Yocket presents official Covid-19 updates for aspirants planning to study in Canada. Keep checking this page for updates from Universities, Test Organisation, Consulates and Universal Institute. You may contribute any new updates you have in the comments which you’d like us to share!
(Updated on Monday & Thursday by 11:00 IST)
19th July, 2021
Travel restrictions in Canada remain in place.
Entry restrictions for foreign nationals (including the U.S) coming to Canada remain in place, even if they are fully vaccinated. Travellers who are eligible to enter Canada must follow specific requirements.
15th July, 2021
India to possibly resume direct flights with Canada.
Recently, the Canadian government has relaxed travel restrictions for international passengers. However, the ease of travel restrictions are not for travellers from India as the direct flights from India are banned till July 21 until further notice.
12th July, 2021
Canada to restrict travelers who aren't vaccinated.
Foreign tourists who are not vaccinated against Covid-19 will not be allowed to enter Canada for quite some time because the government is unwilling to jeopardize progress made on containing the virus, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Thursday.
8th July, 2021
Canada to open borders for non-essential travel from India.
The authorities confirm that From next week, Indians will be allowed to enter Canada by taking connecting flights as direct flights remain prohibited till July 21.
5th July, 2021
Canadian border restrictions to begin easing.
Effective Monday, fully vaccinated citizens and permanent residents those who have had a full course of a COVID-19 vaccine approved for use in Canada will be able to skip the 14-day quarantine.
1st July, 2021
EU to add Canada, 10 other states to safe travel list.
On Wednesday, the European Union governments agreed to allow Canada's most of the states in the safe travel list of non-essential travel.
28th June, 2021
Canadian authorities monitoring Covid situation in India closely.
Last week, Canada extended the travel ban from India until July 21, 2021. However, Canadian authorities state that they’re closely monitoring the situation in India in order to release restrictions as soon as possible.
24th June, 2021
Ontario moves up phase 2 reopening to June 30, 2021.
Premier Doug Ford and his cabinet have decided to move Ontario into Step 2 of the government's reopening plan from June 30, 2021, two days ahead of schedule.
21st June, 2021
Canadian border restrictions to extend till July 21, 2021.
The Public Safety Minister of Canada has announced an extension in border restrictions till July 21, 2021 for non-essential travel. However, Canadian embassies will still continue with the Visa application process for Indian students.
17th June, 2021
Canada to begin with a phased reopening.
The Transport Minister of Canada states that they are planning for a phased reopening of the border to international travel. The restrictions & guidelines for the same will be shared by the Canadian government soon.
16th June, 2021
Canada to allow regional travel.
Premiers announce regional travel to resume in much of Atlantic Canada, starting from June 23, 2021.
15th June, 2021
Travelers must reserve quarantine hotels.
The Canadian authorities state that all air travelers travelling to Canada must reserve a room in a Government of Canada approved hotel for three nights.
14th June, 2021
Canada to possibly prioritize student visas in India after the US.
Student Rights Canada states that “US consulates have kept international students' visas on top priority and have been making efforts to facilitate student travel for this fall. We can expect the same from Canada as well”.
11th June, 2021
Canada speeds up second dose of vaccine.
Canadian government is trying to speed up the second dose of Covid-19 for residents of Delta hot spots to avoid the severe impact of Delta Variant.
10th June, 2021
Canada to ease Covid-19 protocols for the fully vaccinated.
Canada plans to relax all Covid-19 & quarantine protocols for fully vaccinated citizens, effective early July.
9th June, 2021
Travelers to submit travel info through ArriveCAN app.
Canadian transport authorities have made it mandatory for all international travelers to submit their travel info through the ArriveCAN app.
8th June, 2021
Ontario to begin reopening by Friday.
The authorities plan to begin phase 1 of reopening by Friday as the 3rd wave gets less effective.
7th June, 2021
Covid-19 Panel suggests ending hotel quarantine.
The Panel recommends ending the mandatory three-day quarantine hotel stay. However, home quarantine policy will still be in effect.
4th June, 2021
Ottawa to increase its fine for Covid-19 restrictions violation.
All air travelers entering Canada are required to go through a 14-day mandatory quarantine & other important restrictions. Anyone who violates these safety measures will be charged $2000 more than the current fine charges totalling up to $5000.
3rd June, 2021
Ontario students will not return to in-person classes in schools before fall.
Due to the Covid-19 vaccination drive and current cases, Ontario confirms that schools will remain closed until September.
2nd June, 2021
IRCC with more clarity on immigration eligibility criteria.
New guidelines presented by IRCC assists the IRCC staff to assess Visa applications for essential workers & international students planning to visit Canada in the current Covid times.
Important Update:
The Supreme Court announces suspension of Grade 12 CBSE board final examination.
1st June, 2021
Travelers arriving in Canada to pre-book quarantine hotels.
The Canada government states that all travelers are required to have reservations in a government approved hotel for three days to quarantine at their own cost with almost no exceptions made to the same.
Important Update:
The Supreme Court on Monday has adjourned its final decision to Thursday, on the plea filed for cancellation of CBSE & ICSE class 12 exams. The Supreme Court should return with a final decision in the next two days.
31st May, 2021
Canada to focus on the second dose of vaccination.
The Canada government has been focusing more on the first dose leaving most of the citizens partially vaccinated. However, the calculated risk of the new contagious variant led the government to shift their focus to the second dose in order to keep up with their plans of a reopening.
29th May, 2021
Maharashtra government to arrange walk-in vaccination for international students.
The Maharashtra government has initiated a vaccination program for international students who have received confirmation of admissions in universities abroad and require vaccines for the same. The walk-in program will be effective from 31st May, 2021 to 2nd June, 2021.
Vaccination Centres:
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Rajawadi
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Cooper
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Kasturba
Requirements to get vaccinated:
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1- 20 or DS - 160 form
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Verified confirmed letter to the university
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Personal ID documents
28th May, 2021
Expert Panel updates the border restrictions of Canada.
The Covid-19 expert advisory panel has recommended that Canada’s current requirement for all incoming air travelers to go through a mandatory 3-day quarantine should be discontinued in ‘government-authorised accommodation’. Fully vaccinated passengers no longer need to take Covid tests or go through a 14-day quarantine. However, travelers who are not vaccinated/partially vaccinated are required to take a test 72 hours prior to the flight & a mandatory quarantine.
27th May, 2021
Canada seeing ‘low rates’ of Covid-19.
Due to the mass vaccination & recent ‘ramp-up’ in the supply of vaccine, Canada has been able to decrease the Covid-19 cases significantly.
26th May, 2021
Canada running for a reopening.
The Canadian government is attempting to ‘ramp-up’ Covid-19 vaccination. The Prime Minister Justin Trudeau feels ‘confident’ about all Canadians being vaccinated before September, 2021 which might lead to a reopening.
25th May, 2021
Canada expected to ease restrictions soon.
It is expected that most of the travel restriction & local restriction due to Covid-19 will be eased for this spring or Summer. However, travelers coming from Covid hot-spots/regions will face mandatory quarantine and vaccination proof.
24th May, 2021
Canada updates about it’s Covid-19 restrictions & fine charges.
Transport Canada shares new fine/charges for voiding Covid-19 restrictions which suggests that unless exempt, all travellers entering Canada are required to follow a mandatory 14-day quarantine and test routines. Travelers voiding the rule will be charged upto $750 000.
21st May, 2021
Canada updates it’s Covid-19 restriction dates.
Discretionary (non-essential) travel restrictions between the United States and Canada will be extended to June 21, 2021.
20th May, 2021
Canadians allowed to cross American borders for Covid-19 vaccines.
Ottawa confirms that Canadians can avoid Covid-19 restrictions and drive to America to get themselves vaccinated with proper documentation stating a medical necessity for the same.
19th May, 2021
International students rush over for Covishield instead of Covaxin.
As most of the foreign countries don’t consider India’s Covaxin to be an effective coronavirus vaccine, international students queue up for Covishield.
18th May, 2021
McGill University plans for in-person classes this fall.
McGill university has rolled out detailed guidelines about in-person classes for fall 2021. The University also shared information regarding overall planning progress and insists students to get themselves vaccinated before the semester begins.
17th May, 2021
Canada might recover sooner than expected.
Canadian government speeds up the vaccinations in order to meet the demand. The government plans to have a 100% vaccinated status before fall 2021 to allow international & national travel.
14th May, 2021
Canada to allow domestic travel.
According to the Canadian Health Authorities, the availability of Covid-19 vaccines and increasing counts of people vaccinated means that Candians may be able to carry out their domestic travel plans. However, the government still restricts high-risk regions from travelling.
13th May, 2021
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau suggests extending Covid-19 restrictions.
The Prime Minister suggests that the vaccines alone will not be able to stabilize the third wave of coronavirus therefore he plans on continuing the lockdown situation in Ontario until the count of Covid-19 cases are ‘way down’.
12th May, 2021
Canadian universities plan on in-person classes this fall.
The Canadian government and universities plan on resuming in-person classes this fall. The government has returned with a detailed guideline that needs to be followed while continuing with in-person classes.
11th May, 2021
Canada to allow immigrants with student visas into the country.
If you have a valid student permit, the Candian government will allow you into the country on the basis of your university. If your university is read with a Covid-19 plan then you will have to follow the Covid-19 regulations post entry and stick to the norms stated by the university.
10th May, 2021
Alberta plans to continue heavy Covid-19 restrictions.
The Canadian government holds onto the Alberta travel restrictions and restrictions nationwide. This has significantly impacted the number of international travelling to Canada this year.
7th May, 2021
International students allowed to enter Canada with valid study permit.
Canadian government suggests all the passengers to take mandatory Covid-19 tests and should be vaccinated before entering the country. A mandatory 14-day quarantine has been imposed for all passengers arriving in Canada.
6th May, 2021
Alberta tightens restrictions for Covid-19.
The Covid-19 spread has been affecting Canada rapidly due to International travel. The government has increased fines for Covid-19 rule breakers with more restricted travel & transport in Alberta.
5th May, 2021
5000+ cases recorded in Canada recently.
The Covid-19 spread has been affecting Canada rapidly due to International travel. Canada has recorded international variants of Covid-19 which might provoke the government to keep India in the ‘Red-list’ for longer than expected.
4th May, 2021
Ontario students move to virtual learning.
The spread of Covid-19 primarily in Ontario has led university and school students to switch back to virtual learning. This expands to Toronto and Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph.
3rd May, 2021
Canadian government to suspend entry for all international students.
Due to the Covid-19 spread Canadian government will be restricting immigration for all international students to Ontario province. They also plan to extend the same nationwide.
30th April, 2021
Canadian visa applicants advised to submit applications by May 15, 2021.
The Canadian government suggests to submit all study permit applications by May 15, 2021 to receive the final decision by August 6, 2021. However, if applicants submit a complete application after May 15, 2021 the consulate may not be able to process it until the fall semester begins.
Article Link: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada.html
29th April, 2021
Consulate General of Canada in Mumbai limits in-person visits & Educational Testing Service Testing available for Home Testing.
The Consulate General of Canada in Mumbai will be limiting all in-person appointments due to the extensive spread of Covid-19 in Mumbai.
Educational Testing Service At Home Testing remains available for aspirants appearing for TOEFL, GRE, HiSET, Praxis/SLS, GACE, ParaPro, PPAT and PASL.
Article Link:
1. Consulate: https://www.international.gc.ca/country-pays/india-inde/mumbai.aspx?lang=eng
2. Educational Testing Service: https://www.ets.org/s/cv/important-update/
28th April, 2021
Canadian Universities Plan to return to in-person classes this Fall
With a high probability of all Canadians being vaccinated by September 2021, universities plan to host in-person classes this fall. International students will be allowed across the Canadian borders under the current circumstances as long as their universities have introduced Covid-19 readiness plans. However, universities will be monitoring the situation overtime and will act accordingly.
Article Link: https://www.cicnews.com/2021/03/canadian-universities-to-return-to-in-person-classes-this-fall-0317420.html
27th April, 2021
Canada restricts flights from India, effective 09:00 IST April 23, 2021
Due to the rise of Covid-19 cases, higher Canadian authorities state that all commercial and private flights from India will remain on hold for 30 days, effective 09:00 IST April 23, 2021. However, indirect flights require a minimum quarantine of 14 days and a negative Covid-19 report.
Article Link: https://twitter.com/CanBorder/status/1384514791771889667