Effective June 21, any foreign national with a valid Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR), regardless of the date of issue, may travel to Canada. This guidance applies to individuals who received their COPR before and after March 18, 2020.
- Previously, only foreign nationals who held a COPR from before March 18, 2020, were exempt from Canada’s COVID-19 travel restrictions.
- Foreign nationals who received their COPR after March 18, 2020, could only come to Canada if they met another exemption or were coming from the US to settle permanently in Canada.
Due to the longstanding travel restrictions, many applicants were not able to travel to Canada before their COPR’s expiration. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is working with applicants who were already exempt from the travel restrictions to reissue them a COPR. For applicants with expired COPRs issued after March 18, 2020, more information on when and how to obtain a new COPR will soon be available on IRCC’s website.
All travelers should follow the flying to Canada requirements checklist or driving to Canada requirements checklist.
Erickson Immigration Group will continue to send updates as more news is available. If you have questions about anything we’re reporting above or case-specific questions, please contact your employer or EIG attorney.