International Students: All you need to know

Before you plan your trip to Canada, learn about entry requirements and immigration procedures you must complete. Carefully review the Impacts of COVID-19 on international students to understand the pandemic’s effects on immigration procedures and requirements for authorization to travel to Canada.

If you plan to travel with members of your family, make sure they also are eligible to come to Canada.

Take careful note of the current health situation in Quebec before you book your trip. Due to the pandemic, certain services and businesses may be closed, public and private gatherings may be banned, and travel between regions may be restricted.

Université Laval campus health guidelines designed to slow the spread of the pandemic may change according to government directives and conditions in the Capitale-Nationale region shown on the Québec government’s map of COVID-19 alert levels by region.

Many Université Laval teaching activities will take place remotely in compliance with these directives. Campus life is limited to activities where university students or staff must be present in person.
 

Before you arrive in Canada, prepare a quarantine plan for your first 14 days here. To learn what requirements to follow when preparing your plan, visit the mandatory quarantine page. 
There you’ll find:

• links to quarantine requirements published by the governments of Canada and Québec 
• a quarantine plan template that takes into account all directives from the governments of Canada and Québec
• various options for transportation, affordable hotel accommodation, and delivery of prepared meals, groceries, and basic items (medicines, personal hygiene products, etc.).

If you don’t have a quarantine plan, you will not be allowed to enter Canada.
 

Regular international students who arrive in Canada for the first time to study at Université Laval must report their arrival date before they come to Canada. To do this, complete the form Entering Canada as a Université Laval International Student.

Complete this form as soon as possible, and at least one week before you arrive in Canada. If you plan to arrive before January 18, 2021, when the winter semester starts, this form must be submitted by December 21, 2020. Before you complete this form, have the following documents on hand:

• Flight information
• Quarantine plan
• Letter of introduction from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) confirming approval of your study permit (IRCC)

In this form, you must also agree to certain obligations, such as obeying directives and requirements of the governments of Québec and Canada, plus those of Université Laval, and to assume risks pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic.
 

Before you arrive, it’s important that you review information pertaining to health and hospitalization insurance for your stay in Canada on the page Enrolling in the health and hospitalization insurance plan for international students and Impacts of COVID-19 on international students.

Université Laval would like to support students who have to pay for hotel accommodations to self-quarantine upon their arrival in Canada. A scholarship program was created to provide some relief. You may be eligible for a $750 scholarship, subject to certain conditions.

To learn more about the program and apply for financial aid: Quarantine relief scholarship

Air travellers must submit their information electronically through ArriveCAN before boarding their flight. ArriveCAN is available as a mobile app (iOS and Android) as well as online. (The site is supported by all recent versions of browsers other than Internet Explorer.) Before you travel, you must submit your travel and contact information, your quarantine plan (address where you are quarantining, whether vulnerable individuals will be at that same location, etc.), as well as a COVID-19 symptom self-assessment. When you arrive in Canada, you must show your ArriveCAN receipt to the border services officer (an ArriveCAN confirmation receipt, or take a screenshot or print your confirmation if you sign in online).

Once in Canada, you must use ArriveCAN or call 1-833-641-0343 to confirm that you have arrived at the address you provided for your quarantine and to complete daily COVID-19 symptom self-assessments during your quarantine period.

Carefully review Government of Canada instructions (“Entering Canada” section) and watch these two videos closely:

• CBSA COVID-19 measures for travellers arriving by air
• COVID-19: New requirements for people entering Canada

• Passport
• Letter of introduction from the IRCC confirming approval of your study permit
• Québec Certificate of Acceptance (CAQ), unless you have an exemption
• Temporary resident visa or electronic travel authorization (eTA), except for American nationals
• Letter of acceptance from Université Laval and proof of registration if you’re currently enrolled in distance learning (available in monPortail)
• Quarantine plan
• Non-medical masks and face coverings
• Proof of financing for your studies and other documents used to obtain your study permit
• ArriveCAN receipt: Get an ArriveCAN confirmation receipt, or take a screenshot or print your confirmation if you sign in online

There will probably be two identity checks when you arrive in Canada. Refer to Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): Information for non-Canadians and the section Documents to present to Canadian Border Services Agency to learn more about inspections carried out by Canadian Border Services officials.

Once you arrive on Canadian soil:

• Go directly to your place of quarantine without delay and follow your quarantine plan.
• To go to your place of quarantine, follow guidelines from the Government of Canada and the Government of Québec
• Report your arrival within 48 hours using ArriveCAN (iOS, Android or online) or by calling 1-833-641-0343.

When you arrive in Canada, you must heed the COVID-19 mandatory quarantine procedure.

This procedure contains important information and reminders as well as guidelines to follow if you present with COVID-19 symptoms, plus important emergency contacts.  

If you arrive in Canada for the first time to study at Université Laval, the university will contact you during your quarantine to:

• follow up with you and guide you to any assistance you may need and
• ensure quarantine rules are being followed.

We will contact you within 48 hours of your arrival and around the midpoint of your quarantine period. Please ensure that the contact information submitted to Université Laval in the Entering Canada as a Université Laval International Student form before your arrival is correct.  

If you suffer from stress, anxiety, panic, or any other emotional reaction related to the pandemic and your quarantine, don’t hesitate to make use of the services available to you.

As a member of Université Laval’s student community, you have access to services at the Student Assistance Centre (French only). If you would like to speak with a counsellor, please complete the assistance request form (French only).

Both you and members of your family can call Info-Social 811. Just dial 811. You may also refer to the COVID-19 section of the government of Québec website where you can find information and advice such as Protecting your well-being in the COVID-19 pandemic and Stress, anxiety and depression associated with the coronavirus COVID-19 disease.