 that the PGP is paused for new applications, until further notice. Applications already in the queue are still processed.

  • If you are in the queue: your parents are still visitors until they become permanent residents. They need private coverage until then.
  • If you had planned to apply: the Super Visa lets parents stay up to 5 years per entry, on a visa valid up to 10 years.
  • Super Visa insurance: at least $100,000 for at least 1 year from entry, from a Canadian insurer or an OSFI-authorized insurer outside Canada. You can pay in full or by instalments with a deposit.
  • Other Super Visa rules: the host must meet the minimum income for their family size and send an invitation letter, and the parent needs an immigration medical exam.

When your parent becomes a permanent resident

Ontario removed the 3-month OHIP waiting period. But OHIP does not start by itself. Your parent must apply in person at ServiceOntario and be approved. Keep private coverage until the approval is confirmed.

Example: Imagine your father lands as a permanent resident in late November. He visits ServiceOntario in Kitchener the next week. If his visitor plan ended on landing day, any care in between would not be covered by either plan.

Your first steps

  1. Confirm your parents' visa type and exact dates in Ontario.
  2. List their health conditions and medicines, with any recent changes.
  3. Compare plans that cover stable pre-existing conditions.
  4. Buy before they leave home so no illness waiting period applies.
  5. Save the insurer's emergency assistance number in your phone and theirs.
  6. Note the closest hospital emergency department to your home.

What families ask us most

Most families we help in Kitchener-Waterloo are inviting parents from India. Before they buy, they ask the same four questions:

  • Refund policy: what happens if the visa is refused or the visitor goes home early. See how refunds work.
  • Monthly payments: which insurers allow them, and the full 12-month cost. See monthly payment plans.
  • Medical conditions: whether diabetes, blood pressure or heart conditions are covered, and the stability rules. See our pre-existing conditions guide.
  • Cost: how much it costs. Price depends on age, coverage amount, deductible and medical conditions. See Super Visa insurance cost by age.

Compare plans online on our Super Visa insurance or visitor insurance page, or call 1-855-500-5041. Help in English, Hindi and Punjabi.

For families in Kitchener-Waterloo and across Ontario

Ontario hospitals bill visitors at non-resident rates. Local emergency departments include Grand River Hospital and St. Mary's General Hospital in Kitchener, Cambridge Memorial Hospital, Guelph General Hospital and Brampton Civic Hospital. Doctor, lab and ambulance bills usually come separately.

A note for hosts who travel: to keep your own OHIP, you generally must be in Ontario 153 days in any 12 months. If you take your parents on a long trip abroad, check your own coverage too.

Life Advice Insurance Inc. has served Ontario families since 2015 and compares 20+ Canadian insurers, including Manulife, Sun Life, Canada Life, TuGo and GMS. We serve Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, Guelph, Brampton, Mississauga, Toronto and all of Ontario. Visit our office at 912 Isaiah Pl, Kitchener (Monday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., closed Sunday) or call 1-855-500-5041.

Frequently asked questions

Does OHIP cover my parents if I sponsor them?

Not while they are visitors. Sponsored parents become eligible only after they become permanent residents and meet OHIP rules.

Can I buy visitor insurance for my parents if they're already in Ontario?

Yes, but a waiting period usually applies to illness. See our guide on insurance for visitors already in Canada.

Do walk-in clinics in Ontario see visitors?

Many do, for a fee. Check the policy wording to see whether walk-in clinic visits are covered.

Talk to a licensed Life Advice broker

We compare plans from many Canadian insurers and explain the fine print in plain language. Call +1 855-500-5041 (Mon–Sat 9 a.m.–9 p.m.), get a quote on our Visitor Insurance page, or visit us at 912 Isaiah Pl, Kitchener, ON N2E 0B6.

This article is general information, not advice for your situation. Coverage, prices and rules vary by insurer and can change. Always read your policy wording.

Our PGP application is in the queue. Are my parents covered by OHIP while they wait?

No. They are still visitors until they become permanent residents and are approved for OHIP. Keep private coverage in place.

Is there still a 3-month wait for OHIP in Ontario?

No, Ontario removed it. New residents must still apply in person at ServiceOntario and be approved before OHIP covers them.

Is visitor insurance different in Ontario than in other provinces?

The plans are similar across Canada. What matters in Ontario is that OHIP does not cover visitors and hospitals bill them at non-resident rates.

Get a free quote

Compare visitor insurance quotes from 20+ Canadian insurers on our visitor insurance page. You may also like our Super Visa insurance page. Or visit Life Advice Insurance Inc. at 912 Isaiah Pl, Kitchener, call 1-855-500-5041, Monday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Help in English, Hindi and Punjabi.

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