The changes the Government of Canada announced on July 19 apply to all of IRCC’s clients. As the fall semester is approaching, we would like to remind international students of what they will need to do to return or come to Canada for their studies.
Here is a guide on what students who are travelling to Canada need to do:
To be able to enter Canada as a student, you need to
- have a valid study permit or letter of introduction that shows you have been approved for a study permit
- be attending a designated learning institution with a COVID-19 readiness plan approved by its province or territory
It is also important to check if restrictions are in place for your country that may affect your ability to travel. For example, the Government of Canada has suspended flights from India until August 21, 2021.
You must have a quarantine plan
Designated learning institutions’ COVID-19 readiness plans aim to protect the health and safety of all students and the surrounding community.
An international student must have a 14-day quarantine plan in case it is determined at the border that they do not meet all of the conditions required to be exempt from quarantine. This is still the case even if they believe they meet the criteria for being considered a fully vaccinated traveller.
Students should be in contact with their designated learning institution for assistance in developing quarantine plans in advance of their arrival to Canada.
Information about the quarantine plan must be submitted in ArriveCAN prior to travel to Canada.
Who is considered a fully vaccinated traveller?
Those who are fully vaccinated may qualify for exemptions from some of the quarantine and testing requirements.
To be considered fully vaccinated, travellers will need to have received the full series of a COVID-19 vaccine—or combination of vaccines—accepted by the Government of Canada, at least 14 days prior to entering Canada. Currently, those vaccines are manufactured by Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD, and Janssen (Johnson & Johnson).
If you have received a different vaccine, you are currently not considered fully vaccinated in Canada.
Travellers must provide proof of vaccination in English or French (or a certified translation of their document). Travellers can receive their vaccine in any country, but it has to be 1 of the 4 vaccines accepted by Health Canada.
To be eligible for exemptions, fully vaccinated travellers must still meet the pre-entry and on-arrival testing requirements, including being tested within 72 hours pre-departure. They must also be asymptomatic, submit all required COVID-19 information electronically into ArriveCAN prior to travel to Canada, have a paper or digital copy of their proof of vaccination, and have a suitable quarantine plan.