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Show that you’re travelling to Canada for an essential reason

canuck78

VIP Member
Jun 18, 2017
52,969
12,768
I didn't ask. I assume that they weren't aware of the 'essential travel' test.
I think that is probably why they got refused. The rules keep changing and people may have been more focused on getting on the flight and not realized that you need a essential reason to enter Canada. Canada doesn’t want people arriving to visit family during covid. Most insurance companies don’t cover covid anymore and the provinces don’t want to care for even more people in their hospitals especially extra seniors or any FNs.
 

mlei9569

Star Member
Dec 11, 2019
178
75
I think that is probably why they got refused. The rules keep changing and people may have been more focused on getting on the flight and not realized that you need a essential reason to enter Canada. Canada doesn’t want people arriving to visit family during covid. Most insurance companies don’t cover covid anymore and the provinces don’t want to care for even more people in their hospitals especially extra seniors or any FNs.
Indeed. The rules are fast-changing as COVID-19 is a fluid situation. It is important to check with Transport Canada, IRCC, and CSBA before traveling.
 

kylelowry

Star Member
Jun 6, 2019
92
24
Parents visiting their son (a PR holder) were asked to return to their home country today at Pearson International airport. They couldn’t communicate clearly in English and thus couldn’t sufficiently explain why the travel is essential. This case shows that CSBA can refuse entry if you cannot provide proper documentation.
Thanks so much for your information. We dont intend to travel anytime sooner unless we have something in writing from any of the government bodies. so far, we just have an email for our inquiry from the Canadian Embassy in our home country confirming that we don't need a written authorization for my spouse to travel as I am a PR holder. But, i doubt that would be enough to persuade anyone in the boarder.

Also, just out of curiosity, lets say she does manage to get into an airplane and land in Canada, what happens if she cannot go back to the origin of travel or the home country as both have restricted travel.
 

Bs65

VIP Member
Mar 22, 2016
13,190
2,419
Parents visiting their son (a PR holder) were asked to return to their home country today at Pearson International airport. They couldn’t communicate clearly in English and thus couldn’t sufficiently explain why the travel is essential. This case shows that CSBA can refuse entry if you cannot provide proper documentation.
Highlights that checkin staff have an impossible task to interpret the ever changing guidelines and is unfortunate that if arriving at pearson the essential travel was the real reason to refuse entry or something else. Not sure who in their right mind would anyway have their parents travel given the current situation to a country where their health coverage apart from a COVID emergency would be limited or even non existent given travel insurers generally appear to be suspending coverage.

Update

Just to add that in addition to all the usual reasons for entry to be denied CBSA can also now deny entry if someone either refuses the 14 day quarantine or refuses to share their plan to go directly to quarantine. It really would have been up to the host family to have provided anyone with limited English the means to explain themselves even if with a printout. All speculation on the reasons though
 
Last edited:

canuck78

VIP Member
Jun 18, 2017
52,969
12,768
Thanks so much for your information. We dont intend to travel anytime sooner unless we have something in writing from any of the government bodies. so far, we just have an email for our inquiry from the Canadian Embassy in our home country confirming that we don't need a written authorization for my spouse to travel as I am a PR holder. But, i doubt that would be enough to persuade anyone in the boarder.

Also, just out of curiosity, lets say she does manage to get into an airplane and land in Canada, what happens if she cannot go back to the origin of travel or the home country as both have restricted travel.
If they just arrived from a country the travel is not totally restricted.
 
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mlei9569

Star Member
Dec 11, 2019
178
75
Thanks so much for your information. We dont intend to travel anytime sooner unless we have something in writing from any of the government bodies. so far, we just have an email for our inquiry from the Canadian Embassy in our home country confirming that we don't need a written authorization for my spouse to travel as I am a PR holder. But, i doubt that would be enough to persuade anyone in the boarder.

Also, just out of curiosity, lets say she does manage to get into an airplane and land in Canada, what happens if she cannot go back to the origin of travel or the home country as both have restricted travel.
Muddy waters we are in. Not sure what would really happen if you're denied entry, and it probably depends on the country where you are in. I currently reside in China, and the government only allows its citizens to go through the border provided that they agree to quarantine at a designated hotel at their own expense. Additionally, you could be looking at flight tickets that have skyrocketed ever since worldwide travel restrictions.
 

mlei9569

Star Member
Dec 11, 2019
178
75
Does anyone know if individuals who have returned from aboard are allowed to do domestic transit at the airport in Canada?

Unfortunately, no direct flight is available between Shanghai and Montreal. Our only options are Vancouver and Toronto.
 

canuck78

VIP Member
Jun 18, 2017
52,969
12,768
Does anyone know if individuals who have returned from aboard are allowed to do domestic transit at the airport in Canada?

Unfortunately, no direct flight is available between Shanghai and Montreal. Our only options are Vancouver and Toronto.
Rules keep changing. In BC if the airport is not satisfied with your quarantine plans you can be forced into their own quarantine.
 
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Bs65

VIP Member
Mar 22, 2016
13,190
2,419
Does anyone know if individuals who have returned from aboard are allowed to do domestic transit at the airport in Canada?

Unfortunately, no direct flight is available between Shanghai and Montreal. Our only options are Vancouver and Toronto.
See here but as above rules keep changing and if CBSA are not satisfied with your isolation plan they could take action at POE. Penalties by the way for not following isolation plan can be severe , upto 750k or upto 6 months jail.

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/latest-travel-health-advice.html#domestic
 
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Canada2020eh

Champion Member
Aug 2, 2019
2,198
885
Does anyone know if individuals who have returned from aboard are allowed to do domestic transit at the airport in Canada?

Unfortunately, no direct flight is available between Shanghai and Montreal. Our only options are Vancouver and Toronto.
From my research there has been nothing published regarding restricting onward travel after entering Canada. All that I have seen is that if a person is showing symptoms of covid they will be denied boarding. Would certainly be good if they specifically addressed that. IMO until they say it is prohibited then it is allowed. That is what I want to believe anyways.
 
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mlei9569

Star Member
Dec 11, 2019
178
75
Rules keep changing. In BC if the airport is not satisfied with your quarantine plans you can be forced into their own quarantine.
See here but as above rules keep changing and if CBSA are not satisfied with your isolation plan they could take action at POE. Penalties by the way for not following isolation plan can be severe , upto 750k or upto 6 months jail.

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/latest-travel-health-advice.html#domestic
From my research there has been nothing published regarding restricting onward travel after entering Canada. All that I have seen is that if a person is showing symptoms of covid they will be denied boarding. Would certainly be good if they specifically addressed that. IMO until they say it is prohibited then it is allowed. That is what I want to believe anyways.
Thank you guys for the information. I really appreciate it.
 

mlei9569

Star Member
Dec 11, 2019
178
75
Thanks so much for your information. We dont intend to travel anytime sooner unless we have something in writing from any of the government bodies. so far, we just have an email for our inquiry from the Canadian Embassy in our home country confirming that we don't need a written authorization for my spouse to travel as I am a PR holder. But, i doubt that would be enough to persuade anyone in the boarder.

Also, just out of curiosity, lets say she does manage to get into an airplane and land in Canada, what happens if she cannot go back to the origin of travel or the home country as both have restricted travel.
Did you manage to get any letter in writing to facilitate your travel to Canada?
 

kylelowry

Star Member
Jun 6, 2019
92
24
Did you manage to get any letter in writing to facilitate your travel to Canada?
Nope. apart from the email from the Canadian Embassy in Sri Lanka stating that as a spouse, we dont need authorisation to enter into Canada. Even if we do manage to get a letter, there are no flights to get on to.
 
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mlei9569

Star Member
Dec 11, 2019
178
75
Nope. apart from the email from the Canadian Embassy in Sri Lanka stating that as a spouse, we dont need authorisation to enter into Canada. Even if we do manage to get a letter, there are no flights to get on to.
I called CBSA today. Unfortunately, not wanting to be separated from your spouse is not considered essential. A key thumb of rule is that if your trip can be delayed, then usually it wouldn't be considered as essential. But the agent did mention that the policies could change in a couple of weeks.
 

Bs65

VIP Member
Mar 22, 2016
13,190
2,419
I called CBSA today. Unfortunately, not wanting to be separated from your spouse is not considered essential. A key thumb of rule is that if your trip can be delayed, then usually it wouldn't be considered as essential. But the agent did mention that the policies could change in a couple of weeks.
Only speculation but possibly the only exception might be if a life or death situation of an immediate family member in Canada that travel simply cannot be delayed. The travel restrictions are in place in countries around the world obviously for a reason, to try to manage the spread of COVID hence essential travel only. Less we all forget people can have COVID without showing visible symptoms that is the frightening reality of someone boarding a 300 or so passenger plane.