Foreign nationals travelling to Canada must be doing so for ‘non-optional and non-discretionary’ reasons even if they are covered by exemptions to COVID-19 restrictions, the federal government says.
New guidance issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) says those covered by exemptions to travel restrictions will not be allowed to travel ‘for the purposes of tourism, recreation and entertainment’.
The requirement also covers foreign nationals entering from the United States. Those travelling from the US do not need to be covered by an exemption but do need to be travelled for non-optional and non-discretionary reasons.
The guidance also includes a specific section for travel for family reunification purposes.
Examples of the types of optional and discretionary travel not allowed include:
Examples of non-optional and non-discretionary reasons offered by IRCC include travel for:
The guidance warns that family ties do not automatically qualify as non-optional or non-discretionary travel. “Family members will be required to show that they are not travelling for a discretionary or optional purpose such as a routine family visit,” the guidance says.
IRCC examples of non-discretionary or non-optional travel for family reunification include:
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IRCC also issued a reminder that, regardless of reason for travel or exemption, any traveller with COVID-19 symptoms will not be allowed to enter Canada.
Furthermore, anyone entering Canada from the US or any other country will be required to self-quarantine for a period of 14 days upon entry.
Travellers are also required to present a quarantine plan, with details of where they will stay, how they will get groceries and medication and whether they will be staying with vulnerable people.
“This information is pertinent to an officer’s decision as to whether travel is for a non-optional or non-discretionary purpose,” the guidance states.
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