During the COVID-19 pandemic, the government of Canada is making frequent changes. By adopting different measures, their goal is to protect Canadians and to stop the spread of the virus. If you are travelling to Canada, ensure you check the most up-to-date information on travel restrictions and exemptions before making any plans.
Travelling Requirements Canada
The government of Canada announced a new measure* for persons coming to Canada. All travellers entering Canada by air must present negative COVID-19 test results to the airline prior to boarding a flight to Canada. The examination must be performed using a molecular test within 72 hours prior to the departure to Canada. This results must be obtained for persons as young as 5 years of age. Furthermore, travellers are also legally required to prepare a 14-day quarantine period and present it to government officials.
Ensure you download the ArriveCAN app (iOS, Android, Web) before you get to the Canadian border. This app is designed to help you submit required contact information, including a mandatory quarantine plan and a COVID-19 self-assessment, minimizing contact with border and health officers and ultimately reducing your wait times.
For permanent residents and Canadians crossing the border by land, you can find CBSA apps to guide and help you, a duty and tax estimator tool.
Eligibility to Enter Canada during COVID-19
You are eligible to enter Canada if you are a:
- Canadian citizen
- Permanent resident of Canada
- Protected person
- Dual Canadian citizen with a valid Canadian passport or special authorization
- Person registered under Canada’s Indian Act
Foreign Nationals Eligible to Enter Canada
Certain foreign nationals that may be eligible to enter Canada and who must meet one of the following circumstances, are:
- An immediate family member of a Canadian citizen, person registered under Canada’s Indian Act or permanent resident who is staying in Canada for 15 days or more
- An extended family member of a Canadian citizen, person registered under Canada’s Indian Act or permanent resident who is staying in Canada for 15 days or more
- A person who is authorized by the Public Health Agency of Canada to travel to Canada for compassionate reasons
To add, other eligible foreign nationals that may be allowed to enter Canada must meet with one of the following requirements:
- Be travelling directly from the US for a non-discretionary purpose
- Be exempt from the travel restrictions and be travelling for a non-discretionary purpose
Other Travellers
The following persons who are coming from outside de United States are exempted from travel restrictions:
- Temporary foreign workers
- Certain international students
- Some people who have been approved to become a permanent resident of Canada, but who are not yet permanent residents
- Immediate family members with written authorization from IRCC to reunite with a temporary resident of Canada
- Transiting passengers
- Members of the Canadian forces, visiting forces coming to perform official duties, Department of National Defence and their immediate family members
- Accredited diplomats and their immediate family members
- Air and marine crew members
- French citizens who live in Saint-Pierre and Miquelon and have been in only Canada, the US or Saint-Pierre and Miquelon during the 14 days before the day they seek to enter Canada
- Any person who:
– Does not pose a significant harm to public health, in the opinion of the Chief Public Health Officer of Canada, and who will provide an essential service while in Canada
– Is coming at the invitation of the Minister of Health for the purpose of COVID-19 assistance
– Whose purpose is to make medical deliveries
– Whose presence in Canada is in the national interest, in the opinion of the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship; Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness; or Minister of Foreign Affairs. This may be applied only by any of the three ministers mentioned above. This exemption is for exceptional circumstances only.
Immigration Applications and Documents
We recommend to ensure that you:
- Double check with the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website, an authorized representative or any relevant authority for official information.
- Find out if you need a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV), a Temporary Resident Permit (TRP), an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) or other types of documents to travel to Canada.
- Get informed about immigration documents that are expired or about to expire before making any travel plans.
- Be realistic about processing times, delays, and any unexpected changes in measures, requirements, policy and legislation. Estimated application processing times are not accurate during the pandemic.
* This measure will be in effect as of January 7, 2021 at 12:01 AM EST.
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