Canada has announced to extend restrictions on international travel until next year to prevent the further spread of COVID-19.
Canada’s Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Bill Blair stated the travel restrictions on US citizens would be extended until December 2021, whereas restrictions on people visiting from other countries will be in place till January 2021.
Mandatory quarantine will remain in place for all returning Canadian citizens and permanent residents and border officials will turn away any traveller coming for reasons such as recreation, tourism, or entertainment.
Travellers, who are allowed to visit Canada despite the ban, include students, essential workers, parents, children, spouses, or guardians of Canadian citizens, so long as they undergo quarantine for 14 days upon arrival.
Here’s a breakdown of who is exempt from travel restrictions:
Canadian citizens
Permanent residents
Immediate family of Canadian citizens and permanent residents (spouses, common-law partners, dependent children, grandchildren, parent or step-parent, and guardian or tutor)
Extended family members of Canadian citizens and Canadian permanent residents, (individuals in an exclusive and long-term relationship and their dependent children; non-dependent children, grandchildren, siblings, half-and step-siblings and grandparents).
Permanent resident applicants who were approved for permanent residence on or before March 18, 2020.
Individuals who are in possession of Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) and Permanent Resident Visa (PRV) issued on or before March18 but whose documents have now expired. Visa holders from the U.S. qualify regardless of when they received their visa.
Temporary foreign workers
Foreign nationals entering Canada on humanitarian and compassionate grounds in special circumstances, such as terminal illness, serious injury or death.
International students who held a valid study permit or who had been approved for a study permit on or before March 18, 2020.
International students attending a Designated Learning Institution that has obtained prior approval of its response plan to control the spread of COVID-19 from the provincial government. (Effective October 20). The list of approved DLIs is here.
Individuals entering Canada are required by law to quarantine themselves immediately for a period of 14 days to help avoid the potential spread of COVID-19.
****
Essential travel is defined as travel which is non-optional and non-discretionary. Please visit the Government of Canada’s website to see examples of what they determine to be essential travel.