On Oct. 31, Canada’s Minister of Public Safety Bill Blair announced that Canada’s international travel restrictions would be renewed until Nov. 30.
Canada’s current travel restrictions
The news of the extension of travel restrictions on non-essential international travel to Canada came the same day Canada unveiled it’s ambitious plan to welcome 1.2 million new Canadians in the next three years.
Mr Blair’s announcement of the continuation of the non-essential travel ban only covers international travel, outside the U.S. Currently, all non-essential travel from the U.S. is prohibited until Nov. 21.
Who can come to Canada under the current travel restrictions
There are numerous categories of exemptions from Canadian international travel restrictions that we will list below:
- Canadian citizens or permanent residents
- Holders of permanent resident visas who have a been granted their status before March 18
- Holders of permanent resident visas who have a been granted their status through family sponsorship
- Most temporary foreign workers
- International students who have studied in Canada prior to the pandemic or are attending a Canadian school with a COVID-19 readiness plan
- Immediate family members of Canadians
- Extended family members of Canadians
Not included in the list are those wishing to enter Canada for recreational travel.
Mandatory 14 day self-isolation period for travelers to Canada
Anyone wishing to enter Canada must self-isolate for a period of 14 days unless exempt from this requirement.
There is however an interesting pilot project running in Calgary International Airport that could be the new normal for travellers to Canada. In this new pilot, travellers can opt for a rapid COVID-19 test and self-isolate for 24 to 48 hours while they await the results of the test.
Travellers will also need to take an additional COVID-19 test six or seven days after their arrival and complete daily symptom checks.
This new approach, if successful, would be a major improvement to the current Canadian quarantine regulations that many have complained make it difficult or impossible to travel to Canada.
Rebecca Major
Lauren Boorman
