Current travel restrictions—Standing Committee on Public Accounts: Office of the Auditor General Audit on Pandemic Preparedness – Surveillance and Border Control Measure (April 20, 2021)

Restrictions for individuals travelling to Canada from the United States (All Modes)

The Canada – U.S. border is open for essential travel that supports trade and our economy.

On March 18, 2020, the Governments of Canada and the United States announced that both countries would be implementing collaborative and reciprocal measures to suspend non-essential travel along the Canada-U.S. border in response to the spread of COVID-19. These measures are in effect until April 21, 2021.

As of February 15, 2021, foreign nationals arriving from the U.S. must provide proof of a valid COVID-19 molecular test, which includes:

• a negative molecular test taken no more than 72 hours before seeking entry into Canada. For travellers arriving at a land port of entry (POE) the test must be taken in the United States; or
• a prior positive COVID-19 molecular test taken between 14 to 90 days before entry into Canada

Foreign nationals who do not have a valid molecular test will not be allowed into Canada.

All persons, whether arriving in the air or land mode, must submit quarantine and contact information electronically (ArriveCAN) before boarding a plane to Canada or before arriving at the border, subject to limited exceptions.

As of February 22, 2021, all travellers, with limited exceptions, will be required to undergo COVID-19 molecular testing on arrival and to take a second test later in the 14-day post-entry period towards the end of their quarantine.

Asymptomatic foreign nationals who are immediate or extended family members of a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident or a person registered as an Indian under the Indian Act are permitted to enter Canada to be with their family members.

Extended family members must also have a statutory declaration attesting to their relationship signed by the Canadian citizen, permanent resident or registered Indian; and are required to have a written authorization to enter Canada from IRCC prior to arriving at a Canadian POE.

Foreign nationals seeking entry for compassionate reasons, such as attending a funeral or providing support to a critically ill person residing in Canada, are exempt from the prohibition on entry and must have a travel authorization letter from PHAC.

International students can only enter if they have a valid study permit and if their school is on an approved list of learning institutions. This list is provided by provincial authorities and maintained and published by IRCC.

Foreign nationals are prohibited from entering Canada for the purpose of claiming refugee protection unless they meet a limited set of exceptions, if arriving between ports of entry or, they meet an exception under the Safe Third Country Agreement, which applies at ports of entry.

As of December 1, 2020, high performance amateur athletes and supporting personnel participating or engaging in International Single Sport Events can seek entry into Canada after receiving an authorization letter from Heritage Canada.

If pressed on cross-border students

The Order in Council pertaining to mandatory quarantine and isolation has been amended to exempt cross-border students from the requirement to quarantine as long as they attend school on a regular basis and meet additional requirements outlined in that Order.

Key statistics

Between April 1, 2020 and April 12, 2021, 9,841,930 individuals entered Canada from the United States, an 96.37% decrease from the same period of time last year (77,618,672 from April 1, 2019 to April 12, 2020).

Since the implementation of the travel restrictions for travellers seeking entry from the U.S., to April 12, 2021:

• 30,533 U.S. citizens were denied entry to Canada from the U.S. in the land/rail/marine mode for discretionary travel reasons
• 3,567 foreign nationals (non U.S. citizens) were denied entry to Canada from the U.S. in the land/rail/marine mode for discretionary travel reasons
• 4,307 foreign nationals were denied entry to Canada from the U.S. in air mode for discretionary travel reasons, of which, 1,732 were U.S. citizens and 525 were other foreign nationals

Prohibition of entry into Canada from any country other than the United States

Proposed response

Travel to Canada by air and marine modes is prohibited for all foreign nationals, unless they are exempt and not seeking entry for an optional or discretionary purpose, until April 21, 2021.

As of February 22, 2021, travellers entering Canada, with limited exceptions, will be required to take a COVID-19 molecular test on arrival as well as towards the end of their 14-day quarantine.

There are a number of exemptions to this prohibition, including (but not exclusive to):

• airline or marine crew members
• diplomats and their immediate family
• persons that have a valid work or study permit or for whom an application to work or study has been approved
• persons invited by the Minister of Health that will assist with the COVID-19 response
• International-to-International travel through Canada (arriving and departing from the same Canadian airport within 24 hours)

The Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Citizenship and Immigration, and Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness may also authorize entry for any person or class of persons whose presence in Canada is determined to be in the national interest.

Eligible and asymptomatic foreign nationals must abide by all public health requirements related to COVID-19 issued pursuant to the Quarantine Act, and provide proof of a valid COVID-19 molecular test.

Asymptomatic foreign nationals who are immediate or extended family members of a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident or a person registered as an Indian under the Indian Act are permitted to enter Canada to be with their family members.

International students can only enter if they have a valid study permit and if their school is on an approved list of learning institutions. This list is provided by provincial authorities and maintained and published by IRCC.

As of December 1, 2020, high performance amateur athletes and supporting personnel participating or engaging in International Single Sport Events can seek entry into Canada after receiving an authorization letter from Heritage Canada.

In fiscal year 2020 to 2021, we processed 79,130 cargo vessels. This figure includes rail, marine and air vessels.

As of April 12, 2021, 959 foreign nationals were denied entry to Canada as a result of the prohibition of certain foreign nationals from entering Canada from a country other than the U.S. by air (from foreign locations other than the U.S.). In addition, 525 foreign nationals, other than U.S. citizens, were denied entry to Canada from the U.S. by air for discretionary travel reasons.

Travellers' testing, isolation and quarantine obligations

Proposed response

All international travellers, with limited exceptions, arriving in Canada must undergo a COVID-19 molecular testing pre- and post-arrival and must have a suitable quarantine plan for the mandatory 14-day period, which starts on the date they arrive.

All travellers (5 years of age or older), with some exceptions, must present evidence of a negative COVID-19 molecular test result before boarding an aircraft to Canada, or provide a positive test result obtained in the prior 14 to 90 days to show they are no longer infectious.

As of February 15, 2021, travellers arriving by land, with limited exceptions, must present evidence of a COVID-19 molecular test taken with 72 hours in the U.S. before arriving at the port of entry.

All travellers must submit mandatory health information digitally, to the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) using the ArriveCAN application before boarding a plane to Canada or before arriving at a land port of entry. This includes contact information and a suitable quarantine plan, as applicable.

As of March 21, 2021, the following persons are now exempt from the required to quarantine in a government-authorized accommodation:

• unaccompanied persons under the age of 18; unaccompanied persons 18 and older who are dependent on others for care or support
• persons or a class of persons whose presence in Canada is deemed in the national interest by the Minister of Health
• certain temporary foreign workers, who will proceed directly to their suitable place of quarantine by private conveyance

All travellers, with limited exceptions, will be required to undergo COVID-19 molecular testing on arrival and to take a second test later in the 14-day post-entry period towards the end of their quarantine.

Unless exempt, air travellers must submit evidence of a prepaid reservation for three days at a government authorized accommodation (hotel), at their expense, near the first airport of entry.

Travellers who become symptomatic, who test positive on their arrival test or who do not have a suitable quarantine plan will be referred to PHAC and may be directed to complete their quarantine at a Designated Quarantine Facility (DQF).

Additionally, since March 4, 2021, 16 land ports of entry offer onsite testing to test travellers on arrival.

Travellers at ports of entry without onsite testing will be provided with swab kits and real-time, online guidance to self-administer the first test in their quarantine location on the first day, and a second test towards the end of their quarantine period.

If pressed on testing and quarantine exemptions

Cross-border students who attend school in Canada and in the U.S. on a regular basis and their drivers are exempt from quarantine and testing requirements when entering Canada, subject to certain conditions.

Residents of certain remote cross-border communities, who only cross the Canada-U.S. border to access the closest available necessities, are exempt from quarantine and testing requirement.

Travellers from Canada to the U.S. who are directed back from the U.S. are exempt from quarantine and testing requirements as long as they never left their vehicle at the U.S. POE.

Foreign nationals who are not otherwise prohibited to enter Canada will be refused entry (with limited exceptions) if they do not have a valid pre-arrival COVID-19 molecular test result.