A week and a half before Canada’s planned reopening, the unions representing Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) employees announced that a majority of members have voted to go on strike, with a strike to begin as soon as August 6.
- From August 9, 2021, Canada will welcome American citizens and permanent residents, who are currently residing in the United States and have been fully vaccinated at least 14 days prior to entering Canada for non-essential travel.
- From September 7, 2021, Canada’s borders will open to all fully vaccinated travelers.
In effect, a strike would cause delays at the border and ports of entry, impact international mail, shipping, and cargo.
Erickson Insights
As of July 27, no strike has yet been called and parties are still negotiating. In the case of a strike, work permit applications would be considered “non-optional/discretionary,” causing delays. However, essential workers will be in place to maintain port of entry processing from the United States.
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.