Important information about your approved temporary resident visa or super visa and Canada’s travel restrictions due to COVID-19
If you are a representative, please share this important information with your clients.
Dear temporary resident (visitor) visa or super visa holder,
Thank you for your interest in travelling to Canada. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of Canada has put in place a number of measures, including travel restrictions, to protect the health and safety of Canadians.
If your application for a temporary resident (visitor) visa or super visa was recently approved, it does not necessarily mean you are authorized to travel at this time or are guaranteed entry into Canada.
To protect Canadians from COVID-19, travel restrictions and pre-departure COVID-19 testing requirements are now in place for individuals travelling to Canada. Please consult How COVID-19 is affecting immigration, refugees, citizenship and passport services for the latest information before making any travel plans and again before departing for Canada.
We are continuing to process applications, so you can be ready to travel when the restrictions are lifted.
However, unless you can prove that you meet the following requirements, you must wait until the travel restrictions are lifted to make plans to travel to Canada:
- If you are coming from outside the United States (US), you must meet a specific exemption criteria to these travel restrictions.
- You must be travelling for a non-discretionary reason. This requirement applies to all international and US travellers, no matter what country you’re coming from.
- When you arrive, a border services officer will assess the reason for your travel, and they will determine if you can enter the country.
Information for family members
If you are an immediate family member, you are eligible to travel to Canada as long as you can prove that you
- are an immediate family member of a Canadian citizen, a person registered under Canada’s Indian Act or a Canadian permanent resident
- are staying in the country for 15 days or more
- If you are staying for less than 15 days, you also need to demonstrate that your purpose of travel is non-discretionary.
- are admissible to Canada
- meet all public health requirements
If you are an extended family member of a Canadian citizen, a person registered under Canada’s Indian Act or a Canadian permanent resident, you will need a written authorization from IRCC to be exempt from the travel restrictions.
Travelling for compassionate reasons
Those seeking to travel to Canada for compassionate reasons must be authorized by the Public Health Agency of Canada to travel to Canada.
Coming to Canada
If you meet the requirements listed above, here are some important public health requirements you need to know before making your travel plans:
- If you’re flying to Canada, you’ll need to pass a health check and other airline requirements before an airline will let you board. If you show symptoms of COVID-19, you won’t be allowed to board your flight. Delay your travel if you’re feeling sick or have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.
- Starting November 21, 2020, you need to submit the following information via ArriveCAN before you can fly to Canada:
- contact information
- travel information
- quarantine plan (unless you’re exempt)
- This is a mandatory requirement and shows how you’ll quarantine for 14 days when you arrive in Canada, including how to get to your destination, obtain groceries and access essential medical care. There are serious consequences for not complying with this requirement and if you don’t have a quarantine plan, you should not travel to Canada.
- COVID-19 symptom self-assessment
- You can submit this information by doing one of the following:
- downloading the free Government of Canada ArriveCAN app (iOS, Android)
- signing in to the online web-based version of ArriveCAN
- ArriveCAN is a secure way for travellers to submit mandatory information required to enter Canada. To avoid hassles at the airport, we encourage you to submit your information via ArriveCAN when booking your flight to Canada.
- Travellers transiting through a Canadian airport are exempt from the ArriveCAN requirement.
- When you arrive in Canada, a border services officer will assess your health and your quarantine plan before you’ll be allowed to enter the country. As of November 21, 2020, a border services officer will also want to see your ArriveCAN receipt (electronic or paper).
Stay informed. Read the latest travel advice from the Government of Canada on the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and keep checking our website for updates related to COVID-19, including when the travel restrictions will be lifted.