For persons exempt from mandatory quarantine due to COVID-19

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Organization: Public Health Agency of Canada

Date published: 2021-03-29

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Government of Canada border measures

The Government of Canada has put in place emergency measures to reduce the introduction and spread of COVID-19 and variants of concerns in Canada. All persons entering Canada must quarantine for 14 days (with some exemptions), provide contact information as requested and monitor themselves for signs and symptoms as required by the Minimizing the Risk of Exposure to COVID-19 in Canada Order (Quarantine, Isolation and Other Obligations).

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

Persons exempt from mandatory quarantine

Some persons are not subject to the requirement to quarantine when entering Canada for certain purposes as identified in the Order. Exemption will be validated for each entry into Canada.

• Exemption from mandatory quarantine does not necessarily mean you are exempt from the pre-arrival testing requirement.
• The exemption from quarantine does not apply if you:
  • have signs and symptoms (see below)
  • have reasonable grounds to suspect you have COVID-19 (i.e., due to exposure to someone who has or is suspected to have COVID-19)
• You must disclose this information to the border services officer or quarantine officer who will provide additional instructions
  • You must isolate for 14 days
• While this exemption from the requirement to quarantine may apply to certain individuals entering Canada, some provinces and territories may have additional and different requirements that could affect entry (For example, limited access to certain regions within the province, etc.)
• Please refer to provincial or territorial websites below for more information
• For those who have been required to present a COVID-19 molecular test result on arrival to Canada:
  • retain a copy of the COVID-19 molecular test results for the 14-day period, which begins on the day you enter Canada, or for the 14-day period that begins on the day on which you receive the evidence of that result
  • provide that evidence, upon request, to any Government of Canada or Provincial/Territorial Government official or to the local public health authority of the place where you are located

If you are exempt from quarantine, from the requirement to take the COVID-19 molecular test upon entry into Canada and do not need to enter a government approved accommodation, but had a pre-arrival or pre-departure test, you must retain your pre-travel test evidence for 14 days after entering Canada (or longer, if you become symptomatic or test positive).

If you are identified as an individual who is exempt from the requirement to quarantine, you are still required to do the following:

• Wear a well-constructed, well-fitting non-medical mask to minimize the risk of introducing or spreading COVID-19, if you are in public setting.
• Continually monitor your health for signs and symptoms of COVID-19, including for 14 days each time you re-enter Canada.
• Respect the public health guidance and instructions of the area where you are travelling and prevention measures from your workplace.
• Maintain a list of the names and contact information of each person with whom you came into close contact and the locations visited during that period.

You must monitor your health

For 14 days after each time you enter Canada, if you develop symptoms consistent with COVID-19, such as:

• 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 for a period of 14 days that begins the day you took a COVID-19 test or developed symptoms.
• Follow the COVID-19 instructions of the public health authority in the province or territory where you are located (see contact information below).
• Contact your employer for further instructions related to your work if travelling for work purposes.

While in Canada

• Download and use COVID Alert, Canada's free exposure notification app.
• Maximize your distance from others by staying at least 2 metres from those who are not a part of your immediate household and those at risk of more severe disease or outcomes.
• Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol.
• Practice good hygiene: avoid touching your face, clean and disinfect your surfaces and objects.
• Cover your mouth and nose with your arm when you cough or sneeze.

For more details on how your personal information is collected, used and disclosed by the Public Health Agency of Canada to administer and enforce the Quarantine Act and the Emergency Orders made under it, please visit this website: ArriveCAN Privacy Notice.