Canada Extends Travel Restrictions For U.S, Other Countries Into March And April

Canada extends travel restrictions until March 21st for U.S. travelers, and until April 21st for travelers from other countries.

Since travel restrictions were last elongated into January, Canada has reinforced measures at the border.

International flights are only being accepted at four Canadian airports. Canada’s four major airlines are suspending flights to the Caribbean and Mexico. Also, incoming air travelers must now take a COVID-19 test after landing and wait for results in a government-approved hotel.

Travelers who are passing through the Canada-U.S. land border must also present a negative COVID-19 test upon arrival. This test must have been taken within the Seventy-two (72) hours before attempting to cross the border.

With some of the strongest border measures in the world, we are further reinforcing
our international travel restrictions to keep Canadian people safe from emerging new COVID-19 variants.

Quarantine requirements have also been extended until the 21st of April. All travelers heading to Canada must quarantine for fourteen (14) days. Only essential travelers, such as emergency services providers, truck drivers, and those who cross the Canada-U.S. border regularly for work, do not have to provide a COVID-19 test or go through the mandatory quarantine requirement.

Who is exempted from travel restrictions?

Some people are exempted from travel restrictions, such as:

• Canadian citizens or permanent residents;
• some people who have been approved for Canadian permanent residence;
• some temporary foreign workers;
• some international students;
• certain protected persons;
• immediate family members of Canadian citizens;
• extended family members of Canadian citizens;
• people coming to Canada for compassionate grounds; or
• anyone body who falls under the exemptions listed on the government’s webpage.

The federal government of Canada is also allowing people to travel to Canada for compassionate reasons, such as:

• to be present during the final moments of life for a loved one, or to provide care or support for someone who is seriously ill;
• to give medical support to a person who needs it; or
• to attend a funeral or end-of-life ceremony.

Before coming to Canada, compassionate travelers can fill out an application to get a limited release from quarantine before the fourteen (14) days are up.

The only other exemptions to the mandatory fourteen (14)-day quarantine requirement are:

• crewmembers;
• some individuals invited by the health minister to help with the COVID-19 response and other healthcare workers;
• members of visiting forces who are coming to Canada to work;
• people coming to receive medical services within thirty-six (36) hours of their arrival;
• crossing the border in a trans-border community;
• people crossing into Canada by a “vessel” for the purposes of research, as long as they remain on the vessel; and
• other circumstances listed on the new Order in Council.

In all cases, Canadian border services officers have the final decision on who gets to enter the country.