Canada is now opening its doors to immediate family members of Canadian citizens or permanent residents who were not able to visit their loved ones due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday, June 8, said they are implementing this “limited exemption” for the family members as it is not easy to be separated from their relatives especially now that the world is facing a global health crisis.
Effective on June 8 at 11:59 p.m. EDT, the immediate family members from other countries are allowed to enter Canada only if they do not contract COVID-19 or show any symptoms of it.
The family members should also plan to stay in Canada for at least 15 days and should undergo a 14-day self-quarantine.
“Obviously we want families to be together, but our priority remains the safety of all Canadians,” Trudeau said.
The prime minister warned that if they do not follow the safety protocols, they could face “serious penalties.”
The immediate family member is defined by the government as the spouse or common-law partner, child, parent, step-parent or their parents-in-law, and guardian or tutor of a certain Canadian national.
In a news release, the Canada Border Services Agency said the family member who will be welcoming a relative must confirm that they have a suitable place for their loved one to quarantine for 14 days. They should have access to basic necessities like food and medicine and should not have contact with vulnerable people such as seniors or the ones with pre-existing medical conditions.
Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino clarified that the exemption is not for weekend travellers or those who are only seeking to attend a personal or social gathering.
“For people traveling from abroad, they must still have a valid visa or Electronic Travel Authorization,” he said.
“The purpose of this measure is not to allow people to come and go into Canada whenever they like, but rather to help Canadian families reunite during this unprecedented time,” he added.
The temporary restriction on all non-essential travel at the Canada-U.S. border remains in place until June 21.