Restrictions have been placed on travelling and crossing the Canadian border for the protection of the residents and citizens of Canada from the COVID-19 outbreak. These were set in place under the instructions of the Prime Minister of Canada. Under these, there are restrictions on who can travel into the country and who cannot. If you have a valid visitor visa or even an electronic travel authorization for Canada, it does not necessarily mean you can enter the borders of the country. These guidelines mainly restrict any form of non-essential travel for the safety of the citizens.
Who Can Enter Canada
If you fall into any of the below categories, you can enter Canada.
- You are a citizen of Canada.
- You can also be a dual citizen of Canada but you should have a passport that is valid along with special authorization.
- You can be a Canadian permanent resident.
- You can also be a registered person under Canada’s Indian Act or be a protected person under this act.
- You can be a foreign national, even from the United States of America, but you must have eligibility.
Foreign Nationals
If you are a foreign national, you will be required to meet any one of the following eligibility criteria to be authorized to travel to Canada.
- You should be a close family member of a person with Canadian citizenship or a person who is registered under Canada’s Indian Act or an immediate family member of someone who is a permanent resident of Canada and has been in the country for more than 15 days.
- If you belong to someone who has Canadian citizenship as an extended family or is a permanent resident of Canada or is registered under Canada’s Indian Act.
- You can be a person who has gained authorization from the Canadian Public Health Agency and has been permitted to visit Canada for one of the compassionate reasons.
- You can be taking part in one of the International Single Sport Events.
Immediate Family Members
You should be an immediate family member of a person who has citizenship of Canada or is registered under the Canada Indian Act or has Canadian permanent residency. Listed below is what you will require to be eligible.
- You should be an immediate family member of a person who is a citizen of Canada or is registered under Canada’s Indian Act or has permanent residency in Canada.
- You should have planned your quarantine. The quarantine should be for 14 days starting from the day you arrive in Canada. This quarantine is mandatory.
- If you are an immediate family member but have plans for staying in Canada for a period of fewer than 15 days, you should be travelling for a non-discretionary reason.
Extended Family Members
If you belong to a person who has permanent residency in Canada as their extension in the family or Canadian citizenship or is registered under Canada’s Indian Act, here is what you need to be eligible for.
- You should be an extended family member of a person with Canadian citizenship or permanent residency or a person who is registered under Canada’s Indian Act and have proof of the same.
- You must have plans for staying in Canada for more than 15 days.
- You should have received and had a copy of your Authorization in writing from Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
- You should also have your quarantine plan for 14 days starting from the day when you arrive in Canada.
- If you are staying for a period of fewer than 15 days, your travel must be under non-discretionary purposes.
Coming For Compassionate Reasons
If you are a foreign national and have a plan to visit Canada for a compassionate reason, you will be required to gain permission from the Canadian Public Health Agency. This is required to travel to Canada as well as to enter Canada. Here is a list of compassionate reasons.
- If you wish to be there for the final moments of a close family member or a loved one.
- If it is for providing support to a person who is deemed medically critically ill.
- If you wish to provide care to someone who needs medical support.
- If you wish to be an attendee of an end-of-life ceremony or a funeral.
After you have gained permission from the Public Health Agency of Canada, you may also be required to apply for a visitor visa and an eTA. These will be necessary when you wish to board your flight to Canada. If you do not know which travel documents you will need, you can ask your immigration consultant.
Participant in an International Single-Sport Event (ISSE)
You can be eligible to take part in one of the International Single Sport Events in Canada. For that, here are the eligibility criteria.
- You should be an amateur athlete with high performance.
- You can be trained in giving essential support or have affiliation with one of the national organizations that are responsible for a particular sport.
The national sport organization must fulfill the following.
- You should receive a letter granting you authorization from the Canadian Heritage Deputy Minister.
- You should be the recipient of ongoing support from one of the provincial governments or local public health authorities.
You will be required to bring with you a copy of this authorization letter when you enter Canada. You may also need an eTA and a valid visitor visa. Your immigration consultant will help you with your application for the eTA and visitor visa as well as with prioritizing your application.
All Other Foreign National
If you wish to be travelling to Canada as a foreign national, you will be required to fulfill one of the following criteria.
- You should be entering Canada from the US border and under a non-discretionary reason.
- You are exempt from restrictions on travel to Canada and have a non-discretionary purpose.
- You can come to Canada from The United States and have an exemption from the travel restrictions as a temporary foreign worker or an international student.
- If you have gained approval for becoming a permanent resident of Canada but have not yet gained the status.
- If you are an immediate or close family member and have received authorization in writing from the IRCC to meet with a person with temporary residence in Canada.
- If you are a transiting passenger. This will require you to remain in the secured area of the airport meant for transit passengers while waiting.
- If you are a member of the Canada Forces or a member of the visiting forces who is visiting for the performance of some official duties.
- If you are a part of the Department of National Defence or a family member of such a person.
- If you are an accredited diplomat or close family member of such a person.
- If you are a crew member of the air force or marines.
- If you are a French citizen and have been to the US, Saint-Pierre or Miquelon in the 14 days before you seek to gain entry into Canada. You should not be posing any health risk to the general public and gain the approval of the Chief Public Health Officer of Canada.
- If you are a person who is needed for the wellness or good of Canada following the opinion of the Minister of the IRCC and Emergency Preparedness, Minister of Public Safety, or the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
- If you are a person who has received an invitation to travel to Canada from the Health Minister of the country to provide aid for Covid-19.
- If you are visiting Canada for delivering essential medical equipment and supplies.
- You should have a 14-day quarantine plan starting from the day you first arrive in Canada.
Mandatory Quarantine, COVID-19 Testing And Other Requirements
Before your trip to Canada, you must become familiar with the rules and know what is necessary to be done before and after your arrival. There is a checklist for you if you are driving or flying to cross the border of Canada. You will also need to understand the usage of ArriveCAN. This will be necessary when you check-in at the airport or when you are crossing the border.
This can help you with your submission of travel documents, contact information, plan of quarantine as well as the self-assessment of Covid-19 symptoms. You will also have to make sure that you have updated the latest version of the ArriveCAN application.
Before you travel
There are restrictions on travelling into Canada from outside and for travelling within Canada as well. Before you arrive, you must become familiar with the restrictions.
If you are going to be metering Canada through air travel, you must have a plan and prepare beforehand. Here are some steps you can follow. Each of these steps has separate requirements and exemptions that you can become familiar with through your immigration consultant. You are advised to use one email address for all the entry requirements of the process.
- Take an assessment of your quarantine plan before you begin your travel to Canada.
- Finish your Covid-19 test and gain the results that are necessary pre-entry.
- Make reservations for at least 3 nights at a hotel where there is a stopover.
- Complete advance registration for the test you need to take when you arrive.
- Make use of the ArriveCAN application for the submission of your travel documents as well as your quarantine plan.
- Make note of which airports are open for international arrival and departure.
Boarding Your Flight
- Keep your ArriveCAN receipt along with your pre-entry test result where it is easy to reach and hand over to the airline staff when necessary.
- Make sure you have checked the requirements for the boarding of a flight that is scheduled to arrive in Canada.
Arriving in Canada
- Keep your ArriveCAN receipt, hotel confirmation, test results as well as your quarantine plan somewhere easy to reach so that they are ready to be assessed by the Border Services Officer.
- Take your arrival test.
- Go to the hotel that you made a reservation for while you wait for the results of the arrival test.
Completing your hotel stopover
- When you depart from the hotel along with the place where you will be required to stay for your mandatory 14-day quarantine will be determined by your arrival test results.
- Make sure you know if you must make a hotel stopover or you are exempt from it.
Completing your full quarantine
- On the 8th day of the 14 days mandatory quarantine period, you will be taking another test. The instructions for this will be given to you by the authorities.
- You will stay in the same place while you wait for the results of this second test.
- Make sure you are aware of how you can arrive at the place of quarantine, or if you can quarantine in your hotel room.
