The Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) that restricts all direct private and commercial flights from India to Canada is extended until Sept. 26, 2021, at 23:59 EDT as Canada prepares for the return of direct flights, Transport Canada has announced.
After the extension, individuals and international students who are eligible to travel to Canada will be able to board direct flights already from India to Canada with additional measures in place.
Key Takeaways:
- Canada continues to ban direct flights from India until Sept. 26.
- The extension was made to give the Canadian government more time to better prepare for the return of direct flights from India to Canada.
- Three direct flights from India will arrive in Canada on Sept. 22.
International students entering Canada will be required to present proof of a negative COVID-19 molecular test from the approved Genestrings Laboratory at the Delhi airport. The test should have been taken within 18 hours of the scheduled departure of their direct flight.
Moreover, before students are able to board, air operators will be checking their test results to ensure that they are eligible to travel to Canada and that fully vaccinated individuals have used the ArriveCAN mobile app or website to declare their vaccination status.
Should international students and other travelers to Canada fail to meet these requirements, they will not be allowed to board the flight.
Sept. 22 marks the first step with three direct flights from India that will arrive in Canada. All flight passengers will be tested for COVID-19 upon arrival to guarantee that the new measures are effective and working.
Once direct flights resume, international students and travelers from India who are eligible to enter Canada and travel there via an indirect route will still be required to get a valid negative COVID-19 molecular test. The test should have been conducted within 72 hours of departure.
Travel Canada has advised those in Canada to avoid non-essential travel outside of the country to mitigate the risk of exposure to and transmission of COVID-19. It also announced that border and public health measures will remain subject to change as the epidemiological situation evolves.
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