2020-03-28 – Canada says exemptions to coronavirus travel restrictions are now in place for temporary foreign workers, certain international students and approved permanent residents.
The travel restriction exemptions previously announced on Friday, March 20 are in place as of Thursday, March 26. Those who are exempt can now travel to Canada.
The new exemptions were announced on March 20,
The exemptions include:
- Seasonal agricultural workers, fish/seafood workers, caregivers and all other temporary foreign workers.
- 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 18, 2020, but who had not yet travelled to Canada.
Those travelling by air will need to pass a health check before boarding their flight. Anyone who shows symptoms of COVID-19 will not be allowed to enter Canada.
Those arriving in Canada will have their health checked before they leave the port of entry. Travellers must isolate for 14 days even if they have no symptoms.
Only people who provide essential services and truck drivers who regularly cross the border to maintain the flow of goods are exempt from the isolation requirements.
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IRCC has also changed the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) requirements for agriculture and food processing workers, waiving the two-week recruitment period for six months.
Further, IRCC has also moved to increase the maximum allowable employment duration for workers in the low-wage stream of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program from 1 to 2 years.
Who Can Travel To Canada?
- Canadian citizens and permanent residents
- Close family members of Canadian citizens.
- Close family members of Canadian permanent residents.
- Seasonal agricultural workers, fish/seafood workers, caregivers and all other temporary foreign workers.
- 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 18, 2020, but who had not yet travelled to Canada.
- Foreign nationals travelling at the invitation of the Canadian government for a purpose related to the containment of COVID-19.
- A person who is authorized, in writing, by a consular officer of the Government of Canada to enter Canada for the purpose of reuniting immediate family members.
- A person registered as an Indian under the Indian Act.
- Accredited diplomats and family members (including NATO, those under the United Nations Headquarters Agreement, other organizations).
- Aircrews.
- Any foreign national, or group of foreign nationals, whose entry would be in the national interest, as determined by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, the Minister of Public Safety.
- Members of the Canadian military, visiting forces and their family members.
- Transiting passengers.
