COPR and coronavirus

[SWB]

Actually i prefer not to travel during this time. I am just worried if an extension would be provided with copr.

Exactly.what if travel ban lifts and we still don't want to travel till situation normalizes

 

[SCOTCAD]

They have.

For returning Canadians, not for COPR holders. You would however be treated/tested for corona issues for free however.

 

[SCOTCAD]

Thought I'd type up my landing experience for anyone interested. For reference, I had a COPR for FSW express entry and my common-law partner is a Canadian citizen. I flew direct from Glasgow to Toronto on the 26th March.

Checking in for the flight

Upon arrival there was moderate queues to check-in, they advise to arrive 3 hours before the flight (which was at 11am). This is where I encountered my first issue. Air Transat initially said I would not be allowed to board the plane with my COPR only, I had to provide documentation to prove my common-law status and the evidence that immediate family members of citizens could travel. I appreciate this situation has now changed in that COPR's can now travel, however I would strongly recommend you print off and bring the proof of this from the Canadian government websites and highlight the relevant sections. I was held up for around 40 minutes at check-in as they had called Canada to get confirmation if I would be allowed to complete the landing process. I got there in the end, however likely would have not have done had I not had all my documents categorised and organised to present to the Air Transat staff.

The flight

The plane was not too busy so every passenger was separated by at least 1 seat which gave more room and made sense to reduce the proximity of travellers. There was no meal service on the flight, instead we were given a sealed bag with a sandwich, croissant, chocolates, pringles and a bottle of water. I would advise dependant on the length of your flight to purchase some additional snacks before boarding the plane as the onboard service is limited due to the circumstances. Other than that, the flight was uneventful and took off and landed on time.

Immigration

I had downloaded the e-declarations app which produces a barcode you scan at the electronic terminals in Toronto when you first land. This essentially replaces the paper card they used to hand out on the flight for items to declare. This was arriving in terminal 3 in toronto, I do not believe terminal 1 has this facility yet. This process took all of 1 minute from scanning my app to answering a few further questions on the terminal, a paper slip is then printed off with your picture taken by the machine. This was extremely quiet and I was the first person in the queue to see the first set of immigration officers, no waiting at all. I said I was landing with a COPR and my partner was a citizen, the agent highlighted my slip with a pink highlighter and I was then directed to a secondary office.

This is where things took a slight turn for the worst, there was around 8-10 officers sitting at kiosks all on their phones and looked rather bored. I was the only person in the office so stood at the front of the queue and waited for someone to call me to their desk. The officer initially gave me a complete dressing down and said it was extremely irresponsible for me to have flown and I was putting myself and others at risk. I tried to explain i travelled in line with the Canadian government regulations however he did not seem impressed either way. He asked me to take a seat and asked mt to provide ALL of my documentation. I was sat for around half an hour whilst he went through almost every document I had. After a long and nervous wait he eventually called me over to sign the COPR's and then went over the isolation procedures. He asked me several times what my plans were to isolate which I had already got in place (I am currently in self isolation in my in-laws basement for the next two weeks). Be sure to have a plan and clear explanation of how you plan to isolate, the officers will grill you on this and be prepared to answer some more difficult questions about funds and how you plan to work etc given the restrictions.

Customs

As I was stuck in immigration for a while all my bags were offloaded off the carousel already when I went through to collect baggage. All my goods were accompanying so I had made two lists of everything I had and rough values. I went to the customs agent who asked if I had any goods to follow and I said no, he then explained to me he didn't need to see any paperwork and just waved me through. This was very quick and again there were no queues whatsoever.


All in all, considering the circumstances the trip was okay other than the immigration part where the officers are very suspicious and are looking for you to give a clear plan of how you are planning to manage in lock-down. I will stress this again, ensure you have a legitimate plan to isolate and way to support yourself over the next few months.

Health checks

At no point was I stopped and physically checked for symtoms of the virus. Argents do stop you to hand you an information sheet of how to self isolate and the penalties for not doing so when you land before you reach immigration, however this does not involve temperature checks etc. The airline also did not at any point ask me or check for symptoms. You will be asked on the electronic terminal to declare if you have symptoms. It is made very clear at all points the penalties for not self-isolating. You could face up to 6 months in prison and a $750,000 fine for not following self isolation as per the new law.


Any questions, just ask.

 

[Soph971]

Thought I'd type up my landing experience for anyone interested. For reference, I had a COPR for FSW express entry and my common-law partner is a Canadian citizen. I flew direct from Glasgow to Toronto on the 26th March.

Checking in for the flight

Upon arrival there was moderate queues to check-in, they advise to arrive 3 hours before the flight (which was at 11am). This is where I encountered my first issue. Air Transat initially said I would not be allowed to board the plane with my COPR only, I had to provide documentation to prove my common-law status and the evidence that immediate family members of citizens could travel. I appreciate this situation has now changed in that COPR's can now travel, however I would strongly recommend you print off and bring the proof of this from the Canadian government websites and highlight the relevant sections. I was held up for around 40 minutes at check-in as they had called Canada to get confirmation if I would be allowed to complete the landing process. I got there in the end, however likely would have not have done had I not had all my documents categorised and organised to present to the Air Transat staff.

The flight

The plane was not too busy so every passenger was separated by at least 1 seat which gave more room and made sense to reduce the proximity of travellers. There was no meal service on the flight, instead we were given a sealed bag with a sandwich, croissant, chocolates, pringles and a bottle of water. I would advise dependant on the length of your flight to purchase some additional snacks before boarding the plane as the onboard service is limited due to the circumstances. Other than that, the flight was uneventful and took off and landed on time.

Immigration

I had downloaded the e-declarations app which produces a barcode you scan at the electronic terminals in Toronto when you first land. This essentially replaces the paper card they used to hand out on the flight for items to declare. This was arriving in terminal 3 in toronto, I do not believe terminal 1 has this facility yet. This process took all of 1 minute from scanning my app to answering a few further questions on the terminal, a paper slip is then printed off with your picture taken by the machine. This was extremely quiet and I was the first person in the queue to see the first set of immigration officers, no waiting at all. I said I was landing with a COPR and my partner was a citizen, the agent highlighted my slip with a pink highlighter and I was then directed to a secondary office.

This is where things took a slight turn for the worst, there was around 8-10 officers sitting at kiosks all on their phones and looked rather bored. I was the only person in the office so stood at the front of the queue and waited for someone to call me to their desk. The officer initially gave me a complete dressing down and said it was extremely irresponsible for me to have flown and I was putting myself and others at risk. I tried to explain i travelled in line with the Canadian government regulations however he did not seem impressed either way. He asked me to take a seat and asked mt to provide ALL of my documentation. I was sat for around half an hour whilst he went through almost every document I had. After a long and nervous wait he eventually called me over to sign the COPR's and then went over the isolation procedures. He asked me several times what my plans were to isolate which I had already got in place (I am currently in self isolation in my in-laws basement for the next two weeks). Be sure to have a plan and clear explanation of how you plan to isolate, the officers will grill you on this and be prepared to answer some more difficult questions about funds and how you plan to work etc given the restrictions.

Customs

As I was stuck in immigration for a while all my bags were offloaded off the carousel already when I went through to collect baggage. All my goods were accompanying so I had made two lists of everything I had and rough values. I went to the customs agent who asked if I had any goods to follow and I said no, he then explained to me he didn't need to see any paperwork and just waved me through. This was very quick and again there were no queues whatsoever.


All in all, considering the circumstances the trip was okay other than the immigration part where the officers are very suspicious and are looking for you to give a clear plan of how you are planning to manage in lock-down. I will stress this again, ensure you have a legitimate plan to isolate and way to support yourself over the next few months.

Health checks

At no point was I stopped and physically checked for symtoms of the virus. Argents do stop you to hand you an information sheet of how to self isolate and the penalties for not doing so when you land before you reach immigration, however this does not involve temperature checks etc. The airline also did not at any point ask me or check for symptoms. You will be asked on the electronic terminal to declare if you have symptoms. It is made very clear at all points the penalties for not self-isolating. You could face up to 6 months in prison and a $750,000 fine for not following self isolation as per the new law.


Any questions, just ask.

 

[Soph971]

Thank you so much this is very helpful.
Happy to see that you managed to make it in the end.

If I understand you do not need to declare anything when you do not good that should follow you at the later stage ? Is that correct?

Did you manage to do your SIN at the airport on your arrival ? If not did you at least see wether the kiosk of service Canada was opened ?

 

[SCOTCAD]

Thank you so much this is very helpful.
Happy to see that you managed to make it in the end.

If I understand you do not need to declare anything when you do not good that should follow you at the later stage ? Is that correct?

Did you manage to do your SIN at the airport on your arrival ? If not did you at least see wether the kiosk of service Canada was opened ?

I'm not 100% sure about the first question, I had prepared two lists (one for them and one for me) and gave it to the agent however he was only interested if I had any goods to follow. Unless you're bringing something especially unusual with you I don't think they are too interested.

I didn't manage to get my SIN at the airport unfortunately, I wasn't aware of the desk being open. As far as I'm aware service Canada offices are shut for the time being so you may need to do a postal application (which I will too once I'm out of isolation).

 

[ankurgupta325]

I want to believe that this should apply to other local visa offices. I hope it does.

Yes, it can't be country specific. Similar announcement s were made by Brazil and UK Canada high commissions

 

[CountessO]

No it is for returning citizens.plus it is not on the official site

okay.

 

[CountessO]

It is very much updated on the Ontario government's official website and that official link has been shared by a member above.

Thank you.

 

[smpbcpr]

Hi,

I got the below reply from IRCC for the Webform raised on 3/23. I had conveyed that I would not be able to travel.
My CoPR approval date is 3/13 and CoPR expires on 4/27.

Reply from IRCC

Good day,

Thank you for contacting Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

Coronavirus - Approved PRs
We verified the information you provided. The Government of Canada is closely monitoring the new coronavirus (COVID-19) and its impact on IRCC clients.
If you are outside Canada:
On March 20, 2020, the Government of Canada provided updates on exemptions to travel restrictions in place to stop the spread of the coronavirus and protect the health and safety of Canadians.
If you were approved for permanent residence before the travel restrictions were announced on March 16, 2020, but have not landed yet, you will be able to come to Canada. The travel restriction exemptions that were announced are now in place. If you’re exempt, you can now travel to Canada.
If you’re travelling by air, you need to pass a health check before you’re allowed to board your flight. Anyone who shows symptoms of COVID-19 will not be allowed to enter Canada by air.
When you arrive in Canada we’ll assess your health before you leave the port of entry. You must isolate for 14 days even if you have no symptoms. This is mandatory.
Only people who provide essential services and truck drivers who regularly cross the border to maintain the flow of goods are exempt from the isolation requirements.
We invite you to consult the How COVID-19 is affecting business at IRCC page to answer your most common questions about travel restrictions and exemptions.

If you are inside Canada:
We understand that these measures will affect several IRCC clients, including those who have received a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) and are currently inside Canada.
Validating a COPR at a Port of Entry (POE)
· Due to the current travel restrictions, you should not travel to a POE to validate your COPR.
· Travelling to a POE from inside Canada for the purpose of getting immigration services is not considered essential travel, and you will not receive these services.

Appointment at a local IRCC office
· All in-person permanent resident landing appointments at the local IRCC offices have been cancelled.
· We are looking into alternative means to provide permanent resident landing services, including possibly by telephone.
· You will be contacted directly to reschedule your appointment.
· Local offices are reduced to critical services, therefore, no appointments can be scheduled at this time.

What happens next?
· Maintaining a legal temporary resident status is an important requirement. If your status is about to expire, you must apply online for an extension (visitor, student or worker).
· We invite you to visit our website regularly to receive up-to-date information as more announcements are made.

Please be assured that we continue to closely monitor the situation closely and will provide you with the most current information as the situation evolves.

Sincerely,

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada


________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I clicked on the link "How COVID-19 is affecting business at IRCC" and found the below

When will the exemptions be in place? Should people being exempt rush to Canada immediately?
Temporary foreign workers, some international students and approved permanent residents who haven’t yet landed are now able to enter Canada.
The travel restriction exemptions that were announced are now in place. If you’re exempt, you can now travel to Canada.
If you’re travelling by air, you need to pass a health check before you’re allowed to board your flight. Anyone who shows symptoms of COVID-19 will not be allowed to enter Canada by air.
When you arrive in Canada we’ll assess your health before you leave the port of entry. You must isolate for 14 days even if you have no symptoms. This is mandatory.
Only people who provide essential services and truck drivers who regularly cross the border to maintain the flow of goods are exempt from the isolation requirements.

With travel restrictions in place in many countries around the world and international air travel reduced during the COVID-19 outbreak, we don’t recommend that those who are exempt from travel restrictions immediately try to travel to Canada.

 

[smpbcpr]

So assuming that your airline does not cancel your end April flight which is still possible as airlines are continuing to park planes and temporarily layoff staff April/May due the worldwide travel restrictions making simply impossible to operate , the emergency travel restrictions including exemptions that Canada has in place are currently valid through June 30th.

What this means is that it is likely that although there are travel exemptions that those exemptions are conditional on a self isolation for 14 days which was just made mandatory, no public transport use, no stopping off to acommodation and non compliance subject to upto 750k fine or 6 months in jail.

Personally I cannot see Canada relaxing this isolation rule for international arrivals for the next couple of months at least, hopefully they simply have the sense not to relax it given even Chinas numbers after 2 months are showing most new infections now are people arriving into China.

So based on your other post your soft landing window, assuming the isolation rule stays which hopefully from a Canadian viewpoint it does , is not viable at this point. Having said that given you have followed the procedure to raise a webform recording your travel issues so you should be in the system for a reply when IRCC decide what action to take .

This comment not any help but in hindsight as as been stressed on here many times to many posters even though everfyone has their reasons that it is never a good plan to leave it until the last week before a COPR expires even without the COVID situation given there is no contingency for the unexpected. If the circumstances were normal then whilst everyone has the right to arrive just in time if failure to arrive were any other reason other than a global pandemic a new immigrant would have a hard challenge getting any sympathy from IRCC for missing the COPR date.

Canada by the way has no 6 month passport validty date although of course cannot speak to India or any transit countries.

https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/threads/passport-validity-less-than-6-months-at-time-of-entry.542671/

Thanks for your response.
I got a generic response to the Webform I raised. Seems like we need to wait until the restrictions in India are lifted. Also IRCC delhi has posted on their FB page that they will provide with further guidance for people whose CoPR has expired.
It is a wait and watch game now with more countries enforcing lockdown (latest is UAE). I hope the situation gets better soon and we have much clear guidance from Governments across the world

 

[Ali99947]

Is anyone here traveling to Canada from Pakistan soon? Does anyone know an official or reliable link to check for travel restrictions imposed by the Government of Pakistan?

 

[Soph971]

I'm not 100% sure about the first question, I had prepared two lists (one for them and one for me) and gave it to the agent however he was only interested if I had any goods to follow. Unless you're bringing something especially unusual with you I don't think they are too interested.

I didn't manage to get my SIN at the airport unfortunately, I wasn't aware of the desk being open. As far as I'm aware service Canada offices are shut for the time being so you may need to do a postal application (which I will too once I'm out of isolation).

Ok Roger that ! Thank you so much . All my best wishes for your settling and new life in Canada.
Stay safe!

 

[SCOTCAD]

Ok Roger that ! Thank you so much . All my best wishes for your settling and new life in Canada.
Stay safe!

Likewise to you!

As I say the main takeaway from my experience is ensure you have a good plan for isolation as the border agent will likely ask.

 

[Ziyad]

GOOD NEWS: IRCC Delhi just announced on FB page:

""Please be advised that anyone who is unable to travel to Canada to confirm their permanent resident status due to travel restrictions will be contacted.
IRCC Delhi will advise what steps need to be followed in order to travel to Canada after the travel restrictions have been lifted.""

That’s good news! Does this mean that all Canadian embassies around the world will get in touch with those applicants who were unable to travel?