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Blue Cross® Visitors to Canada Insurance provides emergency medical coverage for people who are not enrolled in a Canadian provincial health care plan. Whether you are welcoming family members visiting from abroad, applying for a Canadian Super Visa, arriving as a new immigrant awaiting provincial coverage, or entering Canada as a foreign worker or student, Blue Cross Visitors Insurance protects against the high cost of unexpected medical emergencies. The plan is underwritten by Canassurance Insurance Company and is available through OnVoyage, a licensed insurance broker, for Ontario and Quebec.
Up to $150,000Emergency medical coverage
Ages 31 days–79Eligible age range
Up to 365 daysPer policy period
24/7Blue Cross Travel Assistance
Who Is Blue Cross Visitors Insurance For?
This plan is designed for people visiting or residing in Canada who are not covered by a government health insurance plan:
- Visitors to Canada (tourists, family members visiting from abroad)
- Immigrants and permanent residents awaiting provincial health coverage
- Foreign workers in Canada with a valid work permit
- Foreign students in Canada with a valid study permit
- Super Visa applicants and holders — parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents (minimum $100,000 coverage for at least one year required by IRCC)
- Canadian citizens returning home after a long absence
Coverage Amounts
| Coverage Amount | Eligible Ages | Suitable For |
|---|
| $50,000 | 31 days to 79 years | Short-term visitors, low-risk travellers |
| $100,000 | 31 days to 79 years | General visitors, Super Visa applicants (minimum) |
| $150,000 | 31 days to 74 years | Extended stays, higher coverage preference |
When to Purchase & Waiting Period
| Purchase Timing | Waiting Period |
|---|
| Before arrival in Canada | None — full coverage from date of arrival |
| Within 30 days of arrival (or end of similar coverage) | 3-day wait on illness — accidents and injuries covered immediately |
Purchase before your visitor arrives in Canada to avoid the waiting period entirely.
Emergency Medical Benefits
- Emergency medical treatment up to the sum insured
- Hospitalization in a semi-private room
- Physician fees for emergency treatment
- Private-duty nursing during hospitalization
- Health professionals up to $400/profession: physiotherapist, chiropractor, osteopath, podiatrist/chiropodist
- Laboratory tests and X-rays prescribed for emergency diagnosis
- Prescription drugs for emergency treatment
- Emergency dental — up to $2,000 per accident (accidental trauma to healthy teeth)
- Other emergency dental up to $300 per trip
- Ambulance or taxi to nearest suitable medical facility
- Medical repatriation to country of permanent residence
- Repatriation of travelling companion or immediate family member
- Transportation for family to identify remains
- Subsistence allowance: $150/day up to $1,500 for 10 days (accommodation, meals, phone, taxi, childcare)
- Side trips outside Canada covered up to 30 days per trip
- 24/7 Blue Cross Travel Assistance (CanAssistance)
Side Trips Outside Canada: Coverage applies to side trips that begin and end in Canada, last no more than 30 days, and do not occur in your country of permanent residence. Total side trip duration must not exceed 49% of the contract term.
Pre-Existing Medical Conditions
Stable pre-existing conditions may be covered. A condition is stable when there have been no new symptoms, no deterioration, no change in treatment, and no test results pending.
| Age | Stability Period Required |
|---|
| 54 years and under | 3 months before the effective date of coverage |
| 55 to 79 years | 6 months before the effective date of coverage |
Always-Excluded Pre-Existing Conditions: The following conditions are excluded regardless of stability — Cardiovascular: angina, angioplasty, aortic aneurysm, bypass surgery, defibrillator, heart attack, arrhythmia/tachycardia/bradycardia, peripheral vascular problems, valvulopathy. Neurological: stroke (CVA), TIA (transient ischemic attack). Pulmonary: chronic bronchitis, COPD, cystic fibrosis, emphysema.
Key Exclusions
Blue Cross Visitors to Canada Insurance does not cover:
- Travel against a physician's advice or with a terminal diagnosis
- Kidney disease treated with dialysis; metastatic cancer; heart failure or cardiomyopathy; waiting for an organ transplant
- Pulmonary hospitalization or prescription of home oxygen in the past 12 months
- Unstable pre-existing conditions (beyond stability periods)
- Always-excluded cardiovascular, neurological, and pulmonary conditions (regardless of stability)
- Illnesses occurring during the 3-day waiting period
- Treatment in the insured's country of permanent residence
- Pregnancy, childbirth, prenatal/postnatal care, and related complications
- Childbirth expenses for a child born during the covered period
- Mental health disorders
- High-risk sports and activities
- Routine check-ups, elective, experimental, or rehabilitation care
- Congenital diseases or malformations for children under 2
- Medical consultations required for immigration applications
- Trips undertaken specifically for the purpose of receiving medical treatment in Canada
- Illegal acts
Claims & Emergency Assistance
Contact Blue Cross Travel Assistance (CanAssistance) before visiting any hospital or clinic — failure to do so may result in a claim being denied. If you are unable to call, a relative or member of the medical staff must do so within 24 hours.
- Phone: 1-877-986-7681
- Submit claims at: canassistance.com/en/policyholder/claims
Frequently Asked Questions
- Who is eligible for Blue Cross Visitors Insurance?
- Anyone between 31 days and 79 years of age who is not covered by a provincial health plan: visitors to Canada, immigrants and permanent residents awaiting coverage, foreign workers with a work permit, foreign students with a study permit, super visa applicants and holders, and Canadians returning after a long absence.
- How much coverage is available?
- $50,000, $100,000, or $150,000. The $150,000 option is available to those 74 and under. For the Canadian Super Visa, a minimum of $100,000 is required.
- Does it qualify for the Canadian Super Visa?
- Yes. Select at least $100,000 in coverage for a 365-day policy period to meet the Super Visa insurance requirement from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
- Can I buy coverage after my visitor has already arrived?
- Yes. If purchased within 30 days of arrival (or within 30 days of the end of similar coverage), a 3-day waiting period applies to illness — accidents and injuries are covered immediately. Buying before arrival avoids any waiting period entirely.
- Are pre-existing conditions covered?
- Stable pre-existing conditions may be covered: 3-month stability for ages 54 and under; 6-month stability for ages 55–79. However, certain cardiovascular, neurological, and pulmonary conditions are always excluded regardless of stability period.
- How long can the policy last?
- Up to 365 days per contract. Extensions are available if you remain eligible and have not had a claim during the current period. If your stay exceeds 366 days, a new contract must be issued.
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