Canada Reopens Borders to Extended Families, Couples, Students

While U.S.-Canadian border restrictions remain in effect through at least October 21, Canada’s government is working to soften the rules to accommodate certain types of travelers.

Nonessential border crossing by land and sea have been banned since March, with the neighboring nations opting to renew the policies based upon monthly reviews of the COVID-19 situation.

With pandemic conditions prolonged as they are, the school year has started and the holiday season swiftly approaching, the Canadian government recognized the need to expand its parameters as to whom it allows into the country.

With more robust protection and screening measures also being launched, new processes are being implemented to support greater family reunification, grant entry for compassionate reasons and allow certain international students to return to study.

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“This disease is not going away any time soon. Countries will be struggling for a very long time,” Health Minister Patty Hajdu said, according to the Vancouver Sun. “This government believes firmly in compassion and we know that we needed to take these steps, given that this is not a short-term problem.”

According to an official news release, the expanded allowances will include:

—Certain extended family members of Canadian citizens and Canadian permanent residents (including those in an exclusive dating relationship of at least one year), and their dependent children, as well as adult children, grandchildren, siblings and grandparents.

—International students, if they will be attending a designated learning institution that has been identified by their provincial or territorial government as having a COVID-19 readiness plan in place (starting October 20, 2020).

—Foreign nationals who need to enter the country for compassionate reasons in specific circumstances, such as life-threatening illness, critical injury or death, with potential limited release from quarantine.

"These situations could include being with someone you love to say goodbye at the end of their lives, or attending a funeral, or end of life ceremony…The decision to allow someone to end their quarantine early will be coordinated with the provincial or territorial government," Hajdu told CTV News.

Arrivals into Canada will still be required to quarantine for 14 days, unless they’re specifically granted an exemption due to extenuating circumstances. Every visitor will need to apply for and receive official authorization before they can travel to Canada, and Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino emphasized that no one should start making cross-border travel plans until they are issued one.

Information on who may qualify as an extended family member, relationship qualifications and the processes for securing approval to enter the country will be available on the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada website on October 8. Eligibility information and steps to obtain entry into Canada for compassionate reasons will be posted on Public Health Agency of Canada’s website on the same date.

For more information, visit canada.ca/coronavirus.