Travel restrictions for Canada extended till Halloween

It’s good to know for immigrants that Canada is continuously sending invitations to apply for permanent residence but for international travellers, they have extended travel restrictions for another month with rising COVID-19 cases across the world.

As per the latest Canadian government  Order in Council, it will be extended till Halloween, on October 31. This adds on more announcements to their list for the end of the month October. One is about travel restriction extension & another one on their target of inviting immigrants under its Immigration Levels Plan 2021-2023.

Initial announcements for travel restrictions were from March 18 to June 30 yet it’s extending with the increment of COVID-19 cases worldwide.

The Canadian government has closed the borders for those who have intentions to enter the country for a non-essential reason i.e. recreation, tourism, or entertainment.

Exceptionally there is no travel restriction for few like,

1. Canadian citizens (including dual citizens) or permanent residents;
2. certain people who have been approved for Canadian permanent residence;
3. certain temporary foreign workers;
4. certain international students;
5. protected persons;
6. immediate family members of Canadians; or
7. Anyone else who falls under the exemptions listed on the government’s webpage.
8. Everyone who crosses the Canadian border must still quarantine for 14 days. The only exemptions to the mandatory quarantine requirement are:
   • crewmembers;
   • people invited by the health minister to help with the COVID-19 response and other healthcare workers;
   • members of visiting forces who are coming to work;
   • people coming to receive medical services within 36 hours of their arrival;
   • crossing the border in a trans-border community;
   • people crossing into Canada aboard a “vessel” for the purposes of research, as long as they stay on the vessel; and
   • Other circumstances listed in the Order in Council.

There is an individual order for Canada-U.S. cross border since March 2020 and that’s extended earlier this month too.

Since later May to August, Canada has recovered very well against the coronavirus spread. Yet after August, the cases of Covid-19 have increased and Canada has announced strict measures for their largest provinces. In Ontario & Quebec, they have added restrictions and trying their best to recover from the pandemic situation.

Canada is issuing new permanent residence invitations at a high pace but the number of applicants finishing their permanent residence landing in Canada is still lower than usual because of the pandemic. It is announced that applicants who have received approvals for permanent residence before March 18 are currently eligible to travel to Canada.