Some international students can now travel to Canada
If you are an international student with a study permit and your Canadian school has a coronavirus readiness plan, you may now travel to Canada.
Some Designated Learning Institutions (DLIs) are now able to welcome new international students in Canada. These colleges, universities, and other educational institutions have to be approved by the government to welcome international students. Only students who are attending approved DLIs are allowed to travel to Canada.
Approved DLIs need to have a coronavirus readiness plan which should describe how they manage the mandatory quarantine period for students, including arrangements for transportation to the student’s quarantine location.They must also help international students with how they can get basic necessities for their quarantine period such as food, medicine and health insurance. International students should contact their schools directly with any questions regarding this.
Prior to October 20, the only international students that could travel to Canada were those who held a valid study permit as of March 18, 2020 . To be able to enter Canada as a student currently, you must meet these two requirements:
You must have a valid study permit or a letter of introduction that shows you were approved for a study permit.
You must be attending a DLI that has a Covid-19 readiness plan approved by its province or territory.
Your travel to Canada will be considered essential if you have all of the required documents and your Designated Learning Institute is on the government’s approved list. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) stated that more institutions will be added to the list of approved DLIs. IRCC will also remove DLIs if they no longer meet their provincial or territorial public health requirements. International students who are not going to an approved DLI will not be allowed to board their flight if they attempt to travel to Canada. Family members of international students may not travel to Canada first.
As a student, your travel to Canada will NOT be considered essential if:
your study program has been cancelled or suspended
you’re entering Canada for any reason other than to study
Students will still need to quarantine for 14 days once they arrive in Canada.
Elementary and secondary schools are closed to international students in Alberta, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Yukon, Nunavut, Nova Scotia, North West Territories, and Newfoundland and Labrador.
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Source: IRCC