The Canadian travel restrictions barring all non-essential travel will be extended until at least October 31. 

The restrictions on non-essential travel to Canada were implemented on March 18 to help contain the spread of COVID-1The restrictions are evaluated on a month-to-month basis. With COVID-19 cases on the rise in Canada, it comes as no surprise the restrictions were extended again.  

Canadian travel restrictions: Who can enter 

The following categories of travellers are exempt from Canadian travel restrictions:

• Canadian citizens or permanent residents 
• Holders of permanent resident visas who have a been granted their status before March 18
• Holders of permanent resident visas who have a been granted their status through family sponsorship
• Most temporary foreign workers 
• International students who have studied in Canada prior to the pandemic or are required to attend in-person classes 
• Immediate family members of Canadians

If you are eligible to travel to Canada, you must abide by the mandatory 14-day quarantine to ensure you do not present symptoms of COVID-1For a complete list of exempt international travellers, visit the government’s website for more details. 

Immigrating to Canada in the age of COVID-19

Canadian travel restrictions do prevent some types of temporary and permanent visa holders from entering Canada but Canada is a country that needs immigration. 

Despite the travel restrictions, Canada is still accepting immigration applications. There have been numerous Express Entry and provincial nominee draws, inviting thousands of candidates to apply. Canada is moving to modernize its immigration system to help ensure the health and safety of Canadians while also meeting Canada’s immigration needs. 

The most recent example is the new pilot to help expedite spousal sponsorship applications and could be a model used to help process other types of files during the pandemic. 

COVID-19 in Canada

COVID-19 cases are rising in Canada, with the province of Quebec seeing the highest total caseloads. Francois Legault, the Premier of Quebec announced yesterday new COVID-19 restrictions for the Montreal and Quebec City areas in an attempt to reduce the spread of the disease. 

As of writing this, Canada has reported a total of 155,301 COVID-19 cases, with 13,416 active cases, and 9,278 deaths related to the virus. 

For more information on COVID-19 in Canada, click here.