Dear Member,
You will find below a summary of recent announcements from the federal government on upcoming changes to COVID-19 border and entry restrictions. Although most of these changes are directed towards non-essential / discretionary travellers (and will therefore not directly impact ships’ crew members and other marine workers), they may nevertheless be of interest to other aspects of member operations.
Changes Coming into Effect as of August 9, 2021:
- American citizens (and permanent residents currently residing in the US) who have been fully vaccinated by a government-approved vaccine at least 14 days prior to arrival will be permitted to enter Canada for non-essential travel (recreation, leisure, etc.). This will be extended to appropriately vaccinated travelers from other countries as of September 7, 2021.
- Fully vaccinated travelers will NOT need a post-arrival COVID-19 test unless they are randomly selected to complete a test upon arrival. However, all travelers will still be required to provide a pre-entry COVID-19 molecular test result regardless of vaccination status.
- The requirement to book a three-night stay in government-authorized hotel while awaiting test results will be eliminated for all travelers arriving by air.
- Fully vaccinated travelers will be exempt from quarantine requirements. However, all travelers will still be required to provide a quarantine plan and should be prepared to quarantine, should it be determined at the border that they do not meet the necessary requirements.
- The current measures limiting international passenger flights to four Canadian airports (Montreal, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver) will be expanded to include the following five additional Canadian airports:- Halifax Stanfield International Airport
– Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport
– Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport
– Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport
– Edmonton International Airport - Note: Direct flights to Canada from India continue to be suspended, as the prohibition that was announced in April has been extended until August 21, 2021.
Additional information on the above measures can be found on the Government of Canada’s COVID-19 webpage at this LINK.
How do these changes impact incoming crew members and marine workers?
- Crew members and marine workers travelling to Canada to work on board ships continue to be viewed as essential workers who are important for the movement of goods or people. As such, they continue to be exempt from all current prohibitions, including entry bans, quarantine requirements, and COVID-19 testing and vaccination requirements.
- Nevertheless, it is important that incoming marine workers carry the appropriate travel documents and supporting paperwork, including a letter from the Canadian agent or shipowner confirming their employment on board the ship and outlining the essential nature of the work they will be doing in relation to the ship or its cargo.
Additional information on requirements for incoming crew members and marine workers can found in our COVID-19 Resource Centre (scroll down to sections 2 and 3).
Other Covid-related developments
- For information on seafarer vaccinations and Canadian and US locations where foreign seafaers may be able to access vaccines, please see CL 11298 and CL 11299.
- For information on the lifting on the cruise ship ban as of November 1, 2021, please see CL 11297.
We will continue to provide members with updates on Covid-related requirements as warranted. In the meantime, members with questions or comments on any of the above should contact the undersigned.
Sincerely,
Karen Kancens
Vice President