COVID 19: Canada Travel Restrictions and Who Are Immediate Family Members ?

[SANGLSO]

Hi All,

My wife is pregnant and she is due in May and wants her mother to be with her here in Canada around that time but due to travel restrictions put in place I guess she can't travel, she has a valid TRV though.

I heard that there are some exceptions to this travel ban where immediate family members of a Canadian Citizen or a Permanent Resident can still travel to Canada. Does anybody know if my wife being a Permanent Resident can bring her mother if she comes under immediate family member category maybe ?

 

[bellaluna]

No. Parents don't count.

https://orders-in-council.canada.ca/attachment.php?attach=38952&lang=en

Definition of immediate family member

1 In this Order, immediate family member, in respect of a person means

(a)  the spouse or common-law partner of the person;

(b)  a dependent child of the person or of the person’s spouse or common-law partner; or

(c) a dependent child of a dependent child referred to in paragraph (b)‍.

 

[SANGLSO]

Thanks a lot bellaluna for the link .

 

[Cedric11]

Hi All,

The latest announcement already mentioned "close family" rather than "immediate family". Where could we find their definition of close family? My parents have supervisa and already have tickets before the travel ban. Thank you so much for your help.

"These exemptions follow others announced earlier this week, for

• foreign nationals travelling at the invitation of the Canadian government for a purpose related to the containment of COVID-19
• close family members of Canadian citizens
• close family members of Canadian permanent residents"

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2020/03/canada-provides-update-on-exemptions-to-travel-restrictions-to-protect-canadians-and-support-the-economy.html

 

[DiiDii]

Hi All,

The latest announcement already mentioned "close family" rather than "immediate family". Where could we find their definition of close family? My parents have supervisa and already have tickets before the travel ban. Thank you so much for your help.

"These exemptions follow others announced earlier this week, for

• foreign nationals travelling at the invitation of the Canadian government for a purpose related to the containment of COVID-19
• close family members of Canadian citizens
• close family members of Canadian permanent residents"

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2020/03/canada-provides-update-on-exemptions-to-travel-restrictions-to-protect-canadians-and-support-the-economy.html

As the website says... You'll know when sometime next week don't travel until they announce it

 

[Bs65]

Hi All,

The latest announcement already mentioned "close family" rather than "immediate family". Where could we find their definition of close family? My parents have supervisa and already have tickets before the travel ban. Thank you so much for your help.

"These exemptions follow others announced earlier this week, for

• foreign nationals travelling at the invitation of the Canadian government for a purpose related to the containment of COVID-19
• close family members of Canadian citizens
• close family members of Canadian permanent residents"

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2020/03/canada-provides-update-on-exemptions-to-travel-restrictions-to-protect-canadians-and-support-the-economy.html

Only speculation on my part but personally would assume close still means the definition of immediate, spouse and dependant children. This is a common fault with IRCC different people write different web pages and in just using one word over the other they create confusion.

Not sure any visitor visa holders which a super visa is are considered essential travellers.

Also note this statement below in the announcement which seems to imply temporary resident visa holders in the visitor classification, which a Super Visa is, are excluded from the exemption. Add to that as well many health insurance companies are tending to exclude COVID from their policies so something to check as well should the worst happen.

As said just my interpretation and personally if were my parents I would persuade them to stay put for a few months rather than risk travelling. They say airplanes are pretty well filtered but you still have people seated all around and the airport waiting/immigration areas, your choice if visitor travel allowed.

Exemptions to the air travel restrictions will apply to foreign nationals who have already committed to working, studying or making Canada their home, and travel by these individuals will be considered essential travel for land border restrictions.

 

[scylla]

Hi All,

The latest announcement already mentioned "close family" rather than "immediate family". Where could we find their definition of close family? My parents have supervisa and already have tickets before the travel ban. Thank you so much for your help.

"These exemptions follow others announced earlier this week, for

• foreign nationals travelling at the invitation of the Canadian government for a purpose related to the containment of COVID-19
• close family members of Canadian citizens
• close family members of Canadian permanent residents"

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2020/03/canada-provides-update-on-exemptions-to-travel-restrictions-to-protect-canadians-and-support-the-economy.html

It's still limiated to immediate family members (so no parents).

It's clear from the wording in the link above of the above. The link above mentions the new exemptions, and then states: "These exemptions follow others announced earlier this week, for... close family members of Canadian citizens" Nothing has changed with regards to family members with the most recent announcement.

So no changes. Just sloppy wording by IRCC.

 

[SANGLSO]

So that means ...no hope till June 30 for parents of Canadian Citizens / PRs .

 

[scylla]

So that means ...no hope till June 30 for parents of Canadian Citizens / PRs .

Yes - unless they lift the ban early or change the rules further.

But look at it this way, it's really really not wise for parents to be traveling right now. The best thing for their health is to remain home.

 

[Copingwithlife]

Hi All,

My wife is pregnant and she is due in May and wants her mother to be with her here in Canada around that time but due to travel restrictions put in place I guess she can't travel, she has a valid TRV though.

I heard that there are some exceptions to this travel ban where immediate family members of a Canadian Citizen or a Permanent Resident can still travel to Canada. Does anybody know if my wife being a Permanent Resident can bring her mother if she comes under immediate family member category maybe ?

So that means ...no hope till June 30 for parents of Canadian Citizens / PRs .

If they don’t set limitations on what foreign nationals are allowed in, then they just as well let everyone in, and wave a white flag in surrender to the Covid-19

 

[canuck78]

So that means ...no hope till June 30 for parents of Canadian Citizens / PRs .

You can have a very a Canadian delivery and post partum period just father and mother. Fathers in Canada are usually in the delivery room, change diapers, help cook and clean while the wife is recovering or tired, etc. The nurses will teach you the basics and you can ask some questions, you can take parental leave if you are still working and can, there are services like lactation consultants if your wife needs advice about breastfeeding, etc.

 

[Bs65]

Just to add that general advice is that family members who may have existing health conditions which is very often the case with many parents should as far as possible remain apart from other family members until the COVID situation stabilises, the older the parent bigger the risk. Always a balance of risk versus need but to ask parents or to be grandparents to make an intercontinental trip at the present time may not be the best choice for anyone and may worst case be a regrettable choice. Add to that any new travel insurance exclusions since the situation arose.

 

[canuck78]

At the moment most hospitals are also limiting the amount of visitors that can go to hospitals including L&D. Each hospital will have their own policy but my local hospital was allowing only 1 guest with the woman. Some floors have no visitors.

 

[Bs65]

IRCC can be very frustrating at times as per this latest definition of immediate family members contradicting previous definitions

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/coronavirus-special-measures.html

In the Interim Order to Prevent Certain Persons from Boarding Flights to Canada due to COVID-19, immediate family member, in respect of a person, means

• (a) the spouse or common-law partner of the person
• (b) a dependent child of the person or of the person’s spouse or common-law partner
• (c) a dependent child of a dependent child referred to in paragraph (b)
• (d) the parent or step-parent of the person or of the person’s spouse or common-law partner
• (e) the guardian or tutor of the person

 

[Cedric11]

Hi @Bs65

Can you please share the link where they said parents are part of immediate family? I was unable to find it. Thanks so much