Dear W.P.,
Travelling during the pandemic is not for the faint at heart. Apart from the standard requirement of wearing a mask while travelling, you must take note of the new travel restrictions, which will require some planning and preparation.
If you are travelling to Canada, you should be aware that there are new COVID-19 restrictions that you must adhere to. I will outline below the steps to follow to ensure that your travel experience is a little less stressful.
PRE-DEPARTURE
You must first check if you are authorised to enter Canada. Even if you have a valid temporary resident visa or an ETA to travel to Canada, you should ensure that you are permitted to enter Canada before making travel plans.
Foreign nationals who are not residents are generally not authorised to enter Canada at this time. Only students, authorised workers and immediate family members of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, or person registered under the Indian Act, may apply to visit Canada during the pandemic.
You should check the government’s website to see if you could be allowed to travel to Canada. The website is https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/wizard-start.
Additionally, all extended family member of a person authorised to be in Canada will need to complete and sign an ‘Application for authorization and statutory declaration form’ and obtain a written authorisation from Immigration Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), before making travel plans. The written authorisation is a letter from IRCC confirming that the family member is exempt from the travel restrictions. You should also ensure that you have proof of your sister’s status in Canada, such as a copy of her Canadian passport or citizenship card/certificate or permanent resident card, or any other authorised permit. It is important that you do not make any travel plans until all the required documents are obtained.
FIND OUT IF YOU QUALIFY TO COME TO CANADA
PCR TEST
Effective January 7, 2021, a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is required of all passengers five years of age and above. The government of Canada requires that you provide proof of negative test result for COVID-19 before travelling by air from another country to Canada. The test must be done a maximum of 72 hours before a passenger’s scheduled flight.
INTERIM ORDERS
The government of Canada recognises that some countries are experiencing a shortage of testing supplies and so the 72-hour window is not feasible for some countries. For these locations, and only until January 14, additional flexibilities were incorporated to give travellers an additional 24 hours (up to 96 hours) for the test validity period prior to the departure of their flight to Canada.
Travellers departing from Jamaica who were not able to obtain a COVID-19 test may be allowed to board their flight, if they consent in advance to take a COVID-19 test on arrival at the Toronto Pearson International Airport.
FIND OUT IF YOU QUALIFY TO COME TO CANADA
Individuals who are departing from Barbados, The Bahamas and the Dominican Republic, up until January 21, 2021, will have an additional 24 hours (up to 96 hours) for the test validity period prior to the departure of their flight to Canada.
After the specific dates above, unless there is a further extension, individuals without a valid PCR test will not be permitted into Canada. This rule is applicable to all persons entering Canada, including citizens.
EXEMPTIONS
There are no exceptions to the rule above, even if you are a citizen, permanent resident or person authorised to be a temporary resident such as a student, worker or family member who is visiting for more than 14 days. The transport authority has indicated that only a limited number of exceptions will be permitted to the general rule that an individual is required to show proof of a negative test.
The persons that are exempted are children under the age of five years, in-transit passengers, some crew members, some essential and emergency services personnel, some official of the government of Canada or a foreign government, and where special exemption is granted.
Once again, special exemptions were granted to persons arriving from Jamaica until January 18, 2021, and persons arriving from Haiti until January 21, 2021. This temporary exemption for passengers is restricted to flights destined to Toronto Pearson International Airport, depending on the number of persons travelling that day.
FIND OUT IF YOU QUALIFY TO COME TO CANADA
ArriveCAN
You should visit the government’s website prior to boarding or download the ArriveCAN app to your smartphone to provide all the mandatory travel information. Once you submit your information through ArriveCAN, a receipt number will be displayed, you should screenshot the information or print out the information. You will be required to show this receipt to a Canadian Border Services officer when you arrive in Canada.
MANDATORY QUARANTINE
The health advisory states that given that there is an incubation period of up to 14 days for COVID-19 disease after exposure, a negative PCR test result in an asymptomatic person does not rule out exposure and subsequent disease. Therefore, even if you have presented a valid PCR test result and is authorised to enter Canada, you will be required to complete the full, mandatory 14-day quarantine, unless exempted under the Quarantine Act. There are additional rules that concerning your interactions with individuals who may reside at the location that you will be visiting, so you will need to review those rules in advance as well.
FIND OUT IF YOU QUALIFY TO COME TO CANADA
DECLARATION OF A STATE OF EMERGENCY
You indicated that you are going to Ontario to visit your ailing sister and so, apart from the fact that you are required to remain in quarantine for 14 days, you must know that in response to the alarming rise of COVID-19 cases, the premier of Ontario has made a declaration of emergency for all of Ontario and the province is under lockdown. Since January 14, 2021, residents were instructed to stay at home and are only authorised to leave for limited reasons, such as to seek medical treatment and supplies, banking, groceries, exercise, and access essential services.
If you have additional concerns, please schedule a telephone meeting to discuss this issue further.
Deidre Powell is a lawyer, mediator and notary public with office located in Ottawa, Ontario. Connect with her via www.deidrepowell.com or follow her on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
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