Last week, Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced quarantine exemptions for certain fully vaccinated personnel. This includes: Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and persons registered under the Indian Act. Today, IRCC confirmed that same exemptions may apply to fully vaccinated international students. The new measures will take effect on July 5, 2021.

If an international student is to qualify for quarantine exemption, he/she must meet the following requirements:

1. Fully vaccinated 14 days prior to arrival at Canada;
2. Inoculated with vaccines approved (Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, and AstraZeneca) by Canada Public Health Agency (PHA);
3. Holds a valid study permit to attend a DLI* that has an approved COVID-19 plan;
4. Remains asymptomatic before and upon boarding, and
5. Enter travelling information on ArriveCAN app before arrival to Canada
   • Proof of vaccination (if applicable);
   • Flight and contact information
   • 14-days quarantine plan, including 3-days stay at a government authorized accommodation

*DLI stands for designated learning institution, they are post-secondary education institutions certified by Canada provincial and territorial governments. Institutions can accept international students only if they are listed in the DLI. A comprehensive list of DLIs can be found on IRCC’s website.

According to Canadian Health Minister Patty Hajdu, travel restrictions will be lifted according to provincial vaccination rates. To terminate current restrictions requires 75% percent of the population being fully vaccinated. As of June 28, Canada’s vaccination status is as follows:

Given current data, Canada has achieved a quarter of its objective. Considering the vaccine rollout speed, the earliest border reopening will not be met in a short span of time. This unprecedented time has caught many of us off-handed, but our commitments remain the same – to make progress with the aid of each other.

While eagerly hoping for a return to pre-pandemic quotidian lives, we, Thomas Wang & Associates (TWA), firmly support the government’s COVID-19 precautionary policies. Meanwhile, we are proactively reaching out to our community, especially international students. In face of the pandemic, fall semester can shed an ordeal on many international students. However, TWA is here to offer help to international students. Do not hesitate to contact us for further counsel.