Author
March 27th, 2020
Latest update: 10:08 a.m. EST, March 27, 2020.
BREAKING: Students, workers, and COPR-holders exempt from the travel restrictions are now eligible to enter Canada. (Source: IRCC)
Border Closures: Canada has closed its borders to the vast majority of foreign nationals. Ports of Entry, both at airports and at the Canada-U.S. border have been closed to most individuals who wish to enter.
Closures were announced and clarified throughout the week of March 16-20. Though initial announcements of border closures were met with some confusion, government departments appear to have reached a general consensus as to who is able to enter Canada and who is not. (Source: IRCC)
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) published official guidelines for the border closure in the evening of March 20. As per initial announcements, Canadian citizens and permanent residents will have the ability to cross into Canada, whether by aircraft or by the land border with the U.S. However, several exceptions were confirmed through IRCC’s announcement. The following groups can cross the border into Canada whether by air or by land:
- immediate family members of Canadian citizens and Canadian permanent residents;
- temporary workers who hold a valid work permit or who are approved for a work permit but have not yet been issued the work permit (holding a Letter of Introduction);
- international students who held a valid study permit, or had been approved for a study permit, when the travel restrictions took effect on March 18, 2020;
- permanent resident applicants who had been approved for permanent residence before the travel restrictions were announced on March 16, 2020, but who had not yet travelled to Canada
There are a handful of other exceptional exemptions listed here.
(Sources: IRCC, Transport Canada, Governor in Council)
*IEC participants appear to qualify for the exemption under the category of temporary workers as long as they possess either a work permit or a Letter of Introduction (LOI). That being said, unless it is absolutely necessary, it is not advised to travel to Canada at this time.
Mandatory Quarantine: As of March 26, anyone entering Canada will be forced to enter a mandatory 14-day quarantine. Canada’s Health Minister has announced that this quarantine will be enforced and that those breaking quarantine may be subject to fines and jail time. Certain exemptions will be made for essential workers. (Source: CBC)
Canada-U.S. border closure: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had announced the closure of the Canada-U.S. border to all “non-essential travel” as of 11.59 p.m. on March 20. This closure was mutually negotiated between both countries. Speaking in Ottawa Wednesday morning, Prime Minister Trudeau stated that the “non-essential travel” includes all forms of recreation, tourism and shopping trips between both countries. (Source: CBC)
He has urged all Canadians abroad to return home. Finally, Prime Minister Trudeau has stated that supply chains will not be affected by this closure. This means that trucks bringing food and fuel, as well as other vital supplies, across the border, can do so. (Source: CBC)
On Friday, March 20, Prime Minister Trudeau announced that asylum seekers who irregularly cross the U.S. border into Canada will be returned to the United States.
This is a developing story. Please visit regularly for the most recent information. To get access to the latest information as it becomes available, please create a Moving2Canada account and sign up for our newsletter.
As the impact of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) becomes more apparent around the world, the Moving2Canada team has received an increasing volume of related inquiries from people expecting to move to or visit Canada within the coming weeks and months. We aim to refer affected persons to the information and advice they may need.
International travel to Canada
Most common questions
IRCC's special measures to help immigration applicants
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has introduced special measures to help temporary and permanent residents and applicants affected by the novel coronavirus (COVID‑19). This link contains advice for:
- If you’ve been approved for permanent residence,
- If you’re a Canadian citizenship applicant,
- If you’ve applied for temporary or permanent residence and are outside Canada (this includes applications for work permits and study permits),
- If you’re about to apply for permanent residence through Express Entry,
- If you need a visitor visa, study permit or work permit to travel to Canada urgently,
- If you’re a permanent resident who needs to travel to Canada urgently, or
- If you’re a temporary resident who is unable to leave Canada.
For advice on any of the above situations, click here.
Cancellation of in-person appointments in Canada
IRCC is cancelling a significant number of in-person appointments scheduled to take place in Canada. (IRCC, Twitter, March 16)
- All citizenship ceremonies and citizenship tests are cancelled until further notice.
- All refugee claimant appointments are cancelled until April 13, 2020. If you had an appointment, IRCC will contact you to let you know when your new appointment will be.
- All in-person permanent resident landing appointments are cancelled until April 13, 2020. If you had a landing appointment already booked, it will be held by telephone at a new date.
Canadian government announcements and resources
- The government of Canada has launched a dedicated section of its website to aid those who may be affected by the coronavirus.
- The Globe and Mail reports that travel insurance companies have begun adjusting their policies to exclude the global coronavirus outbreak, labelling it a foreseeable reason for trip cancellations (March 11). Get more information about insurance for Canada here.
Insurance for Canada
- Provincial healthcare may not cover you for your first few months in Canada. To find out how to get coverage and why, please read our guide.
- If you need or want to purchase travel or health insurance for Canada, you can find recommended insurance providers here.
For access to the best possible healthcare while living and working abroad, consider Cigna Global. Cigna is a leader in these policies and provides 12-month cover for those moving to Canada, regardless of nationality or age.