Hey everyone!
So, I took the risk and now as a PR, I’d like to share my experience of travelling during covid restrictions.
I am not from any of the exemptions groups. No relatives in Canada. No job. No work permit. No sponsor. No compassionate reasons. No Authorisation Letter.
Nationality: Brazil.
Country of Residence: Ireland.
Office: London
Stream: PNP-Outland
17/02/2018 - Creation of Saskatchewan Nominee Program (SNIP) profile (75/100 points)
27/02/2019 - ITA Saskatchewan - Skilled Workers: Occupation in Demand - 4151 - Psychologists
08/08/2019 - Saskatchewan Nomination (1013 points - EE)
12/08/2019 - ITA Express Entry
30/08/2019 - Medical Exam done (in Ireland)
24/09/2019 - Biometrics done [VAC Dublin]
07/04/2020 - Medical Pass
13/08/2020 - Passport Request [Etobicoke forwarding back to London Office]
20/08/2020 - Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR)
26/08/2020 - Passport received at home with PRV
CoPR and Medical valid until April/2021.
I raised around 7 webforms saying I was ready to travel, with quarantine plan, etc, but only got generic responses.
Mailing PHAC they replied “By way of this email, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) is of the opinion that you would likely be permitted entry to Canada, and would not likely be exempt from quarantine, based on the assessment below.”
CBSA replied: All decisions with regards to entry into Canada and exemptions to mandatory quarantine ultimately rest with the CBSA Border Services Officer (BSO) at the port of entry. Note that there are several factors that BSOs must take into account before determining whether a person is admissible into Canada, and each person will be dealt with in person on a case-by-case basis. The burden of proof rests with the foreign national seeking entry to Canada to satisfy the BSO they are admissible in accordance with the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and Regulations. In general a person must have in their possession appropriate travel documents and be personally admissible into Canada and support the validity of their activity.”
Attaching these two e-mails (no official letters, no signature or official paper) I created a folder with all my documents, Covid test, Airbnb, ArriveCAN, etc.
There’s only one direct flight AirCanada 843 (Dublin-Toronto). Latter December I booked for 31/1, connecting to Saskatoon. On Thursday 14/01/21 my flight was cancelled. Calling the airline, I’ve decided to anticipate to fly on 17/01/21.
At the airport in Dublin: during check-in at the counter (15min) the staff requested my passport, ArriveCAN and Covid test. She saw the PRV on my passport (issued on 20/08/20), asked me to low down the mask, matched info with ArriveCan, printed my boarding passes and said: have a safe trip! (no extra questions at all).
Security, normal.
At gate, I scanned my boarding pass, they checked my temperature and I got into the plane. (again, no further questions).
Toronto first check questions:
-Where did you come from?
-Have you been to the UK, or South America of the last 14 days?
-Do you have a negative covid test?
-ArriveCAN
-Place for quarantine? Who will deliver food?
-What’s the purpose of your trip? (I showed the COPR)
-Welcome to Canada! (10min)
(no questions about exemption, date of CoPR, Authorisation Letter, etc).
She guided me to the second check with Immigration:
-The officer requested Passport, CoPR, covid test, bank statement (mine was printed online from online banking), ArriveCAN, Address for PR card. She asked me to confirm and sign the info from my CoPR, signed my CoPR and passport, collected my fingerprints, gave me papers regarding SIN, Canadian documents, PR card. Wished me a good flight to Saskatoon and welcomed me as a new PR in Canada. (20min).
Toronto Airport was very quiet and the whole process was pretty quick. I didn’t have any hassle, no trouble, no extra questions, no intentions to deny entry from anyone. I had a folder with 40+ documents (from police certificates, professional licenses, EE profile, etc), and I only have to show: 1 - Passport, 2 - CoPR, 3 - PRV, 4 - ArriveCAN, 5 - Quarantine Plan, 6 - Proof of funds, 7 - Covid test. That was all.
Good luck you all!
