COVID-19

The Canadian government has implements travel restrictions because of COVID-19. Only people who are exempt from these restrictions can come to Canada.

International students can come to Canada if they meet all current requirements. These requirements apply to new students and to students who are already enrolled in a program of studies. To be allowed into Canada as an international student, you need to : 

1) Be accepted (new students) or enrolled (current students) in a cégep. When you arrive, you should have in hand documents that prove that you are accepted or enrolled at your cégep. Border agents may ask you to provide them.

2) Be fully vaccinated with a Government of Canada-accepted COVID 19 vaccine if you are 18+ years old. If you are not fully vaccinated, you cannot come to Canada. See the section “Requirements when you arrive in Canada – fully vaccinated people” for more details about vaccination requirements.

3) Have all the immigration documents required for coming to Canada (Québec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) for studies, study permit approval letter or valid study permit, Temporary Resident Visa (TRV), or Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA)).

5) Have no COVID-19 symptoms. Some students may be required to take a random test when landing in Canada (see the section “Requirements when you arrive in Canada – fully vaccinated people”).

The Government of Canada website has an online tool to help you figure out if you’re exempt from travel restrictions.

Important : If you’re under 18 years old, you can come to Canada as an international student even if you’re not fully vaccinated. In this case, special conditions apply, please consult the Canadian government website to find out about them.

If you’re an exchange student, the travel restrictions that apply to you depend on how long you’re coming to study.

• Exchange students – Less than 6 months

  Fully vaccinated people : All travellers, no matter their country of citizenship, can travel to Canada if they are considered to be fully vaccinated travelers. Students who want to come and study in Quebec for less than 6 months as part of an exchange program don’t need to have a Québec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) for studies or a Canadian study permit. You do need to get a Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) or Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) before coming to Canada.

  People who are not fully vaccinated : If you are not fully vaccinated, you are not exempt from travel restrictions as a visitor and you cannot enter Canada. Only students fully vaccinated with a vaccine recognized by the Canadian government will be allowed to enter Canada.

• Exchange students – More than 6 months

  If you’re coming to study for more than 6 months, you need to apply for and receive a Québec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) for studies and a Canadian study permit.

  You must be fully vaccinated with a vaccine recognized by the Canadian government to be allowed to come to Canada if you are 18 years of age or older (if you are not fully vaccinated, you cannot come to Canada). Consult the section “requirements when you arrive in Canada – fully vaccinated people”.

  Important : If you’re under 18 years old, you can come to Canada as an international student even if you’re not fully vaccinated. In this case, special conditions apply, please consult the Canadian government website to find out about them.

Some immediate family members of students may enter Canada and are exempt from travel restrictions.

Travel restrictions for immediate family members of students, as well as the documents required according to the different situations, are detailed on the Canadian government website. Consult the Canadian government website to find out the entry requirements based on your family situation.

Your unvaccinated and partially vaccinated children under the age of 12 are no longer required to provide a valid pre-entry test result, if they are accompanying a fully vaccinated adult. They will be exempt from quarantine, without any limitations on their activities. This means, for example, they don’t need to wait 14 days before attending school, camp or daycare. However they will need to wear a mask in public settings (including school) for 14 days after arrival to Canada.

To help foreign nationals determine whether they are exempt from travel restrictions and what requirements apply to them, the Canadian government has published an online tool, which we encourage you to consult. However, final determination on entry is made by a Canada border services agent upon arrival.

You must be fully vaccinated with a vaccine recognized by the Canadian government to be allowed to come to Canada if you are 18 years of age or older (if you are not fully vaccinated, you cannot come to Canada). If you have any questions about these requirements or about your specific situation, you can call the Canada Border Services Agency at 1 800 461 9999. Since the situation and requirements can change suddenly, you should check the Government of Canada website regularly to stay up to date.

To qualify as a fully vaccinated traveller, you need to : 

1) Have received at least 2 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine accepted for travel, a mix of 2 accepted vaccines or at least 1 dose of the Janssen/Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Consult this site to find out which vaccines are accepted for travel. If you’ve recovered from COVID-19, you still need at least 2 doses of an accepted COVID-19 vaccine, a mix of 2 accepted vaccines or only had one dose for the vaccine Janssen (Johnson & Johnson).

2) Have received the last vaccine dose at least 14 calendar days before entering Canada.
3) Upload proof of vaccination to the ArriveCAN platform. Proof of vaccination must be in English or French. If your document is in another language, you need to get a certified translation into English or French. That means that the translation has to include the stamp or membership number of a professional translation association.

You also need to : 

1. Be eligible to enter Canada and have all required immigration documents.
2. Have no COVID-19 symptoms.
3. Have uploaded all required information to the ArriveCAN platform before your flight to Canada. If you don’t have your information in ArriveCan before arriving at the border, you won’t qualify as a fully vaccinated traveller, even if you meet every other condition.
4. Take an COVID-19 test upon arrival in Canada if you have been randomly selected for a mandatory arrival test. As a fully vaccinated traveller, you can travel to your destination, including on connecting flights, without waiting for your arrival test results (if selected for testing). You do not need to self-quarantine while waiting for your test arrival test result.

You need to have several documents on hand when you arrive. Canada Border Services Agency will ask for them. Be sure to also use the Government of Canada “Find out if you can enter Canada” tool.

Take note of the following items:

Admission letter (new students) : If your admission letter is several months old, be sure to also have a letter from your cégep stating that your admission is still valid (a new letter or written confirmation from the cégep).

Proof of enrolment (current students) : Have in hand papers that prove that you were enrolled last term and, if possible, that you’re enrolled in the current term and the following one.

Immigration Medical Examination : Some students need to have an Immigration Medical Examination (IME) as part of their study permit application from overseas. If that applies to you, note that IMEs are only valid for 12 months. If your examination is no longer valid, you need to do a new one and bring proof of it (the form from the designated doctor, receipt, etc.) with you. This requirement applies to new students and to current students who have a valid study permit and who have spent more than 6 months of the past year in a designated country.

If you are under 18 years of age and coming to Canada for a complete program of study, you may be exempt from the requirement to be fully vaccinated, but you will be required to quarantine yourself for a period of 14 days and submit your quarantine plan prior to arrival (all other students must be fully vaccinated to be allowed to come to Canada and are exempt from quarantine).  

• Before you arrive

  You must be able to prove that you will be able to quarantine properly for 14 days when you arrive at your final destination. The quarantine plan is your responsibility. You have to provide your  information electronically via ArriveCAN before coming to Canada.

  To make sure you have a suitable quarantine plan, use the following resources :

  • COVID-19 : A Guide for International Students in Canada Arriving from Abroad
  • The Government of Canada tool “COVID-19: Assess your quarantine plan”
  • Accueil Plus (in French only)

  Your cégep can provide some information and support, so be sure to reach out to the contact person there if you have any questions!

  And if you have questions about what’s required for your quarantine plan, you can call the Government of Canada COVID-19 information line: 1 833 784 4397.

• After you arrive

  If you do have to quarantine, on the day after you arrive in Canada you need to use ArriveCAN to : 

  1. Confirm that you have reached the address you indicated as your place for quarantining or isolating.

  2. Fill out a self-assessment for any COVID-19 symptoms. You will need to do this daily until the end of your quarantine or until you develop symptoms.

  Expect to receive phone calls, emails and visits from Government of Canada representatives checking to see if you’re following your quarantine plan. You may receive automated calls or calls from an agent and you need to answer and follow up. An agent could also visit you at your quarantine location.

  If you do not comply with the instructions you receive when you enter Canada, you are committing an offense under the Quarantine Act and you could be subject to one or both of the following penalties :

  1. 6 months in prison

  2. $750,000 in fines

  You could also receive a ticket of up to $5,000 for non-compliance from police.

People age 12 years and 4 months and up must be fully vaccinated to board a train or flight for travel within Canada.

• Traveling within Canada

  You need to meet the following requirements : 

  1) Be fully vaccinated with a Government of Canada-accepted vaccine.
  2) Be ready to show your official proof of vaccination at any time during your travel.
  3) Have received your second dose at least 14 full days before your departure date.
  4) Have no COVID-19 symptoms.
  5) Wear a mask.

  You don’t have to take a COVID-19 test to travel within Canada.

• Traveling from Canada

  Until August 31, 2022, foreign nationals who are not fully vaccinated and who typically reside outside of Canada can board flights leaving Canada but they show a proof of a COVID-19 negative molecular test when they travel.