Staying home helps keep you and others safe

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada and countries around the world have put travel restrictions and border measures in place to help reduce the spread of the virus. As the situation has evolved, so has the Government of Canada’s advice in response to the latest information and circumstances.

Most recently, the government reinstated the COVID-19 Global travel advisory, which advises Canadians to avoid non-essential travel outside of Canada. This is because the current COVID-19 situation and the rapid spread of the Omicron variant make travel extremely risky.

Travelling now means your trip could turn out to be different than what you had expected. Not only could you get and spread COVID-19, but you could also be forced to stay abroad much longer than you had anticipated, and travelling could cost you a lot more than you had planned for.

Valérie, who works on Travel Advice and Advisories at Global Affairs Canada, explains that “a lot could go wrong if you travel abroad during a pandemic. For example, you could have limited access to timely and appropriate health care, or your insurance might simply not cover these medical costs. You could also be forced to stay longer than expected, which could result in significant additional expenses you had not planned for.”

The Government of Canada has no plans for further repatriation flights during the pandemic; therefore, Canadians should not depend on the government for assistance in changing their travel plans or to help them return to Canada if their travel itineraries are disrupted.

If you must travel for essential reasons, be sure you understand the risks and stay up to date on the latest information on your destination. You should also make sure you know what is covered by your travel insurance if you become infected with COVID-19, and how Canada’s global travel advisory to avoid non-essential travel affects your coverage. Before planning your trip, visit COVID-19: Travel, testing and borders for the latest information.