For Canadians who have Recently Travelled
The Government of Canada has put in place an Emergency Order under the Quarantine Act that applies to all travellers arriving in Canada in order to slow the introduction and spread of COVID-19 in Canada.
Travellers with symptoms: mandatory isolation
If you have recently returned to Canada and you have symptoms, you must ISOLATE. This is mandatory. If required, immediate medical attention will be provided upon arrival in Canada.
Mandatory isolation means you MUST:
- Go directly to the place where you will isolate, without delay, and stay there for 14 days
- Go to your place of isolation using private transportation only, such as your personal vehicle
- Stay INSIDE your home
- Do not leave your place of isolation unless it is to seek medical attention
- Do not go to school, work, other public areas or use public transportation such as buses and taxis
- Stay in a separate room and use a separate bathroom from others in your home, if possible
- Do not have visitors and limit contact with others in the place of isolation, including children
- Do not isolate in a place where you will have contact with vulnerable people, such as older adults and individuals with underlying medical conditions
- If your symptoms get worse, immediately contact your health care provider or public health authority and follow their instructions
If you have symptoms but do not have a place to isolate, you will be required to isolate for 14 days in a facility designated by the Chief Public Health Officer of Canada.
Violating any instructions provided to you when you entered Canada could lead to up to 6 months in prison and/or $750,000 in fines.
Travellers without symptoms: mandatory quarantine
If you have recently returned to Canada and you have no symptoms, you must QUARANTINE (self-isolate) yourself. This is mandatory. You are at risk of developing symptoms and infecting others.
This means you MUST:
- Go directly to your place of quarantine, without delay, and stay there for 14 days
- Do not go to school, work, other public areas and community settings
- Monitor your health for symptoms of COVID-19
- Arrange to have someone pick up essentials like groceries or medication for you
- Do not have visitors
- Stay in a private place like your yard or balcony if you go outside for fresh air
- Keep a distance of at least 2 arms lengths (approximately 2 metres) from others
You can take public transportation to get to your place of self-isolation after you arrive in Canada, but you must not stop on the way home, and practice physical (social) distancing at all times.
Violating any instructions provided to you when you entered Canada could lead to up to 6 months in prison and/or $750,000 in fines.
If you develop symptoms within 14 days:
- Isolate yourself from others
- Immediately call a health care professional or public health authority and:
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Check your exposure risk
Have you been on a flight, cruise or train, or at a public gathering? Check the listed exposure locations to see if you may have been exposed to COVID-19.
For Travellers Arriving in Canada - Canadian Borders
Until June 30, 2020, travel to Canada will be restricted for all foreign nationals coming from any country other than the United States (U.S.). Other restrictions apply to those travelling from the U.S.
These new restrictions prohibit any foreign national, including U.S. nationals, from entering Canada for optional or discretionary purposes (non-essential travel).
Any foreign national is prohibited from entering Canada by the air and marine modes if they arrive from a foreign country other than the United States, with some exceptions.
For Canadians who have not Travelled Outside of Canada
Stay at home as much as possible. All Canadians should be practicing physical (social) distancing. Even if you don't have symptoms of COVID-19, you could become infected by others.
- Stay at home unless you have to go to work, talk to your employer about working at home if possible
- Avoid all non-essential trips in your community
- Do not gather in groups
- Limit contact with people at higher risk (e.g. older adults and those in poor health)
- Go outside to exercise but stay close to home
- If you leave your home, always keep a distance of at least 2 arms lengths (approximately 2 metres) from others, household contacts (people you live with) do not need to distance from each other unless they are sick or have travelled in the last 14 days
You can go for a walk if you:
- Have not been diagnosed with COVID-19
- Do not have symptoms of COVID-19
- Have not travelled outside of Canada in the past 14 days
If you go out for a walk, do not congregate and always practice physical (social) distancing by keeping at least two metres apart from others at all times.
Official Global Travel Advisory
Avoid non-essential travel outside of Canada until further notice.
To limit the spread of COVID-19, the Government of Canada advises that you avoid all non-essential travel outside of Canada.
If you have plans to travel, Canadian travellers should contact their CAA Travel Consultant, airline or tour operator to determine options for cancelling or postponing their trips.
Canadians who are outside of Canada should find out what commercial options are still available to return to Canada and should consider returning to Canada earlier than planned if these options are becoming more limited.
Making the choice to stay at home and to not travel outside of Canada is the best way to protect yourself, your family and the most vulnerable groups in our communities from the spread of COVID-19.
Although it is not advised, if you are still considering travel outside of Canada, you should do the following:
It is important to remember that if you travel abroad, you could be subject to the measures of other countries. Your one-week trip may become much longer. You may also have reduced access to quality health care.
For the latest updates from the Government of Canada on travel advice and advisories, visit travel.gc.ca.
Restriction of All Non-essential Travel Between Canada and the U.S.
As of March 21, 2020, a temporary 30-day restriction on all non-essential travel at the Canada-U.S. border has been implemented. This restriction covers all travel of an optional or discretionary nature, including but not limited to:
- Tourism
- Entertainment
- Recreation
Travel by healthy people who have to cross the border to go to work or for other essential purposes, such as medical care, will continue.
Some examples of essential travel purposes are:
- Crossing the border for work and study
- Economic services and supply chains
- Critical infrastructure support
- Health, immediate medical care, safety and security;
- Shopping for essential goods such as medication or goods necessary to preserve the health and safety of an individual or family
- Other activities at the discretion of the border services officer
Both Canada and the United States recognize how closely our economies are integrated, and it is essential that trade continue during this pandemic. This order ensures that economic supply chains remain open and we will work to facilitate the continued access to goods and services, uninterrupted.
If you are currently travelling in the United States:
- Consider returning to Canada as soon as possible
- Expect longer wait time at border crossing points
- Comply with any restrictive measures and directives issued by local authorities such as self-isolation and quarantine orders
- Contact your airline or tour operator regarding your travel plans
Avoid All Travel on Cruise Ships
The Government of Canada is advising that you avoid all travel on cruise ships due to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, until further notice.
Cruise passengers include travellers from around the world who may be arriving from areas with known or unknown spread of COVID-19. The virus can spread quickly on board cruises due to the close contact between passengers. Older people and people with a weakened immune system or underlying medical condition are at a higher risk of developing severe disease.
Recent cruise ship outbreaks of COVID-19 indicate that a large number of individuals onboard can become infected. While the majority of affected passengers may experience mild symptoms, there have been a significant number of cases requiring hospitalization and critical care, and some deaths have been reported.
As the COVID-19 situation evolves, many countries outside of Canada are implementing policies and restrictions in order to contain the global outbreak. These restrictions may impact a cruise traveller's:
- Itinerary
- Ability to disembark
- Access to health care
While abroad, if an outbreak of COVID-19 occurs on your cruise ship:
- You could be subject to quarantine procedures, on-board ship or in a foreign country
- The range of consular services available to those on cruise ships, in particular in situations of quarantine, may be significantly restricted by local authorities
- Upon return to Canada, you will be required to remain in mandatory isolation for 14 days at a location determined by the Chief Public Health Officer as per the terms of any applicable emergency orders
Although it is not advised, Canadians who choose to voyage on a cruise ship should also be aware that they may not be offered the opportunity to return to Canada on a government-organized repatriation flight, or could be responsible for the costs of repatriation travel.
Safety and Security Abroad
The Government of Canada advises that you avoid all non-essential travel outside of Canada.
However, essential travel may need to occur and travellers should expect increased health screening measures at points of entry for international destinations, including airports and land borders. Local authorities may impose control measures suddenly, including movement restrictions such as quarantines.
Some governments have implemented special entry and exit restrictions for their territory. Before travelling, verify with the foreign diplomatic mission of your destination to see if its authorities have implemented any specific restrictions related to this situation. These include entry requirements, border closures and flight suspensions.
To ensure you are aware of the latest developments on this evolving situation, we recommend:
If you are in an affected destination, we recommend:
Register as a Canadian Travelling Abroad
Sign up with the Registration of Canadians Abroad service to stay connected with the Government of Canada in case of an emergency abroad or an emergency at home.
