Dear Mr Brown,

I am planning to visit my wife who you helped to enrol at Humber College last year. I am wondering if you think I will be able to go there soon and what the state of the COVID-19 pandemic is in Ontario. Is it as bad as Jamaica, in terms of daily increases in infections and deaths?

— BW

Dear BW:

Regarding travel to Canada at this time, those who may travel to and enter Canada include:

• Canadian citizens;

• Permanent residents of Canada;

• Individuals registered under Canada’s Indian Act; and

• Protected people. 

Some foreign nationals

Foreign nationals, including United States (US) citizens, can travel to Canada only if they are eligible. To be eligible to travel to Canada as a foreign national, you must meet one of the following requirements:

• An immediate family member of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident who is staying in Canada for 15 days or more;

• An extended family member of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident who is staying in Canada for 15 days or more; and

• A person who is authorised by the Public Health Agency of Canada to travel to Canada for compassionate reasons. 

All other foreign nationals

To be eligible, you must meet one of the following requirements:

1. You must be travelling directly from the US for an essential (non-discretionary) purpose; or

2. You must be exempt from the travel restrictions. 

Second wave of novel coronavirus

The province of Ontario is reporting another spike in the number of new COVID-19 cases, recording more than 800 new infections on October 20, 2020, which is significantly higher than the 704 cases reported on Monday and 658 cases on Sunday.

The record number of COVID-19 cases in Ontario in a single day was reported on October 9, when 939 new infections were added.

The premier of Ontario, Doug Ford, has sought to implement measures to fight against COVID-19. Ontario is mandating businesses to close or reduce operations in three major cities — Toronto, Ottawa and Peel, a suburban region west of Toronto — after COVID-19 cases hit a record high on the eve of the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend. With the new restrictions rolled out, Ontario is urging people across the province to stay home, except for essential purposes, in certain regions, which will restrict indoor businesses such as bars, gyms, casinos, movie theatres, and restaurant dining rooms. 

National level

At the national level, Canada has reported more than 203,000 COVID-19 cases, with 171,000 recoveries and 9,792 deaths.

Though Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has lamented the second wave of novel coronavirus infections and the country hitting its highest number of cases in a day, he has maintained that the curve can again be flattened.

Across Canada, there have been 250 schools with COVID-19 cases and there continues to be a growing number of outbreaks in long-term care homes, though not yet as many as were seen in the spring. 

Please visit jamaica2canada.com for additional information on Canadian permanent residence programmes, including Express Entry, the Study & Work programme, visas or appeals, etc.

Antonn Brown, BA, (Hons), LLB, MSc, RCIC, is an immigration counsel and an accredited Canadian education agent of JAMAICA2CANADA.COM — a Canadian immigration & education firm in Kingston. Send questions/comments to documents.jamaica2canada@gmail.com