COPR and coronavirus
- Thread starter zeus89
- Start date
Much work has done been! Thank you for your time.Long Post Alert - Landing experience in Toronto after the new mandatory hotel regulations
COPR expired on June 12, 2020. Raised 4 webforms. Got new Counterfoil details on Jan 7th with an expiry date of Feb 27. Got AL only on Feb 12th. Booked tickets on Air india( Chennai - Delhi - Toronto) on Feb 21st.
Travel docs that i had kept:
Passport, Expired COPR, AL, Covid report, Arrive Can receipt, Switch health registration.
Travel Experience:
Emigration was done in chennai itself. They had a few queries and when i explained to them about the whole scenario of expired COPR and AL, they had let me through. Flight was moderately crowded. Reached Delhi and headed straight to the boarding gate. There was an officer there who asked for the AL and related docs. Then got onto the flight. Flight was a little crowded but all middle seats were empty. Not much service due to covid. Reached Canada at 8.15 am. Covid test reports were frquently asked so always keep that at hand.
Immigration check:
After getting off the flight, they had us moved to a waiting zone. In the zone, the Public health officials were only letting people with hotel bookings through. Rest were made to sit down. There were about 40-50 people. We tried telling them that the phone number IRCC provided dint work as ithad more than 2-3 hours waiting. They were not able to make any decisions but just made us sit for atleast 30-40 mins. They even confirmed that only phone bookings are accepted and not website bookings as this quarantine stay is of a different plan. Then finally they asked everyone to proceed to the immigration counters.
Immigration check 1
The officer asked for Passport, AL, Covid report, Declaration form ( you'll be filling this in the flight) and Arrive can receipt. Pretty standard. Then he asked if i have a hotel booking for 3 day quarantine. I told no. Then he asked where will you be staying. I told him at my friends place and gave him all details. Then he stuck a blue sticker on my passport and sent me to the next checking counter.
Immigration check 2
This was a long line where there was a detailed check. The officers were questioning everyone related to the quarantine plan. That was pretty much the only mandate for CBSA officers that day. I went up to the officer. She saw my AL and understood i was exempt. She knew the process and dint ask any questions. She asked for a new photograph to be stuck on the new COPR. She welcomed me to Canada and told me that i'll be getting my PR card within 3-4 months. Then she told me that i will have to stay at a hotel for the 3 day quarantine and asked me to proceed downstairs.
Baggage collect
I collected my bags, handed over my declaration form to the last officer and went out.
Hotel quarantine
Usually after the baggage claim, its exit to the city but not this timeThere are Public health canada officials waiting outside for you. They'll ask to show back of your passport. If you have the blue sticker that means you have to go for the 3 day hotel quarantine. The officials led me to a room where there were lot of agents there to help you with the stay. They give you the four hotel's phone number where u can book your stay. If you dont have a phone, you can use the phone in the room to book. I tried explaining to many agents that, i have been asked by the government to come before Feb 27 to claim my PR status which makes me essential. I travelled for an essential purpose. I showed them my AL too. They took it and they discussed it with senior officers and asked me what my profession was. I told them it was IT. They went back again and discussed with the senior officers. And then they said only if youre into medicine or other essential services you are exempt, else you have to quarantine for 3 days. Being left with no choice, i asked my friend from canada to book the hotel via phone. Got the hotel booked for 3 nights. Feb 22-25. Got the confirmation no to my email. We'll have to show that email to the health officials and only then they'll let you out. These are not normal prices, they are higher than the normal bookings. I booked my stay at Sheraton gateway. This is at the airport itself. You have to catch a train to go to terminal 3 and then just outside the train is the hotel. Hotel list can be found on the Canada immigration website.
Covid Test
Next was the covid test. You would have registered earlier with the switch health website. Just tell them your email id so that they can link the results to your account. The test was simple. Collected swab from the nose and not the mouth. They gave me a Covid home test kit. I guess this is for the end of the 14 day test. And then I was asked to leave.
Cab to the hotel
3 out of 4 hotels in Pearson airport will have the shuttle service to pick you up and drop you to the hotel. 4th one is Sheraton gateway which is in terminal 3. I reached the hotel using the train service. One stop from terminal 1.
At the Hotel
You need to have a credit card to confirm your booking. They dont accept cash. 319$ plus tax per night. Out of 319$, 125$ belongs your food cost. Basically you have an allowance of 125$ per day to order food. Breakfast, dinner and lunch. If you underuse, its your loss, if you overuse you get charged the extra amount. According to me, i dont think anyone is going to use all the 125$ per day as there are only limited food options. This is the policy at Sheraton gateway. Every other hotel would have their own rule. So in total, it was 414$ per night inclusive of tax.
My opinon
While i appreciate the intention of trying to curb the virus spread, the process was pathetic. No official had any idea of the hotel quarantine plans. They were just following orders without understanding the travellers pain. We were not allowed to book through the website, We were not able to reach the toll free number as it has like 3 plus hour wait time. Once they decided that you can call the hotel and book, how do they expect everyone to call when most of them were first time entrants to Canada who dint have local phone numbers. And at the hotel, they were asking only for credit card which also dint make sense because majority of them are first time entrants to Canada and wouldnt have cards. But at the end of the day, they would make one arrangement or the other, understand your situation and accomodate it. By the time they do that, it would atleast be 4-5 hours. I landed at 8.15 am and checked in to the hotel at 2 pm.
Anyone travelling in the coming days, request you to call the hotel from India and book. The government approved hotels now understand what is required and would be able to reserve your stay for 3 days. Phone numbers would be in google. About the payment, please check with the respective hotel.
Will answer any queries.
I also have to say it looks like a big joke.
gl mate
Hi,Long Post Alert - Landing experience in Toronto after the new mandatory hotel regulations
COPR expired on June 12, 2020. Raised 4 webforms. Got new Counterfoil details on Jan 7th with an expiry date of Feb 27. Got AL only on Feb 12th. Booked tickets on Air india( Chennai - Delhi - Toronto) on Feb 21st.
Travel docs that i had kept:
Passport, Expired COPR, AL, Covid report, Arrive Can receipt, Switch health registration.
Travel Experience:
Emigration was done in chennai itself. They had a few queries and when i explained to them about the whole scenario of expired COPR and AL, they had let me through. Flight was moderately crowded. Reached Delhi and headed straight to the boarding gate. There was an officer there who asked for the AL and related docs. Then got onto the flight. Flight was a little crowded but all middle seats were empty. Not much service due to covid. Reached Canada at 8.15 am. Covid test reports were frquently asked so always keep that at hand.
Immigration check:
After getting off the flight, they had us moved to a waiting zone. In the zone, the Public health officials were only letting people with hotel bookings through. Rest were made to sit down. There were about 40-50 people. We tried telling them that the phone number IRCC provided dint work as ithad more than 2-3 hours waiting. They were not able to make any decisions but just made us sit for atleast 30-40 mins. They even confirmed that only phone bookings are accepted and not website bookings as this quarantine stay is of a different plan. Then finally they asked everyone to proceed to the immigration counters.
Immigration check 1
The officer asked for Passport, AL, Covid report, Declaration form ( you'll be filling this in the flight) and Arrive can receipt. Pretty standard. Then he asked if i have a hotel booking for 3 day quarantine. I told no. Then he asked where will you be staying. I told him at my friends place and gave him all details. Then he stuck a blue sticker on my passport and sent me to the next checking counter.
Immigration check 2
This was a long line where there was a detailed check. The officers were questioning everyone related to the quarantine plan. That was pretty much the only mandate for CBSA officers that day. I went up to the officer. She saw my AL and understood i was exempt. She knew the process and dint ask any questions. She asked for a new photograph to be stuck on the new COPR. She welcomed me to Canada and told me that i'll be getting my PR card within 3-4 months. Then she told me that i will have to stay at a hotel for the 3 day quarantine and asked me to proceed downstairs.
Baggage collect
I collected my bags, handed over my declaration form to the last officer and went out.
Hotel quarantine
Usually after the baggage claim, its exit to the city but not this time
Covid Test
Next was the covid test. You would have registered earlier with the switch health website. Just tell them your email id so that they can link the results to your account. The test was simple. Collected swab from the nose and not the mouth. They gave me a Covid home test kit. I guess this is for the end of the 14 day test. And then I was asked to leave.
Cab to the hotel
3 out of 4 hotels in Pearson airport will have the shuttle service to pick you up and drop you to the hotel. 4th one is Sheraton gateway which is in terminal 3. I reached the hotel using the train service. One stop from terminal 1.
At the Hotel
You need to have a credit card to confirm your booking. They dont accept cash. 319$ plus tax per night. Out of 319$, 125$ belongs your food cost. Basically you have an allowance of 125$ per day to order food. Breakfast, dinner and lunch. If you underuse, its your loss, if you overuse you get charged the extra amount. According to me, i dont think anyone is going to use all the 125$ per day as there are only limited food options. This is the policy at Sheraton gateway. Every other hotel would have their own rule. So in total, it was 414$ per night inclusive of tax.
My opinon
While i appreciate the intention of trying to curb the virus spread, the process was pathetic. No official had any idea of the hotel quarantine plans. They were just following orders without understanding the travellers pain. We were not allowed to book through the website, We were not able to reach the toll free number as it has like 3 plus hour wait time. Once they decided that you can call the hotel and book, how do they expect everyone to call when most of them were first time entrants to Canada who dint have local phone numbers. And at the hotel, they were asking only for credit card which also dint make sense because majority of them are first time entrants to Canada and wouldnt have cards. But at the end of the day, they would make one arrangement or the other, understand your situation and accomodate it. By the time they do that, it would atleast be 4-5 hours. I landed at 8.15 am and checked in to the hotel at 2 pm.
Anyone travelling in the coming days, request you to call the hotel from India and book. The government approved hotels now understand what is required and would be able to reserve your stay for 3 days. Phone numbers would be in google. About the payment, please check with the respective hotel.
Will answer any queries.
Thanks for the detailed post.
How did you choose immigration at Chennai instead of Delhi? Did you booked through air india website or through their agent?
https://portal.switchhealth.ca/
Register here. Choose OTP authentication via email. This is basically to track your test results. It’ll be published here.
Prior to boarding the Indian airplane officials insist on booking. But by the time u take the flight, I guess they’ll make it a mandate. You can always give them reasons that they’re not picking up the phone and you’ll be able to book it once you reach Canada. Don’t worry about the booking part. You can book it once you’re here too. They’ll help u with it
Booked through the official site. I dint chose anything. I expected an emigration check at Delhi but there wasn’t one.
Hi all,
I got al to travel before april 2021 but
My husband(primary applicant) didnt get his landing email.
What can we do now?
Thanks in advance !!
I got al to travel before april 2021 but
My husband(primary applicant) didnt get his landing email.
What can we do now?
Thanks in advance !!
Guys I'm trying to get a travel exemption but every time I sent them an email I received this:
MAILER-DAEMON@cic.gc.ca
Your message was not delivered.
The message size exceeded 5MB.
Please reduce the size of your message and try again.
Thank you.
---
My file is not even 4.5M !
MAILER-DAEMON@cic.gc.ca
Your message was not delivered.
The message size exceeded 5MB.
Please reduce the size of your message and try again.
Thank you.
---
My file is not even 4.5M !
I packed all the necessary documents for this. But still couldn't get my email delivered!!
They have updated the website and clearly put it in bold that direct booking through the hotel website is not allowed.
https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/latest-travel-health-advice/mandatory-hotel-stay-air-travellers/list-government-authorized-hotels-booking.html
Looks like, we will have to call the numbers and wait for someone to answer our calls. Sigh.