Starting Thursday October 15, romantic partners of Canadians can apply to enter the country, provided they can produce documentation proving at least a year-long relationship. Family members including grandparents, grandchildren, adult children and those seeking to enter on compassionate grounds can also apply.
Specific details of who qualifies, required documents and instructions on how to apply can be found on the Government of Canada website. COVID-19: Compassionate entry for travellers and limited release from quarantine
“Every person entering Canada, with limited exceptions, must quarantine for 14 days, starting on the day of arrival. Travellers entering Canada may seek approval for an exemption from border restrictions and a limited release from mandatory quarantine for compassionate reasons.”
Since the end of March, the world’s longest border has been closed for travel, with the ban being extended multiple times since. With only essential goods allowed to pass through, both countries have now entered into the second wave of COVID-19.
Between March and October countless forigen nationals have attempted, and failed to enter Canada via multiple means such as land and waterways. 87 percent were Americans with the remaining 13 percent being from various countries who were trying to enter Canada via the U.S.
Earlier this month, Ottawa announced that Canada and the United States have once again extended the travel ban for non-essential travel between their two countries to October 21, in a bid to try and stop further spread of coronavirus.
“We are extending non-essential travel restrictions with the United States until October 21st, 2020,” Public Safety Minister Bill Blair said in a Twitter message.
Canada and the United States have both seen an increase in new COVID-19 cases in recent weeks.
Canada recorded almost 2558 new cases on Friday (up 81% in the last 14 days) while the U.S. reported 58,000. Nearly 215,000 people in the U.S. and more than 9,500 in Canada have died of Covid-19 illnesses.
Since the pandemic restrictions were put in place, the usual 400,000 border crossings per day between the two countries has fallen by 95 percent.
Let us know in the comments how Covid border restrictions have impacted your life.
