The wait to be able to travel to and from Canada seems to be getting closer, but the border will still be closed for foreign visitors. Thousands of Latin Americans want to travel to Canada, but Ottawa warns that its new travel guidelines have only been relaxed for citizens.
Fully vaccinated Canadians and permanent residents will be able to enter Canada without undergoing quarantine as of July 6, the Canadian government announced.
The border’s opening date is scheduled for July 21, but could be changed, government authorities warn. United States has also extended restrictions on nonessential travel by land and ferry crossings on both sides of its border until July 21.
On the verge of reopening
Photo: Attorneys Paola Melo and Gloria Carrasquero, in their podcast “Lawfully yours”
Immigration lawyer Gloria Carrasquero explained that this announcement comes at a time when many Canadian provinces have reached their vaccination goals, with more than 75% with at least one dose and 20% with the two doses against Covid-19.
However, Canadians and permanent residents who are fully vaccinated will need to meet certain requirements. Upon entering the country, they will have to show documents that show that they received the doses of vaccines approved in Canada at least 14 days before entering the country, the authorities specify on their website travel.gc.ca.
The new rules, which go into effect after midnight on July 5, will apply to Canadian citizens, permanent residents, individuals enrolled in the Indian Act, and some foreigners who may already enter Canada, including foreigners traveling to Canada. Canada with permission, Carrasquero explained. “It must be made clear that Canada has not yet opened its borders. This flexibility is aimed at those who are settled here ”.
“We are on the right track, navigating this tide with different restrictions, but it seems that the entry for different groups will begin to become more flexible, so you have to be properly informed. On the 21st of each month the government gives us new guidelines and yesterday they announced some flexibility to enter the country, said lawyer Paola Melo.
Safety Remains Top Priority
In his media briefing, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau acknowledged that extending travel restrictions can be ‘frustrating’ for many people, but their goal is to keep people safe. Canadians.
At this time, the Canadian government continues to strongly advise Canadians to avoid nonessential travel. Although the future looks brighter than it has in a long time, with COVID-19 cases trending downward and vaccination efforts going well across the country, we cannot let our guard down, said Bill Blair. , Canadian Minister of Public Safety, in a tweet.
The Canadian authorities assured that travelers have to electronically send information related to Covid-19 to the government application ArriveCAN before arriving, meet the requirements of the previous tests and at the time of entering the country, be asymptomatic and have a plan of proper quarantine.
Screenshot of the ArriveCAN application, in Spanish.
What vaccines?
Carrasquero recalled that foreign visitors must have the vaccines accepted by the Canadian government (Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca Johnson & Johnson), and vaccines of Chinese or Russian origin that are administered in some Latin American countries are excluded.
Melo said there are no changes to border restrictions for travelers who are not fully vaccinated. Those arriving by air will have to remain in quarantine in a hotel for a maximum of three days and wait for the detection results of Covid-19 to be negative, quarantine at home for the remainder of the 14-day period and undergo another screening test on the eighth day of their self-isolation period.
Children who are not vaccinated will be able to return home to their parents, but will have to remain in quarantine for two weeks, Carrasquero said.
Border between the United States and Canada remains closed
For its part, the United States extended Covid-19 restrictions on non-essential travel by land and ferry crossings to Canada and Mexico until July 21, according to a tweet from the Department of Homeland Security ( DHS, for its acronym in English), this past Sunday.
Canada is largely off-limits to American travelers. Tourism and informal visits are not allowed. There are some exceptions for family members, foreign workers, and international students.
“To reduce the spread of # COVID19, the United States will extend restrictions on non-essential travel at our land and ferry crossings with Canada and Mexico through July 21, while ensuring access for essential travel and commerce”, says DHS in a tweet.
DHS is also seeing positive developments in recent weeks and is engaging with other US agencies in the White House expert working groups with Canada and Mexico to identify conditions under which restrictions can be safely and sustainably relieved.
In March 2020, the United States and Canada mutually agreed to close the border to mitigate the spread of Covid-19.
