Current requirements for the arrival of TFWs into Canada: testing, quarantine, isolation and vaccination

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Message of the AAFC/AAC Roundtable – Update February 11, 2022 –

Information on the current requirements for the arrival into Canada, testing, quarantine and isolation, and vaccination requirements for Temporary Foreign Workers (TFWs).

NOTICE: As public health guidance is rapidly evolving and the information is subject to change, we encourage you to validate the most current federal requirements by visiting the various Government of Canada websites identified below, as well as the specific provincial requirements.

 Arrival into Canada:

• All TFWs should download the ArriveCAN application on their phones and use ArriveCAN to provide mandatory travel information before their entry into Canada. The application is free and available in English, French and Spanish. TFWs can also use the desktop/web version. A printed ArriveCAN receipt is acceptable as proof and can be used by travellers for purposes of boarding a flight.
• Use ArriveCAN to enter Canada – Canada.ca
  Each individual arriving into Canada is responsible for following all health and safety measures put forward by the federal, provincial/territorial, and municipal health authorities. The travel.gc.ca page is updated regularly, and contains the most recent information regarding what to do to prepare to come to Canada and upon arrival into Canada.
• For an overview of the requirements for TFWs travelling to Canada along with links to sites about the most recent information regarding Canada’s border policies, please refer to the COVID-19 guide for temporary foreign workers.

Testing, Quarantine and Isolation:

• From a federal standpoint, for the purposes of border entry, the Government of Canada considers a person fully vaccinated if they have received a full series of a vaccine or a combination of vaccines accepted by the Government of Canada.
• Fully vaccinated TFWs are subject to the same testing and quarantine requirements as other fully vaccinated individuals entering Canada.
• Currently (as of December 18, 2021), all fully vaccinated travellers, including TFWs, entering Canada are subject to mandatory random testing on arrival, as instructed by a government official. 
  • If randomly selected for a mandatory arrival test, the TFW:
    • Must take the arrival test as directed on the day they enter Canada. The test may be administered at the airport or they may receive a self-swab kit at the airport or land border to complete within 24 hours after entering Canada;
    • can take connecting flights to their place of quarantine;
    • All TFWs who have been in a country other than Canada or the United States must quarantine in a suitable place while they await the arrival test result; and
    • may leave quarantine when they get a negative arrival test result. If the test result is positive, OR they develop symptoms, TFWs must isolate immediately for 10 days beginning on the date on the test result.
  • Refer to travel.gc.ca for more details. 
• Testing capacity continues to increase to support arrival testing at Canadian ports of entry. Until further notice, mandatory random testing for fully vaccinated TFWs will continue through a combination of testing at airports and take-home self-swab kits distributed at the border.
  • TFWs who are selected to receive a self-swab kit will be instructed to take their test under video supervision with the test provider at their place of quarantine.
  • All travellers arriving in Canada by air, including TFWs, are strongly encouraged to pre-register with the federal testing provider (e.g. Switch Health, Dynacare etc.) that will do the testing at their airport of arrival. To pre-register with a test provider, go to travel.gc.ca.
• The testing and quarantine requirements for unvaccinated TFWs entering Canada have not changed and for additional details regarding unvaccinated travellers without symptoms of COVID-19 arriving in Canada by land, air or water please refer to Canada.ca for more details.
• There are currently no changes to the criteria of a suitable place of quarantine and employers of TFWs should plan quarantine and isolation of TFWs accordingly.  For additional information on suitable quarantine plan criteria, please visit travel.gc.ca at https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/isolation and https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/isolation/quarantine-start. Provincial and local public health authorities may also have additional requirements that continue to apply in addition to federal border measures.
• In the event of an outbreak of the Covid-19 virus, employers who provide accommodations and have TFWs onsite will be asked to immediately advise Service Canada. Employers can inform Service Canada by sending an email message to:

 ESDC.ISB.QUARANTINE-QUARANTAINE.DGSI.EDSC@servicecanada.gc.ca

• General information on quarantine and isolation measures and best practices is available for Fully vaccinated TFWs arriving in Canada, Unvaccinated TFWs arriving in Canada and Symptomatic TFWs arriving in Canada.
• The Government of Canada has also recently announced funding for COVID-19 Safe Voluntary Isolation Sites in British Columbia and Manitoba.  The Safe Voluntary Isolation Sites Program directly supports cities, municipalities and health regions that are at-risk of COVID-19 community transmission. Sites selected under the Program provide an accessible location where people can safely self-isolate for the required period. Local public health officials determine eligible people who may be offered the option to transfer to the isolation site on a voluntary basis to keep them and their household contacts safe during an outbreak in their community.
  • In addition, public health guidance and information on Prevention and Risks of COVID-19 can be found online at: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/prevention-risks.html; and https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/guidance-documents.html.

Vaccination requirements:

• As of January 15^th 2022, all TFWs will need to be fully vaccinated in order to enter Canada, unless they are in the primary agriculture and food-processing sector. TFWs in the agriculture and food-processing sector may enter Canada regardless of their vaccination status.  

• Provinces and territories (PTs) may set different vaccination requirements within their own jurisdictions for the purpose of access to public venues, non-essential services or places of work.
• From a federal standpoint, for the purposes of border entry, the Government of Canada considers a person fully vaccinated if they have received a full series of a vaccine or a combination of vaccines accepted by the Government of Canada. 
• All travellers aged 12 years plus four months and older are required to be fully vaccinated to travel within Canada on federally-regulated planes and trains unless they apply for and receive one of the limited exceptions.
• Unvaccinated TFWs from the primary agriculture and food-processing sector may travel to their final destination within Canada while awaiting the results of their COVID-19 test.
• While PTs hold authority over vaccination requirements in their jurisdictions, PHAC issued recommendations in August 2021 for those vaccinated with vaccines not authorized by Health Canada, and who will be staying in Canada to live, work, or study. For these individuals, PHAC recommends an additional mRNA vaccine dose for those who received one or two doses of a non-Health Canada authorized vaccine, unless three doses of a COVID-19 vaccine have already been received.
• PHAC recommendations are intended to support local, territorial, and provincial decision-making by public health departments and health care professionals, and were developed in consultation with PTs including the Council of Chief Medical Officers of Health, and in consideration of advice from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization.

Some provinces and territories have their own entry restrictions in place for travellers coming to Canada from another country. They may be stricter than federal quarantine requirements. Check and follow both the federal and any provincial or territorial restrictions and requirements before traveling.