American coming for short course in Canada

[ScubaC]

Can an American citizen come without a study permit for a short course (less than 6 months) in Canada currently with the COVID-19 situation?

As I understand it no, but I would like some input since someone thinks they can....

 

[scylla]

Can an American citizen come without a study permit for a short course (less than 6 months) in Canada currently with the COVID-19 situation?

As I understand it no, but I would like some input since someone thinks they can....

It's a bit of a hard call...

You don't need a study permit for a course less than six months long and of course Americans can enter Canada on their passports alone.

You would need to convince the CBSA officer your travel reasons are essential. Most schools aren't holding in person classes right now and everything has gone online. So this reason for travel might not really make sense - strange timing for something like this. The CBSA officer may be OK with this travel reason or they may not be. Hard to say - it will really depend on the individual officer.

 

[ScubaC]

It's a bit of a hard call...

You don't need a study permit for a course less than six months long and of course Americans can enter Canada on their passports alone.

You would need to convince the CBSA officer your travel reasons are essential. Most schools aren't holding in person classes right now and everything has gone online. So this reason for travel might not really make sense - strange timing for something like this. The CBSA officer may be OK with this travel reason or they may not be. Hard to say - it will really depend on the individual officer.

Thanks for the reply...why would this be a hard call? As I understand it the rules are pretty clear, essential travel only. This person is not coming for anything essential. Why would they be OK with this?

 

[scylla]

Thanks for the reply...why would this be a hard call? As I understand it the rules are pretty clear, essential travel only. This person is not coming for anything essential. Why would they be OK with this?

Because it's ultimately up to the CBSA officer and we've seen a fair amout of inconsistency in how the "essential" rule is applied.

 

[ScubaC]

Because it's ultimately up to the CBSA officer and we've seen a fair amout of inconsistency in how the "essential" rule is applied.

Interesting....I just flew back to Canada from Rome. They didn't allow a lot of people to board the flight. I wonder if he'll get stopped in the US or I turned back in Canada.

 

[scylla]

Interesting....I just flew back to Canada from Rome. They didn't allow a lot of people to board the flight. I wonder if he'll get stopped in the US or I turned back in Canada.

If he's flying, he can be denied boarding in the U.S. or be turned around once in Canada.

If he's driving, it will be on the Canadian side by CBSA.

 

[Dafaqisgoingon]

Thanks for the reply...why would this be a hard call? As I understand it the rules are pretty clear, essential travel only. This person is not coming for anything essential. Why would they be OK with this?

Do you have any knowledge if they were students? Just curious

 

[ScubaC]

So I spoke to the CBSA and asked if this is possible. The person said if they are going to a school that is a designated learning institution then they will be let in. If not then NO. I know he is going to a "fake" school. So, my question is, so they check if schools are a designated learning institute??

 

[scylla]

So I spoke to the CBSA and asked if this is possible. The person said if they are going to a school that is a designated learning institution then they will be let in. If not then NO. I know he is going to a "fake" school. So, my question is, so they check if schools are a designated learning institute??

The might or they might not. This is really going to be up to the individual CBSA officer and impossible to predict. Again, people here have had very different experiences at various border crossings and with different CBSA officers. Impossible to predict what the CBSA officer will look at and/or ask.