Update to Canada's new travel policy

The government’s new travel policy comes into effect on February 22, 2021.

 Conflicting information:

 The information on government websites still makes it difficult to tell if foreign nationals arriving to Canada will be caught up in the mandatory 3-night hotel stay (at the traveller’s cost of approximately $2,000), while they await the results of a PCR test taken at one of the four approved airports.

 One page of the government website still says that foreign nationals can enter if they:

• have a letter of introduction for a work permit (open or employer-specific)
• have a valid job offer
• can work once you enter Canada and complete your 14-day quarantine (unless you’re exempt)

Elsewhere, when noting the mandatory hotel stay, the government still includes the fact that there are limited exceptions. They are not defining these exceptions, however.

 All Points had previously reported that our contacts at the airports were preliminarily interpreting that the new rules would not affect those coming in with Letters of Introduction or with Family Reunification Letters.

 However…

 All Points also noticed the following sentences on the government of Canada’s website:

 " The Government of Canada continues to strongly advise Canadians to cancel or postpone any non-essential travel, including vacation plans, outside Canada. Foreign nationals should likewise postpone or cancel travel plans to Canada. Now is not the time to travel. "

 Again, the website does not specifically say if those entering on valid LOI’s will be caught up in the mandatory hotel stay, but the above note may be an indication that they will be.

 All Points just can’t be sure at this time. We are checking for information on a daily basis, but we think it would be prudent to prepare for arriving foreign nationals to stay at a government mandated hotel. We will update when we know more.

 The list of hotels and the booking instructions are expected to become available on Feb 18, 2021.