For travellers without symptoms of COVID-19 returning to Canada

Organization: Public Health Agency of Canada

Date published: 2020-11-21

Related links

• For travellers with COVID-19 symptoms returning to Canada
• How to quarantine (self-isolate) at home when you may have been exposed to COVID-19 and have no symptoms
• COVID-19 symptoms to watch for after travelling abroad

You may have come into contact with the virus that causes COVID-19

Organization: Public Health Agency of Canada
Date published: 2020-11-21

Mandatory quarantine

The Government of Canada has put in place emergency measures to slow the introduction and spread of COVID-19 in Canada. You MUST QUARANTINE for 14 days, provide contact information and monitor yourself for signs and symptoms as required by the Minimizing the Risk of Exposure to COVID-19 in Canada Order (Mandatory Isolation).

Your compliance with the requirements below is subject to verification and enforcement. Those in violation may face transfer to a quarantine facility as well as fines and/or imprisonment.

Some provinces and territories (see list on the back of this handout) have additional travel restrictions (for example, no non-essential travel into the province, limited access to certain regions, etc.).

Your 14-day quarantine starts on the day you arrive

• Go directly to your place of quarantine without delay and stay there for the duration of your quarantine.
• Practise physical distancing at all times.
• Avoid stops and contact with others while in transit to quarantine:
  • Use a private vehicle if possible
  • Remain in the vehicle as much as possible
  • Pay at the pump for gas and use drive through when you need food
  • Wear a suitable non-medical mask or face covering at all times unless you are alone in a private vehicle
• You must report the following through the ArriveCAN app, online at Canada.ca/ArriveCAN
• or call 1-833-641-0343:
  • Your arrival at your place of quarantine within 48 hours after entering Canada
  • Your COVID-19 symptom self-assessment every day until the end of your quarantine

A suitable place of quarantine is one where you:

• Have access to the necessities of life without leaving your place of quarantine
• Have a separate bedroom if the space is shared with family/friends who didn't travel with you
• Can limit interactions with others in the household. If spaces, such as a kitchen, are shared:
  • wear a mask or face covering if a 2m distance cannot be maintained;
  • thoroughly and regularly clean common areas after use
• Are not living with those at risk of more severe disease
• Are not in close contact with others who did not travel with you. For example, do not quarantine in:
  • a group or communal living setting, including camps or students dorms unless the location is pre-authorized;
  • a household with a large family or many people
  • a shared small apartment or similar setting

While in quarantine

• Do NOT leave your place of quarantine unless it is for a medical emergency, an essential medical service or treatment, or it is pre-authorized.
• Do NOT have any guests even if you are outside and stay 2m apart from them.
• Use only private outdoor spaces (i.e. balcony).
• Do NOT use shared spaces such as lobbies, courtyards, restaurants, gyms or pools.

You may be called from 1-888-336-7735 to verify your compliance during your 14-day quarantine. You will receive pre-recorded messages and email reminders.

Note that you may also be contacted by provincial or territorial authorities throughout your 14-day quarantine. If federal and provincial or territorial guidelines differ, you should follow the strictest requirements.

You must monitor your health for 14 days

If you start experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19:

• new or worsening cough
• shortness of breath/difficulty breathing
• feeling feverish, chills, or temperature equal to or over 38°C
• Skin changes or rashes (in children)
• muscle or body aches, fatigue, or weakness
• new loss of smell or taste
• headache
• gastrointestinal symptoms like abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, or feeling very unwell

You must:

• Isolate yourself from others immediately
• Follow the COVID-19 instructions of the local public health authority (see below)

The 14-day period starts again if, during your quarantine period, you develop a fever and cough or fever and difficulty breathing, test positive for COVID-19 or if you are exposed to another person subject to this Order who exhibits signs and symptoms or tests positive for COVID-19.

For information on possible exposure to COVID-19 during travel (i.e. cruise ships, flights, public transit, etc.) or on risk factors for increased exposure and/or more severe disease, visit canada.ca/coronavirus.

To help reduce the spread of COVID-19

• Download and use Canada's contact tracing app (COVID Alert).
• Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for 2 minutes or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol.
• Avoid touching your face.
• Cover your mouth and nose with your arm when you cough or sneeze.
• Follow all other public health guidelines in the area you will be visiting.

Public Health Authorities