Changes in vaccination and quarantine requirements for foreign students
This week, the government of Canada has changed the rules on who need to quarantine when they visit Canada from abroad. Fully vaccinated adults who are visiting Canada for non-essential travel and who test negative for COVID-19 no longer have to quarantine.
However, there are still strict rules in place for entry, including the need for visitors to provide proof of their full vaccination program, and take COVID-19 tests before they arrive.
These entry vaccinations rules also apply to international students coming to study at a designated learning institution with an approved COVID-19 readiness plan, such as the Learning Languages Institute.
Why vaccinations are required
COVID-19 vaccinations help reduce the spread of COVID-19 in our communities here in Canada. There is now overwhelming evidence that vaccines are safe and that they will protect you from the worst of COVID-19.
That is why you will need to prove that you are fully vaccinated:
- at the Canadian border to avoid quarantine
AND
- to be able to study at our London language school without restrictions.
Non-vaccinated students can study virtually and or participate in an educational course and be subject to weekly COVID 19 testing.
What does fully vaccinated mean?
Fully vaccinated means that you have received all the required doses of an accepted COVID-19 vaccine, with your final dose administered at least 14 days before you arrive in Canada.
There are currently only four vaccines which are accepted for entry into Canada:
- Pfizer-BioNTech (Comirnaty, tozinameran, BNT162b2)
- Moderna (mRNA-1273)
- AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD (ChAdOx1-S, Vaxzevria, AZD1222)
- Janssen/Johnson & Johnson (Ad26.COV2.S)
For a list of vaccines which are NOT accepted, see here.
Our COVID-19 vaccinations policy
As required by the Council of Ontario Medical Officers of Health, the Learning Languages Institute now require everyone who comes onto our campuses to be vaccinated. This includes all students, staff, faculty members and contractors. Visitors will be subject to screening protocols when arriving at our campus.
Before you start attending classes at LLI, you need to complete LLI’s vaccination status declaration form :
- what vaccination you have had
- if you are fully vaccinated or partially vaccinated
You will also need to upload proof of your vaccination status.
If you are only partially vaccinated (i.e. you need another vaccination injection to be fully vaccinated), you need to take additional health and safety measures until you are fully vaccinated.
Who can study in Canada?
It is only the rules on who does or does not need to quarantine when arriving in Canada that have changed. The rules on who may study in Canada have NOT changed. For more details on student entry requirements, see the Canadian government webpage.
Entry for fully vaccinated adults
As of Monday 6th September 2021, fully vaccinated adult foreign nationals entering Canada (including students) will not need to quarantine for 14 days or take a COVID-19 test on day 8 from their arrival. Young people aged 12 to 17 must also be fully vaccinated, or they will need to quarantine.
Pre-entry COVID-19 tests
You will also be required to take one of the accepted tests for COVID-19 before you travel, and to test negative. As the travel.gc.ca website explains:
“If you’re flying to Canada, you must take a test within 72 hours of the scheduled departure time of your flight to Canada. Airlines will refuse boarding to travelers who are unable to provide a valid molecular test result.”
When you arrive, you will need to have proof of that test result to present at the border. For full details, see the section “Providing proof of your result” at Travel Advice page.
Quarantine preparation plan
When you travel to study in Canada, you must have a prepared quarantine plan in case you don’t meet the vaccinated person criteria, or have symptoms of COVID-19. For help in creating your quarantine plan, use this website:
Need more information?
If you need more information on to study at the Learning Languages Institute, you can:
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The Consumers Choice award winner as top language school in London ON for 2019, 2020 and 2021.
