After the lifting of the ban on direct flights, Indian flights are ready to fly to Canada. According to the recent media release, Indian air travelers were able to travel to Canada from midnight on September 27. Travelers will have to act in accordance with the public health measures implemented, such as testing and quarantine.

For travelers leaving from India directly, there will be additional measures:

• Travelers must carry a negative Covid-19 test proof from recognized laboratories, which should be within 18 hours of the scheduled departure of their flight to Canada.
• Air officials will be verifying the travelers’ test records and only fully vaccinated travelers will be allowed to travel.

On 22 September, there were three direct flights from India to Canada. Every passenger was tested for COVID-19 upon arriving at the airport. After resuming direct flights, Indian travelers who have to take an indirect route will need a negative COVID-19 molecular test as well. This should be done within 72 hours of departure before the continuation of their journey to Canada.

Canada had originally stopped direct passenger and commercial flights from India in April, as both the countries were experiencing a high level of infection. Canada had also banned direct planes from Morocco until September 29.

COVID-19 Travel: Requirements And Exemptions

1. Who can come to Canada?

• Citizens of Canada, including Dual citizens, permanent residents of Canada, people who are registered under the Indian Act, or protected persons with refugee status are allowed to enter the country. 
• Fully vaccinated foreign nationals may be allowed to enter Canada for discretionary travel purposes.
• Only in specific circumstances will the nationals who do not qualify as fully vaccinated be allowed to enter Canada.
• Travelers entering Canada, regardless of their citizenship, need to follow the testing and quarantine requirements for everyone’s safety.
• However, under some exceptional circumstances, one may be exempted from some requirements.

All fully vaccinated travelers are eligible

Know if you qualify for the fully vaccinated traveler exemption and also follow all the steps. You may also be exempted from the pre-entry and arrival test requirements if you have recently recovered from COVID-19.

People already recovered from COVID-19

If there are no symptoms of COVID-19 now, you can provide proof of COVID-19 molecular test positive report when crossing the border, instead of showing the negative report.

The test must have been conducted at least 14 days before and no more than 180 days before the initial departure time scheduled for your aircraft, or your arrival to Canada by marine or land routes.

Amateur Sports

A high-performance athlete or someone who is engaged in a crucial role with relation to such events, and is affiliated with a national organization responsible for the same, who is to enter Canada for participating in an international single sports event which has been authorized by the Deputy Minister of Canadian Heritage, will be allowed to enter Canada as long as they comply with the conditions imposed on them for minimizing the risk of spread of COVID-19.

Children and Families

• Children under 5 years of age: Exemptions from a pre-entry test, arrival test, and Day-8 test only apply to the child and not to the parents or the guardian traveling with them.
• Children who are already 5 on the day of their travel will not be exempted from the testing requirements. However, they might be exempted from quarantine if they are traveling with full-vaccinated travelers.
• Unvaccinated children under 12 years of age: Unvaccinated children under the age of 12 years are required to follow all the quarantine and testing requirements unless they are traveling with a person who is qualified for the fully vaccinated traveler exemption.
• Children under 12 years of age may also be exempted from quarantine if they are traveling with someone who is qualified for a fully vaccinated traveler exemption.
• Unvaccinated youth from 12 to 17 years of age: They need to follow all the quarantine and testing requirements. They will not be exempted from these conditions even if they are traveling with a person who is qualified for the fully vaccinated traveler exemption.
• Unvaccinated Adult Dependents: Unvaccinated dependents by reason of mental and physical limitation are required to follow all the quarantine and testing conditions and requirements even if they are accompanied by their parent or guardian who is qualified for fully vaccinated exemption.

Crew Members and Armed Forces

Crew members who have to perform their duties by crossing the border or are entering for immediate purposes are exempted from the pre-entry test, arrival test, Day-8 test, and quarantine.

1. Re-entering of Crew Members after training

• Exemptions from pre-entry test
• Exemptions from arrival test
• Exemptions from Day-8 test

2. Canadian Forces

• Exemptions from pre-entry test
• Exemptions from arrival test
• Exemptions from Day-8 test
• Exemptions from quarantine

3. Visiting Forces

• Exemptions from arrival test
• Exemptions from Day-8 test
• Exemptions from quarantine

4. Visiting force aircrew

• Exemptions from pre-entry test
• Exemptions from arrival test
• Exemptions from Day-8 test
• Exemptions from quarantine

Diplomatic Visas

Diplomatic, official, and courtesy visa holders, i.e., an accredited person or a person holding a D-1, O-1, or C-1 visa entering Canada for taking up a post, along with their immediate family members, might be exempted from arrival test, Day-8 test, and also could be exempted from quarantine if they qualify for the fully vaccinated traveler exemption.

Drivers

People involved in the trade or transportation sector, including truck drivers who cross the borders, will be exempted from a pre-entry test, arrival test, Day-8 test, and quarantine test.

Funerals and Compassionate Travel 

If you are traveling to Canada for compassionate reasons, you can opt to apply for limited discharge from quarantine if you are going to the country for funerals or to deliver care and support to others. The service standard response time for the same is 7 days. Quarantine exemption is possible if you are fully vaccinated. However, if you do not qualify for the same, you will have to apply for compassionate entry and/or limited or temporary release from quarantine.

Foreign Workers

Foreign workers can be exempted from quarantine if they are fully vaccinated, but they will have to follow all the other necessary guidelines for safety.

Other Circumstances

• Invitation: If a person enters Canada by the invitation of the Minister of Health for assisting in the COVID-19 response, then they will be exempted from arrival test, Day-8 test, and quarantine.
  
• National Interest: A person or a class of people whose presence in Canada is identified and determined by the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, Minister of Foreign Affairs, or the Minister of Foreign Safety and Emergency Preparedness to be in the national interest, are required to comply with all conditions imposed on them by the relevant Minister for minimizing the spread of COVID-19.
  
• Provincial and Territorial Projects: A person who is participating in a project to gather information for the development of quarantine requirements and is under an arrangement with the Minister of Health or the minister responsible for health care in a specific province, needs to comply with all the conditions imposed on them by the Minister of Health for minimizing the risk and spread of COVID-19. This person may be exempted from the arrival test, Day-8 test, and quarantine.
  
• Refugee Protection: A person who enters Canada from the US by claiming refugee protection will be exempted from the pre-entry test and can be exempted from quarantine if fully vaccinated.
  
• Extraordinary and Unforeseen Circumstances: Exigent hardship consular cases of the citizens of Canada, permanent inhabitants of Canada, and/or people having status under the Indian Act, as recognized and deduced by the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Disaster Response Support as identified and determined by the Minister of Transport and/or Minister of Public Safety.

Global Rules For COVID-19

• Get a pre-departure negative COVID-19 molecular test result from a recognized laboratory.
• You have to perform this test within 18 hours before the scheduled departure.
• Provide the test report along with the QR code that is issued by the laboratory to the air operator before boarding.

For Indirect Flights

People who have to fly from India to Canada by an indirect route still need to provide the documents and a pre-departure negative COVID-19 molecular test result from a third country that falls in between their flights to continue their flight to Canada.

If you test positive after testing during the transit, you may have to comply with local quarantine regulations or return back to your place of departure. Although Canada has lifted the ban on flights, it’s still crucial to adhere to rules. The officials are constantly rechecking their efforts to evaluate what works and what doesn’t.