The Canadian government says foreigners who hold a valid confirmation of permanent residence (COPR) can travel to the country, starting from June 21.
According to a statement issued on Monday, the government said Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is working to revalidate expired COPR to applicants.
The government said applicants were denied travelling to Canada before their COPRs expired, due to the restrictions imposed to curb the spread of COVID-19.
It added that a COPR is valid for a year and is issued to those who have been approved by IRCC to immigrate to Canada after meeting its criteria.
“Under the previous rules, foreign nationals who held a valid COPR issued on or before March 18, 2020, were exempt from Canada’s travel restrictions,” the statement reads.
“Those who held a valid COPR issued 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.
“A COPR’s validity, which can last for up to one year, is tied to the applicant’s passport and their immigration medical examination.
“However, many applicants were not able to travel to Canada before their COPRs expired due to the travel restrictions or other COVID-19 related considerations.
“Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has been working with applicants who were already exempt from the travel restrictions to reissue them a COPR.”
The government said more information will be provided on IRCC’s website on how to obtain a new COPR for those whose documents have expired.
It warned individuals whose documents have expired not to “book flights or attempt to travel to Canada until they receive a new COPR from IRCC”.
According to the statement, those who are eligible to travel must adhere to the COVID-19 protocol, before and after arrival.
“All people travelling to Canada, including those approved for permanent residence, must comply with the COVID-19 health measures and requirements upon arriving in Canada. All travellers must follow the flying to Canada requirements checklist or driving to Canada requirements checklist”, the statement reads.
“By allowing more time for reasonable numbers of new immigrants to settle in Canada and begin their integration, we can better prepare for Canada’s economic future.”
The statement added that “permanent residents are also likely to have supports in place once they arrive here — family members, supportive employers and resettlement agencies for refugees.”
