Entry Ban for Travellers from Omicron Countries

Summary#

The government made the Minimizing the Risk of Exposure to COVID-19 in Canada Order (Prohibition of Entry into Canada — Specified Countries) on November 27, 2021 to bar most foreign nationals from entering Canada if they were in countries with an outbreak or risk of the Omicron variant in the 14 days before travel. The ban applies regardless of vaccination status and is set to end at 00:01:00 Eastern Standard Time on January 31, 2022.

What it does#

• Prohibits a foreign national from entering Canada if, in the previous 14 days, they were in a country that the Chief Public Health Officer has identified as having an outbreak of, or at risk of an outbreak of, the Omicron variant.
• Says the Chief Public Health Officer will decide which countries are affected and keep a publicly available list that can change with new evidence.
• Applies to both vaccinated and unvaccinated foreign nationals.
• Lists limited exceptions, including:
  • people registered as an Indian under the Indian Act;
  • protected persons under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act;
  • travellers who were already in transit on an aircraft or vessel when a country was added to the list;
  • people or classes of people admitted because their presence is judged to be in the national interest;
  • certain continuous transit situations (e.g., passing through Canadian waters without landing).
• Does not change other powers or requirements under the Quarantine Act or the separate Quarantine Order (which still sets testing, quarantine and isolation rules).
• Comes into force the day it was made and stops at 00:01:00 EST on January 31, 2022.

Who's affected#

• Most directly: foreign nationals seeking to enter Canada who were in any country that the Chief Public Health Officer places on the affected list in the previous 14 days.
• Indirectly: travellers, airlines, travel agents, and family members who may see trips delayed or cancelled.
• Not covered by the ban (but still subject to quarantine/testing rules) are Canadian citizens, permanent residents, persons registered as an Indian under the Indian Act, and protected persons.
• The source makes clear the affected countries will be identified by the Chief Public Health Officer; it does not list those countries here.

Why it matters#

• The order is meant to slow the importation of the Omicron variant while health officials learn more about it.
• It can disrupt travel plans quickly because countries can be added or removed from the list as new information emerges.
• Travellers who ignore border rules face serious penalties, including a fine up to $1,000,000 or imprisonment for up to three years.