Canada receives thousands of international students and travelers every year. To combat the ongoing pandemic of COVID-19, the Canadian government introduced new policies for international students and travelers.

These are a few things that students, foreign workers and travelers to Canada should know.

The Government of Canada is Accepting Travelers Who Have Been Vaccinated Against COVID-19

No matter which country they are from, all travelers are eligible to enter Canada fully vaccinated. The exact requirements apply to Canadians as to other travelers. A fully vaccinated traveler does not need to undergo on-arrival testing. The only exception is when random testing is performed. As an essential service provider, or if you qualify for a Day-8 exemption, you don’t need to be fully vaccinated to enter Canada. 

Travelers to Canada who are fully vaccinated must satisfy the following requirements:

  • An entire series of COVID-19 vaccines or a combination of accepted vaccines is given according to the COVID-19 vaccine acceptance criteria.
  • The last dose was received at least 14 days before the day of entry into Canada. For example: If you last received your medication on Thursday, July 1, your 14-day condition would be meeting on Friday, July 16.
  • Ensure vaccination proof is uploaded in ArriveCAN. Unless your vaccination proof is in English or French, you will need to upload a certified translation in English or French to ArriveCAN.
  • No symptoms or signs of COVID-19

If your vaccinations do not meet the requirements, you will not be considered fully vaccinated. Travelers who have been fully vaccinated must still meet all tests requirements, including being tested within 72 hours of departure to qualify for the exemption. Travelers entering Canada by air are no longer required to check into a government-authorized hotel upon arrival. Despite this, travelers should still provide a quarantine plan and be prepared to quarantine, following the advice provided at borders.

International Student’s Requirements For Studying In Canada

There are a few international students who fall under these measures:

  • A valid study permit is required.
  • The candidate must receive vaccines approved by the Canadian government.
  • Test COVID-19 at the time of entry and have a negative result.
  • If randomly selected, COVID-19 will test negative upon arrival in Canada.
  • They must attend a DLI (Designated Learning Institution) that has an approved COVID-19 readiness plan.
  • The student must meet all other entry requirements of the Canada Border Services Agency for fully vaccinated travelers.

Quarantine Plan For Foreign Students

It may be necessary for an international student to have a 14-day quarantine plan if they are not exempt from quarantine at the border due to certain conditions, not meeting. Despite believing they meet the requirements to be deemed fully vaccinated, they can still suffer this risk.

All students and members of the surrounding community will be safe and healthy through the institution’s COVID-19 readiness plan. The plans outline how institutions will manage the quarantine period for international students, including how they will arrange for the transportation of the students to the quarantine area and how they will provide food and medication during the quarantine period. To develop a quarantine plan in advance of arriving in Canada, students should contact their designated learning institution.

Keep Up To Date

The Government of Canada continues to monitor the situation closely to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and its variants and will not hesitate to take additional measures if necessary. After arriving in Canada, international students should be updated and follow the instructions they receive from their school, the province in which it is located, and local authorities.