Travelling to Canada - international student
Preparing to enter Canada, gathering the documents to have on hand, and clearing Canadian customs.
As of April 25, fully vaccinated travellers are no longer required to provide a quarantine plan to enter Canada and are no longer required to follow specific rules following their arrival in Canada (maintain a list of close contacts and places visited for the first 14 days after arrival, etc.). For more details, see the government website.
Université Laval is pleased to support its students from abroad. We invite all international students to closely follow the steps listed here before coming to study at Université Laval.
Before you plan your trip to Canada
Before you plan your trip to Canada, learn about the immigration procedures you must complete and the vaccination, testing, and quarantine requirements for entering Canada.
If you plan to travel with members of your family, make sure they also are eligible to come to Canada . They will need to have completed the necessary immigration procedures and meet the requirements for entering Canada. Find out if they can enter Canada and look at the entry requirements for children and teenagers who are travelling with someone who is fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Find out about the current health situation in Québec before you book your trip.
Université Laval campus health guidelines designed to slow the spread of the pandemic follow government directives.
Prepare for your arrival in Canada
First, familiarize yourself with the information on our vaccination, testing, and quarantine requirements for entering Canada page. Make sure you have all the documents you need to enter Canada as well as health and hospitalization insurance coverage for when you travel and when you arrive in Canada.
To enter Canada, whether it is your first time entering Canada or you are a returning student, you must have these documents with you in your carry-on baggage (not in your checked baggage). In addition of the electronic versions of these documents on your phone or computer, we strongly recommend that you carry with you printed copies of all of them.
| Passport | |
| Study permit |
Valid study permit or a letter of introduction from IRCC showing that you have been approved for a study permit, unless you are exempt (for example, you are on an exchange for only one semester). For U.S. citizens and permanent residents of the U.S., although you can apply for a study permit at a Canadian port of entry if you have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 with vaccines recognized in Canada, it is recommended that you apply for a study permit online and that, when you arrive in Canada, you have on hand a letter of introduction from IRCC showing that you have been approved for a study permit. |
| CAQ | Valid Québec Certificate of Acceptance (CAQ), unless you have an exemption. |
| Visa or eTA | Depending on your nationality, you have a valid temporary resident visa (TRV) or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) (except citizens of the United States and other minor exceptions). |
| Medical exam |
If you have a letter of introduction from IRCC showing that you have been approved for a study permit and if you had to get an immigration medical exam, you must ensure that your exam results are still valid:
Bring e-medical form, if possible. |
| Quarantine plan | Credible plan to quarantine when you arrive in Canada, even if you are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and you believe you are exempt form the quarantine requirement. As of April 25, 2022, this requirement will be removed for fully vaccinated travelers. |
| ArriveCAN | Your ArriveCAN receipt (an ArriveCAN confirmation receipt, or take a screenshot or print your confirmation if you sign in online). You must submit your information into ArriveCAN within 72 hours before you arrive in Canada. |
| Letter of acceptance | Letter of acceptance from Université Laval (printed copy of the email or PDF version). |
| Financial proofs and other documents | Recent financial proofs for your studies and other documents used to obtain your study permit, if applicable. |
| Proof of enrolment |
Proof of enrolment for the current semester and/or for the upcoming semester, if available (to order through monPortail, in the section “Documents officiels”). |
| Letter for late arrival | If you arrive after the semester starts; the letter sent to your @ulaval.ca email address showing that you are allowed to start your classes from outside Canada and to continue them online from Canada. If you have not received this document or if you are taking in-person classes, contact your program director. |
| Proof of vaccination against COVID-19 |
Digital or printed copy of your proof of vaccination with you. It should include:
Documents must be in English or French. A certified English or French translation accompanying the original documents is acceptable. See the proof of vaccination page for more information. If you were vaccinated in Québec or if your vaccines have been recognized by Québec, learn how to get your Canadian COVID 19 proof of vaccination. |
| Mask | Non-medical mask or face covering. |
These requirements will be checked before boarding a flight to Canada, and they will be checked again when you arrive at the port of entry in Canada.
However, please note that meeting all of those requirements does not guarantee you entry into Canada. When you arrive in Canada, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) will determine whether you meet the various requirements for entering Canada.
Before you arrive, it’s also 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.
Please note that the group health and hospitalization insurance plan through Desjardins Insurance (the one for international students and foreign interns) and coverage with the Régie d’assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ) [Québec’s public health insurance plan] (the one for students covered under reciprocal social security agreements with certain countries) begin only when you arrive in Québec. Also, when deciding on when to arrive, be aware of the policy start date for the group health and hospitalization insurance plan for international students and research interns so that you can arrange for personal insurance coverage if necessary.
If your first port of arrival in Canada is not in the province of Quebec, and in the event that a quarantine is required by Public Health upon your arrival in Canada, we strongly recommend, and it is your responsibility, to purchase a complete travel health and emergency medical insurance that includes the costs related to COVID-19.
During your trip to Canada
If you start experiencing COVID-19 symptoms as you travel to Canada, speak to a flight attendant right away. They will be able to give you the necessary recommendations for the rest of the flight. When you arrive in Canada, notify the border services officers and notify Université Laval by email at covid19@ulaval.ca.
When you arrive in Canada
There will probably be 2 identity checks when you arrive in Canada.
Primary inspection
This first step is normally carried out using automated kiosks. At these kiosks, you will have to answer a series of questions. Once you are done, you will receive a receipt that you will have to take to a border services officer when you leave the secure area.
If you had to provide your fingerprints to obtain your Canadian immigration document, you will have to have them verified at the inspection kiosk.
For more information on primary inspection kiosks, go to: https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/services/border-tech-frontiere/pik-bip-eng.html
Secondary inspection
You will need to show your letter of introduction to get your study permit (unless you are exempt from this) when you first arrive at a Canadian airport regardless of whether it is a stopover airport or your final destination. When you exit the security area, the border services officer will direct you to secondary inspection where your documents will be examined and where your study permit will be issued. You may be asked to show your ArriveCAN receipt as well as your quarantine plan and your COVID-19 proof of vaccination. Please note that as of April 25, 2022, the quarantine plan will no longer be required for fully vaccinated individuals.
The time it takes to clear customs and immigration to have your study permit issued can vary from 1 to 3 hours. It depends on the time of day and the airport.
Tip for the study permit
You must ensure to have obtained your study permit before leaving the Canada Border Services Agency area. Please verify that your personal information appearing on the study permit is accurate and that the mention/comment regarding your right to work is clearly indicated, in case you plan on working here during your stay.
For more information, see the following page: Study permit: Prepare for arrival.
You must follow strict instructions during the 14 days after you arrive in Canada, regardless of whether you have to quarantine.
If you suffer from stress, anxiety, panic, or any other emotional reaction related to the pandemic or 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.
We encourage you to familiarize yourself with the following information:
- Welcome services organized by the Bureau de la vie étudiante (BVE – Student Life Office)
- International Student’s Handbook
- Information on housing, Québec City, the values of Québec society, the weather, and more: See the Living in Québec City section of the Student Life Office site
- Vaccination, Québec proof of vaccination, and COVID-19 testing in Québec
- Health guidelines on campus
- Government pandemic directives
Relevant websites
Before leaving for Canada, it is your responsibility to regularly check information about the measures that federal government and Québec government authorities, as well as Université Laval, have put in place to limit the spread of COVID-19, so that you can comply with them and prepare for your arrival.