There are new developments with regard to travel to Canada under COVID regulations, at both the federal and provincial levels.
Canada
The federal government has announced the following new measures for travellers entering Canada:
- Effective February 3, at 11:59pm EST, all international passenger flights must arrive through one of four approved airports. Previously, flights from the U.S., Mexico, the Caribbean, and South America, along with private/business and charter flights, were exempted. The four airports are:
- Montréal-Trudeau International Airport
- Toronto Pearson International Airport
- Calgary International Airport
- Vancouver International Airport
Note that cargo planes and flights from Saint-Pierre and Miquelon continue to be allowed to enter through other airports.
- At a date to be established (within coming weeks), with few exceptions, all air travellers entering Canada will be required to:
- undergo a COVID-19 molecular test on arrival, and
- quarantine for three nights (at their own expense) at a government approved hotel at their own cost
- cost is estimated at $2,000CDN – given accommodation, food, and security costs
If the COVID-19 test result is negative, travellers will then be allowed to continue the balance of the still-required 14-day quarantine at their homes or other ordinary places of quarantine.
- Travellers entering by land will now be required to take a COVID-19 molecular test within 72 hours prior to entry (similar to the requirement now in place for air travellers).
- The full list of exemptions for any of the quarantine or testing requirements noted is not yet available, but will certainly relate to ‘essential services’. With regard to entry via land-border, for instance, truckers transporting goods will be exempt from the testing and quarantine requirements.
- Compliance checks will be increased, to confirm quarantine compliance.
Ontario
Further, the government of Ontario has announced additional measures for those arriving through Toronto’s Pearson Airport. Effective Monday, February 1, at 12:01pm all arriving travellers will have to undergo COVID-19 testing. This requirement is a ‘stop gap’ until the federal measures go into effect.
Impact on Business/Work Travel
Business travellers/workers may still travel to Canada – but they do of course need to be aware of the above issues in facilitating their entry, and all other requirements that remain in place.
We have certainly seen an uptick in government COVID compliance audits, and these will certainly increase now. As such, all involved in business/work travel – employers and employees – must be fully aware of requirements to avoid financial penalties or other sanctions.
We will of course continue to provide updated COVID-related and non-COVID-related immigration updates as they occur, keeping our readers abreast of the ever-changing Canadian business immigration environment.
The information in this article is for general purposes only, and not intended as legal advice for any particular situation.