Immigration Update: Further Restrictions on Air and Land Travel (January 29, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. EDT)

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On January 29, 2021, Prime Minister Trudeau announced that Canada will be introducing additional restrictions on travel into Canada by air and land. Full details have not yet been released. This is what we know so far:
  • Effective Sunday, January 31, 2021, Canadian airlines will be suspending service to Mexico and Caribbean destinations until April 30, 2021.
  • International flights will only be permitted to land at one of four airports: Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto and Montreal.
  • Commencing on a date yet to be specified, all individuals arriving by air will be required to undergo a PCR COVID test, and then go to a government designated hotel for three days to wait for the result. If the result is negative, the traveller can complete the remainder of the 14-day quarantine period at home, under increased scrutiny (details regarding this increased scrutiny have not been announced). If the result is positive, the traveller must finish quarantine at a government facility. As per the Prime Minister at his press conference, he stated that this will cost “up to $2,000”. No further details on the cost, number of people it covers or whether it applies to arrival by land have been noted. There were also no details on who, if anyone, will be exempt from these requirements.
  • Proof of a negative COVID test result will soon be required at the land border. It remains to be seen if the test must have been conducted in the 72 hours prior to arriving at the border. This 72 hour requirement is already in effect for all air travel to Canada.
We will share more details as soon as they are available.

We continue to recommend that anyone (including Canadian citizens and permanent residents) seeking to enter or exit Canada speak with an immigration lawyer before doing so. Our lawyers can be reached by phone (416 368 1111) or via email: caruso@cilf.ca; guberman@cilf.ca; appleby@cilf.ca; cowling@cilf.ca; fagan@cilf.ca; bonisteel@cilf.ca; elmalah@cilf.ca; tsoi@cilf.ca; ali@cilf.ca; green@cilf.ca; love@cilf.ca

Please contact your lawyer at CILF for additional details or specific questions.