Overseas Students Temporarily Suspended To Enter Ontario

Following discussions with the provinces on April 29, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that international students would be denied entry to Ontario for the time being.

In a press conference, Ontario Premier Doug Ford pleaded with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to combat the spread of coronavirus. He requested that the federal government halt the arrival of international students.

“Because Ontario is currently the only province that has requested it, we are delighted to work more closely with them,” Trudeau said at a press conference.

Although neither provincial nor federal governments have stated when or how long the change will be in effect, entry into Canada is under the federal government’s jurisdiction. Any provincial request affecting international travel must be approved and enforced by the federal government in Ottawa.

International students attending certain educational institutions are currently exempt from Canada’s travel restrictions. They must comply with the mandatory quarantine requirements and COVID-19 tests, just like any other non-essential traveller to Canada.

Several calls for tighter border controls accompany Ford’s request to halt international student travel to Ontario. Land border crossers should be subjected to the same three-day hotel quarantine as air travellers, according to the premier.

The situation with the coronavirus in Ontario

On April 29, Ontario had the newest cases reported of any province, with 4,715 reported. In mid-April, Ontario’s hospitals admitted an all-time high number of patients. At its peak, nearly 2,400 people were hospitalised.

Officials in Ontario anticipate that everyone over the age of 18 will be able to schedule a coronavirus vaccine appointment by May 24.