11/05/2020
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): Who can travel to Canada – Citizens, persons registered under Canada’s Indian Act, permanent residents, foreign nationals and refugees
To protect Canadians from the outbreak of COVID-19, the Prime Minister announced travel restrictions that limit travel to Canada. Until further notice, most foreign nationals cannot travel to Canada, even if they have a valid visitor visa or electronic travel authorization (eTA).
These restrictions stop most non-essential (discretionary) travel to Canada.
On this page
Who can enter Canada
Foreign nationals who are eligible to travel to Canada
Immediate family members of a Canadian citizen, person registered under Canada’s Indian Act or permanent resident
Extended family members of a Canadian citizen, person registered under Canada’s Indian Act or permanent resident
Foreign nationals authorized to come for compassionate reasons
All other foreign nationals
Public health measures for travellers to Canada
Arrival in Canada
Quarantine requirement
Who can enter Canada
You can travel to and enter Canada if you’re a
Canadian citizen
dual Canadian citizen with a
valid Canadian passport or
special authorization
permanent resident of Canada
person registered under Canada’s Indian Act
protected person
Foreign nationals, including United States (US) citizens, can travel to Canada only if they’re eligible.
Foreign nationals who are eligible to travel to Canada
To be eligible to travel to Canada as a foreign national, you must meet the requirements for one of the following:
an immediate family member of a Canadian citizen, person registered under Canada’s Indian Act or permanent resident who is staying in Canada for 15 days or more
an extended family member of a Canadian citizen, person registered under Canada’s Indian Act or permanent resident who is staying in Canada for 15 days or more
a person who is authorized by the Public Health Agency of Canada to travel to Canada for compassionate reasons
all other foreign nationals
Immediate family members of a Canadian citizen, person registered under Canada’s Indian Act or permanent resident
To be eligible, you must be both
an immediate family member of a Canadian citizen, person registered under Canada’s Indian Act or permanent resident
staying in Canada for 15 days or more
You must also have a quarantine plan that shows how you’ll quarantine for 14 days when you arrive in Canada. This plan is mandatory.
Immediate family members staying for less than 15 days must be travelling for a non-discretionary purpose.
Find out who’s considered an immediate family member and how to unite with them
Extended family members of a Canadian citizen, person registered under Canada’s Indian Act or permanent resident
To be eligible, all of the following must apply:
You’re an extended family member of a Canadian citizen, person registered under Canada’s Indian Act or permanent resident.
You’re staying in Canada for 15 days or more.
You have written authorization from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
You must also have a quarantine plan that shows how you’ll quarantine for 14 days when you arrive in Canada. This plan is mandatory.
Extended family members staying for less than 15 days must be travelling for a non-discretionary purpose.
Find out who’s considered an extended family member and how to unite with them
Coming for compassionate reasons
If you’re a foreign national travelling to Canada for a compassionate reason, you must get authorization from the Public Health Agency of Canada to travel to and enter Canada.
Examples of compassionate reasons can include:
being present during the final moments of life for a loved one
providing support to a person deemed critically ill
providing care to a person who medically requires support
attending a funeral or end-of-life ceremony
If you’re not eligible to come for compassionate reasons, you must meet the requirements for immediate or extended family members or all other foreign nationals who are eligible to travel to the country.
All other foreign nationals
To be eligible, you must meet one of the following requirements:
You must be travelling directly from the US for a non-discretionary purpose.
You must be exempt from the travel restrictions and be travelling for a non-discretionary purpose.
Travellers coming from outside the US who are exempt from the travel restrictions
temporary foreign workers
some international students
some people who have been approved to become a permanent resident of Canada, but who are not yet permanent residents
immediate family members with written authorization from IRCC to reunite with a temporary resident of Canada (see Uniting with immediate family members for more information)
transiting passengers (must remain in the secure transit area of a Canadian airport to complete their connection)
members of the Canadian forces, visiting forces coming to perform official duties, Department of National Defence and their immediate family members
accredited diplomats and their immediate family members (includes North Atlantic Treaty Organization [NATO], those under the United Nations Headquarters Agreement, other organizations)
air and marine crew members
French citizens who live in Saint-Pierre and Miquelon and have been in only Canada, the US or Saint-Pierre and Miquelon during the 14 days before the day they seek to enter Canada
any person who does not pose a significant harm to public health, in the opinion of the Chief Public Health Officer of Canada, and who will provide an essential service while in Canada
any person whose presence in Canada is in the national interest, in the opinion of the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship; Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness; or Minister of Foreign Affairs
If you fall under this exemption, you don’t have to demonstrate that you’re entering Canada for a non-discretionary reason.
any person who is coming at the invitation of the Minister of Health for the purpose of COVID-19 assistance
any person whose purpose is to make medical deliveries
You must also have a quarantine plan that shows how you will quarantine for 14 days when you arrive in Canada. This plan is mandatory.
Public health measures for travellers to Canada
If you’re travelling by air, you need to
pass a health check conducted by airlines before you’ll be allowed to board your flight
wear a non-medical mask or face covering during travel (including to the place you’ll quarantine)
Arrival in Canada
ArriveCAN mobile app
Consider using the ArriveCAN mobile app (Android, iOS or web format) on your phone before arriving at the border. You can reduce your waiting time and minimize contact with border and health officers by submitting your information in advance.
Travellers entering Canada by air, land or sea must
provide basic information using the traveller contact information form, available through
the ArriveCAN mobile app
a paper form
be screened by a border services officer or quarantine officer to assess symptoms
Quarantine requirement
When you arrive in Canada by air, land or sea, we’ll assess your health before you leave the POE. If you’re a foreign national, and you have symptoms of COVID-19, you won’t be allowed to enter Canada.
You must have a plan to quarantine for 14 days when you arrive in Canada, including
a place to stay
how you’ll
get to your destination
get your groceries
access essential services and medical care
This plan is mandatory, even if you have no symptoms. If you don’t have a plan, you should not travel to Canada. Otherwise, you may not be allowed to enter the country. A border services officer will determine if you can enter the country.
The penalties for not following your quarantine plan once you’re in the country can include
a fine of up to $750,000
6 months of jail time
being found inadmissible, removed from Canada and banned from entering for 1 year
Only people who provide essential services, for example truck drivers who regularly cross the border to maintain the flow of goods, are exempt from the quarantine requirements.
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Updates and related links
Find more information on COVID-19
Canada provides update on exemptions to travel restrictions
