Fully vaccinated returning Canadian travellers could see relief from quarantine

Anyone with a valid Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) can travel to Canada as of June 21, 2021, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has announced.

The move comes as Canada starts its first easing of international travel and U.S. border restrictions since March 2020, when measures were put in place to stop the spread of COVID-19.

Previously, only foreign nationals with a COPR issued on or before March 18, 2020 were exempt from travel restrictions.

Those with a COPR dated after March 18, 2020 could only come to Canada if they also met another travel exemption. Those coming from the U.S. to settle permanently in Canada were also allowed to travel.

COPRs are valid for up to a year, which means that many applicants were unable to travel to Canada before their papers expired.

Helping applicants with expired and expiring COPRs


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. For applicants with expired COPRs issued after March 18, 2020, more information on when and how to obtain a new COPR will soon be available on IRCC’s website.

Individuals whose COPR has expired should not book flights or attempt to travel to Canada until they receive a new COPR from IRCC.

A COPR is issued to those who have been approved by IRCC to immigrate to Canada. This means the individual has met IRCC’s program criteria, paid their fees, and passed health, security, and criminality screenings. With a COPR, they can travel to Canada.

Those who got their COPR after March 18, 2020 could only come to Canada if they met one of Canada’s other travel exemptions or were a resident of the United States and were moving to Canada to settle permanently.