Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced today that immediate family members will be able to enter Canada effective June 8, 2020 at 11:59 PM EDT.
The exemption applies to all eligible foreign nationals, irrespective of which country they are entering Canada from. This exemption is not only limited to eligible travelers entering Canada from the U.S.
The announcement came during Trudeau’s daily coronavirus briefing. (See video footage below).
Foreign nationals are eligible to enter Canada if they are an immediate family member of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and do not have COVID-19 or exhibit any symptoms of the virus.
They will be able to enter Canada as long as the visit is at least 15 days long and they must self-quarantine by law for 14 days upon entering Canada.
Immediate family is defined as:
- Spouse or common-law partner
- Dependent children
- Grandchildren
- Parent or step-parent
- Guardian or tutor
Trudeau had noted on May 29th that the federal government was considering easing restrictions for immediate family, though it needed to get support from its provincial counterparts.
In a follow-up briefing several minutes after Trudeau’s announcement, immigration minister Marco Mendicino confirmed that the federal government successfully obtained such support from the provinces.
Mendicino said that this new exemption for families was to bring families closer together, however the federal government would not allow short-term trips. This is meant to protect the health and safety of Canadians.
Canada has implemented a variety of special immigration measures since the start of the coronavirus crisis. Many of the measures aim to facilitate the processing of immigration applications and movement of people during the pandemic.
Learn more about Canadian family sponsorship
Need assistance with a temporary visa application process? Contact wp@canadavisa.com.
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