US-to-Canada Entry Ban (COVID-19)

Summary#

This is the federal order called Minimizing the Risk of Exposure to COVID-19 in Canada Order (Prohibition of Entry into Canada from the United States), made under the Quarantine Act. It temporarily bars most foreign nationals who are in the United States from entering Canada and runs from 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on November 21, 2020 to 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on December 21, 2020. It also continues to stop anyone who has or shows signs of COVID‑19 from entering.

What it does#

• Prohibits most foreign nationals in the United States from entering Canada for optional or discretionary reasons (for example, tourism, recreation or entertainment).
• Bars entry for anyone who has COVID‑19, who knows they have it, or who shows COVID‑19 symptoms (fever, cough, difficulty breathing).
• Allows exceptions for some people in limited circumstances:
  • Immediate family members of Canadian citizens, permanent residents or a person registered under the Indian Act may be allowed in if they plan to stay at least 15 days.
  • Some extended family members may be allowed in if they provide a signed statutory declaration, plan to stay at least 15 days, and receive written permission from an immigration officer.
  • Certain refugee claimants may enter but usually only at specific land ports and under narrow categories.
  • Some students are blocked unless they will attend a provincially approved “listed institution” that appears on an Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada list.
  • The Minister of Health can allow entry on compassionate grounds (e.g., to care for a critically ill person or attend a funeral) under conditions.
• Stops entry of anyone who cannot meet quarantine or isolation requirements that apply under other Quarantine Act orders.
• Does not apply to:
  • Canadian citizens and permanent residents (not the primary target; the order addresses foreign nationals),
  • people registered under the Indian Act,
  • protected persons, or
  • people on a continuous transit through Canadian waters or airspace under certain conditions.
• Repeals the earlier, similar order (P.C. 2020‑838) and keeps overall quarantine powers in place.

Who's affected#

• Primarily foreign nationals who are in the United States and want to travel to Canada.
• Families trying to reunite: both immediate family members and some extended family members of Canadians or permanent residents — but the extended family route has paperwork and officer approval requirements.
• International students whose study permit status is tied to attending a “listed institution.”
• People planning optional travel (tourists, recreational visitors) from the United States — they are generally blocked.
• Refugee claimants and certain asylum-related travellers, under narrow conditions.
• Airlines, border officers and provinces involved in enforcing quarantine rules may see operational impacts.
• It is not always clear in every personal situation whether an individual meets an exception; some cases depend on paperwork or the discretion of officials.

Why it matters#

• The order is a short-term, public-health measure aimed at lowering the chance of new COVID‑19 cases entering Canada from the United States during a period of high case counts.
• It directly affects cross‑border travel, family visits, student plans and some asylum processes for people in the United States.
• Breaking the order can carry serious penalties — a maximum fine of $1,000,000 or imprisonment for three years, or both — and other fines under the Contraventions Act.
• Because the order is time-limited (through December 21, 2020), it may be extended, replaced or changed as the pandemic situation evolves.