1. General conditions for international students to enter Canada

As a rule, a person who is fully vaccinated is understood to have received 2 doses of AstraZeneca, Pfizer or Moderna, or a dose of Johnson & Johnson at least 14 days before arriving in Canada. All other vaccines such as Sinopharm, Sinovac, Sputnik V... are not recognized in Canada. Airports that welcome international arrivals to Canada include: Halifax, Quebec City, Ottawa, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal and Calgary.

For students, students studying in Canada must satisfy 2 conditions:

• Hold a valid study permit for international students returning to Canada; or have a letter of approval for international students coming to Canada for the first time.
• Attend one of the training institutions on the list of Designated Learning Institutions (DLIs) and have an approved Covid-19 readiness plan.

If the student has had 2 doses of the vaccine (according to the type required by the Canadian government), the student will be exempt from the 14-day quarantine. However, students still have to comply with the Canadian government's Covid19 prevention regulations

For those who have not been vaccinated or have not had 2 doses of the vaccine or are not satisfied with Canada's disease prevention and control conditions, students must stay 14 days in an isolation area when they arrive in Canada.

In Canada, everyone gets the vaccine for free. Therefore, international students can go to the website of their province of residence to get vaccine registration information as soon as possible to protect themselves.

Requires 2 injections at least 14 days before arrival in Canada

2. Entry and quarantine steps

Step 1: Prepare documents

Papers from school

Offer from school, receipt of tuition fee payment, Study permit approval letter, study plan, proof of accommodation (rent/dormitory contract), international students returning to Canada present study permit Original copy and valid visa, most recent semester transcript, enrollment letter, along with proof of accommodation and finances. Note that you need to buy new or renew compulsory health insurance according to the guidelines of the school.

If traveling with relatives, students studying in Canada should bring proof of relationship such as marriage certificate, birth certificate (translated into English).

Flight booking confirmation.

Negative test result for Covid-19 in Vietnam

Register for RT-PCR test at establishments approved by the Ministry of Health of Vietnam within 72 hours before flight time. Test papers must be presented upon entry and kept for at least 14 days after entry. Accompanying children under 5 years old are exempt from Covid-19 testing.

ArriveCan . App

Download the ArriveCAN application to your phone to declare information, as a basis for Canadian authorities to manage entry people. The declaration is also made within 72 hours before the flight time.

This is a very important requirement, international students who do not present the ArriveCAN declaration receipt may be refused entry and fined.

Register for a Covid-19 test on arrival at the arrival airport (arrival test).

There are currently four different testing providers at four airports, including LifeLabs in Vancouver, Switch Health in Toronto, Biron Groupe Santé in Montreal and the government of Alberta in Calgary. This test is free for all travelers entering Canada through the four airports above.

All international student documents need to be carried in hand luggage on the plane. In addition, you also need to have a way to shop for essentials during the 14-day quarantine, for example, download the app and create an account for online purchases such as UberEats, DoorDash, SkiptheDishes, etc.

Because traveling during the pandemic is very difficult and has to move a lot, international students should pack light luggage. The indispensable thing is a mask, so prepare at least 10 reusable ones to wear throughout the journey until the last leg of the journey.

Test for Covid-19 upon entry at the airport

Step 2: Enter Canada

At the arrival airport, international students need to follow the instructions of the airport and present the prepared documents to the border security officer (CBSA officer) for entry.

If you are an international student coming to Canada for the first time, you need to notify the security officer so that they can guide you to the study permit area. There, immigration officers can interview you about the purpose of your trip, study program, place to stay in Canada... You need to answer honestly, clearly and confidently.

International students complete procedures and tests before leaving the airport

After completing immigration procedures, receiving a study permit (new international student) and baggage claim, the next step is to go to the Covid-19 testing area before leaving the airport. Note, this is a mandatory requirement, very important and should not be missed.

Note: do not use public transport, including tram, bus. You can take a hotel car, taxi, rent a self-drive car, share a car (Uber, Lyft...) or ask someone you know to pick you up to the hotel.

Wish you will have a smooth journey to study in Canada and achieve many results as expected

Please contact iCanfield for advice on study abroad programs, immigration to Canada, USA, Australia and other countries!

iCanfield Vietnam Immigration & Study Abroad Consulting Company 

Address: 93 Nguyen Du, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, HCMC

Hotline: 028.3822.0285