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As Canada sees a surge in COVID-19 cases involving聽new聽variants,聽the federal government announced聽on聽April 22聽that it will introduce tighter travel restrictions聽to halt potential spread聽and protect Canadians.聽

The travel restrictions include the banning of all passenger and business flights from India and Pakistan starting at 11:30 p.m. EST on April 22, 2021, for 30 days.

However, cargo flights carrying vaccines and protective equipment will continue to be allowed to enter Canada.

Those who travel to Canada from India or Pakistan via an indirect route will need to obtain a negative COVID-19 test from their last point of departure, according to Omar Alghabra, Canada鈥檚 transport minister.

According to the federal government, there were 35 flights that arrived in Canada with at least one COVID-19 case, in the last two weeks.

This is not the first time Canada has taken聽such a聽measure.聽In December 2020, international flights from聽the U.K.聽were banned for聽more than聽two weeks, after a new COVID-19 variant was discovered there.

India variant cause for concern in Canada

The variant is聽called B.1.6.1.7.聽According to Dr. Howard Njoo, Canada鈥檚 deputy chief public health officer, the variant is not a variant of concern (VOC), but a variant of interest.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e labelled at some point a variant of interest, and then at a certain point if it looks like there鈥檚 obviously implications for public health, be it being more transmissible, maybe causing more severe health outcomes, then it becomes a designated variant of concern,鈥� said Njoo.

Some vaccines may be less effective with the new variant. Speaking to CBC News,聽Dr. Cora Constantinescu of the Vaccine Hesitancy Clinic at the Alberta Children鈥檚 Hospital said, 鈥淭here are two mutations in it that gives it the ability to be more transmissible to possibly escape some vaccine responses and to be more severe.鈥�

On Thursday, India recorded the highest number of new COVID-19 cases in a single day in the world, with more than 314,000 new infections reported and 2,104 new virus-related deaths.聽In total, the country has over 15.9 million COVID-19 cases, the second highest after the U.S.

India has the second highest population in the world, with over 1.3 billion people.

What do international travellers to Canada need to know?

Currently, international聽travellers聽need to show proof of a COVID-19 test聽taken within 72 hours聽before聽travelling to Canada, whether by air or by land.聽Travellers聽by air聽are also required to take another test upon arrival in Canada.

These聽travellers聽must then quarantine at a government-approved hotel for three days while they wait for their results. After they are cleared, they are still required to travel to their final location where they will continue their 14-day quarantine.

Towards the end of their quarantine period, they will be required to once again take a COVID-19 test.

Canada鈥檚 travel restrictions

Canada introduced travel restrictions in March 2020 to curb the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The travel restrictions have been in place since. All non-essential travel to Canada continues to be restricted.

The following is a list of those who are exempt of the travel restrictions and can enter Canada:

• Canadian citizens;
• permanent residents of Canada;
• immediate or extended family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents;
• temporary foreign workers;
• international students who are attending a designated learning institution that has a COVID-19 readiness plan;
• holders of a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) that was issued before March 18, 2020;
• individuals coming to Canada for compassionate reasons such as to be present during the final moments of life of a loved one;
• protected persons;
• persons registered under Canada鈥檚 Indian Act;
• transiting passengers.

Holders of a COPR that was issued after March 18, 2020 are still not allowed to travel to Canada at this time.

Canada grappling with third wave

Canadian provinces are facing a surge in COVID-19 cases, prompting stricter lockdown measures. Ontario has seen over 3,000 daily cases since early April. As a consequence, the province implemented a stay-at-home order and prohibited outdoor social gatherings for members of different households, as well as other measures.

As for Quebec, most areas in the province face an 8 p.m. or a 9.30 p.m. curfew. B.C. also introduced strict lockdown measures.

In the meantime, Canada is placing its focus on transitioning temporary residents in Canada to permanent residence status. This is in line with the country鈥檚 commitment to reach the 401,000 immigration target it set for itself. Such efforts include draws that are specific to the (CEC), as well as the introduction of six new immigration streams.

These streams will help healthcare workers, other essential workers, international graduates and French-speakers living in Canada get permanent residence. The streams are set to launch on May 6, 2021.

(IRCC) has said it looks forward to welcoming skilled immigrants from overseas when the COVID-19 situation improves.

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