On September 7, the federal government of Canada has officially opened its borders for fully vaccinated travelers. The opening of borders instills a sense of confidence in people seeking Canada immigration from their home country. All travelers to Canada must be fully vaccinated and have Covid-19 test 72 hours before entering Canada.
However, medical experts in Canada believe that while the government continues to implement strong measures to curb the spread of the Coronavirus, allowing fully vaccinated people will not eliminate the risk of the virus.
Who is considered fully vaccinated?
To be considered fully vaccinated, a traveler must submit proof of both vaccine shots and a combination of vaccines accepted by the Government of Canada. The vaccine must have been taken at least 14 days before entering Canada.
Currently, Canada has approved the following vaccines:
- Moderna Covid-19 vaccine
- Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine
- AstraZeneca/Covishield COVID-19 Vaccine
- Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine
Foreigners who are not fully-vaccinated or have not taken the afore-mentioned vaccines are exempt under Canada’s current restrictions from entering to Canada. The relaxations are available only to certain categories of individuals, such as Canada PR visa holders, study or work permit holders, diplomats, or those traveling for essential reasons. Travelers who are not fully-vaccinated must follow 14-days quarantine rule in Canada.
Fully vaccinated travellers must also meet all other entry criteria, including:
- Submitting all required COVID-19 information into Arrive CAN prior to travel (if arriving by air, information must be submitted before boarding a flight)
- meeting the pre-entry testing requirements
- being asymptomatic upon arrival
- having a paper or digital copy of your proof of
vaccination in English or French (or certified translation);
- Having a suitable quarantine plan, in case you don't
get the exemption or test positive after entry.
Travelers with unvaccinated children
Unvaccinated children under the age of 12 may enter Canada with their fully vaccinated parents. They are also not required to follow quarantine rules in Canada. However, these children cannot attend daycare schools for at least 14 days after arriving in Canada.
Foreign children between the age group of 12 to 17 traveling with fully vaccinated parents may enter Canada, however, they must quarantine themselves for 14 days.
Unvaccinated children above five years must produce Covid-19 test reports upon arrival and 8 days after arrival to Canada.
To Sum Up
Flying from India is still suspended until further notice. Meanwhile, Indians may prepare their Canada express entry file and gather other necessary documents for their PR visa application.
