International Students to be Barred from Entering Ontario Canada

Ontario Canada Requests Halt of International Students to the Province: Ontario Premier Doug Ford requested that all new international students to Ontario be suspended on April 30, 2021, according to the federal government.

COVID-19 travel restrictions do not apply to international students at the moment. The Canadian government announced in October 2020 that international students can enter Canada without violating Canada’s travel ban if they met the following requirements:

  • Their study permit is valid or they possess a letter of introduction verifying that they have been approved for a study permit.
  • Their province or territory has approved a COVID-19 readiness plan for them at a designated learning institution (DLI)

Canada still allows international students to enter even with the current restrictions on international travel, like the suspension of flights from India and Pakistan that took effect on April 22, 2021. Ontario, however, has taken a step back as a result of the recent surge in COVID-19 variants.

In addition to Indian students, several other countries affected by COVID have also requested bans on international students from Ontario. The province of Ontario has been hardest hit by the third wave of COVID-19 variants out there. The ban will currently only affect students entering Ontario; it will not affect students entering Canada as a whole. International students account for 46% of all students in Ontario.

Official requirements are being developed by the Canadian government. The change takes effect and lasts for a period of time, so students need to wait to get more details about when it will be implemented.