News related to COVID-19

ENTRY TO CANADA RULES- COVID 19

1. Additional restrictions now apply to these countries: Botswana, Egypt, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Zimbabwe.

2. Starting November 30, 2021, those who have the right of entry, qualify as fully vaccinated travelers, and who re-enter Canada within 72 hours of leaving, won’t have to provide a pre-entry molecular test result. This will also apply to their accompanying children under 12.

3. If you qualify as a fully vaccinated traveler, you are required to show a pre-entry molecular test, required to use the ArriveCAN app, required to take an arrival test if selected, exempt from quarantine, exempt from Day-8 testing.

4. To qualify as a fully vaccinated traveler to Canada, you must: have received at least 2 doses of a Government of Canada-accepted COVID-19 vaccine or at least 1 dose of the Janssen/Johnson & Johnson vaccine, have received your second dose at least 14 full days prior to the day you enter Canada.

5. Accepted vaccines:

Pfizer-BioNTech (Comirnaty, tozinameran, BNT162b2)

Moderna (Spikevax, mRNA-1273)

AstraZeneca (Vaxzevria, COVISHIELD, ChAdOx1-S, AZD1222)

Janssen/Johnson & Johnson (Ad26.COV2.S)

As of November 30, 2021, the following COVID-19 vaccines authorized by the World Health Organization (WHO) will be accepted by the Government of Canada for travel:

Bharat Biotech (Covaxin, BBV152 A, B, C)

Sinopharm BIBP (BBIBP-CorV)

Sinovac (CoronaVac, PiCoVacc)

IMMIGRATION NEWS AND UPDATES

1. Applications are now open for the expanded Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP). This pilot recognizes the talents and skills of refugees by welcoming them through existing economic immigration streams and will help to allow EMPP applicants to use a loan, waive fees for permanent residence applications, provide pre-departure medical services to assist with immigration medical exams. In most cases, the applicants can start working within 6 months of applying.

2. Canada announces new measures for extended families of Afghan interpreters. We are introducing a new pathway for the extended family members of Afghan interpreters who immigrated under previous measures. To be eligible, the extended family member must be an Afghan national, be outside Canada at the time of their application, have been in Afghanistan on or after July 22, 2021, be an extended family member—defined as a child (regardless of age), grandchild, parent, grandparent, or sibling—of an individual who was previously granted permanent residence as a principal applicant under the 2009 or 2012 public policies.

3. Online applications for proof of citizenship and search of citizenship records are available now. Applicants can submit their applications, pay the related fees, and send any required supporting documents online using the secure portal. Completing an online application is faster than providing documents by mail.

4. A lot of PR applications now can also be submitted online: Provincial Nominee Programs, Atlantic Immigration Pilot, Self-employed application, and others.

5. The new public policy allows visitors to apply for work permits inside Canada during the COVID19 pandemic without having to leave Canada. The criteria will also be modified to allow any visitor who has a valid job offer to apply for an employer-specific work permit, regardless of the date they initially entered Canada. A visitor must have valid status in Canada on the day they apply. It is possible for applicants who had a valid work permit in the past 12 months to begin working for their new employer before their work permit application has been fully approved.