Inbound Visitors

From the Government of Canada:

• Travel information
• Visa processing times
• ArriveCan (instructional video)

Before starting work, visiting scholars paid by Carleton University must follow the new employee documentation process (see drop-box for International Students and Temporary Workers).

University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP)

• UHIP for international visitors
• About UHIP

Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP)

• Apply for OHIP if eligible

Please note: visiting researchers should have sufficient travel insurance for the entire period that they are in Canada.

• Getting tested in Ottawa
• Self-isolation instructions
• Ottawa Covid-19 News

All inbound visiting researchers must follow the requirements set by the Canadian Government for travel to and staying in Canada. As has been the case throughout the pandemic, the evolution of the virus and public health conditions are difficult to predict, so university plans regarding Covid vaccination requirements may be adjusted based on the evolving situation.

It is recommended that visiting researchers be vaccinated for Covid-19 using one of the vaccines accepted by Health Canada:

• Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine (approved December 9, 2020)
• Moderna Covid-19 vaccine (approved December 23, 2020)
• AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD Covid-19 vaccine (approved February 26, 2021)
• Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) Covid-19 vaccine (single dose) (approved March 5, 2021)

The Government of Canada has expanded its list of accepted vaccines to include the following Covid-19 vaccines authorized by WHO:

• Bharat Biotech (Covaxin, BBV152 A, B, C) (approved November 30, 2021)
• Sinopharm (Beijing) BBIBP-CorV (Vero Cells) (approved November 30, 2021)
• Sinovac (CoronaVac, PiCoVacc) (approved November 30, 2021)

Carleton University recommends visitors attest to their vaccination status in cuScreen and maintain an up-to-date vaccination attestation.

Click here for more information.

• First days in Ontario
• Living in Ottawa
• Service Canada
• Getting an Ontario Photo ID
• Mental health resources

Please note that this list was compiled by Carleton International for the purpose of general information. It is not ordered by recommendation as we have not inspected or seen locations. It is up to the client to contact the appropriate person with any questions or concerns. Also note that the cost of housing rentals in Ottawa is always changing. Finding housing might take longer than expected.

Looking for the best place to start? Check out our Off-Campus Housing 101 checklist.

Summer Accommodations in Residence at Carleton University will be available to visiting scholars from May 13 to August 13, 2023.

Off Campus Housing:

• Listings
• Advice and cautions
• Maps and locations

Additional Off Campus Listings:

• CUASA (Carleton Faculty Union)
• APUO (uOttawa Faculty Union)
• Airbnb
• Kijiji Ottawa
• Rent Seeker
• Rentals
• SabbaticalHomes

Depending on the nature of your stay in Canada, you may be required to open a temporary bank account. For your convenience, there is a Bank of Nova Scotia located right on campus. There are also 5 Scotiabank automated banking machines (ABMs) located around Carleton. Click here for more information about banking on campus.

However, you are free to use any bank that you want in Canada. Some other options include:

• TD Canada Trust
• Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC)
• Bank of Montreal (BMO)
• Royal Bank of Canada (RBC)
• HSBC Canada

Bus Pass

The metro system in Ottawa is called OC Transpo. You can pay directly on the bus, but the easiest way to get around is with a bus pass, what we call a Presto card.

There are a number of ways to get a Presto card. You can visit one of their service center locations, including the one at the Rideau Centre, the main shopping mall downtown. You can also visit certain retail stores in Ottawa, such as Loblaws and Shoppers Drug Mart. Alternatively, you can order a card online or by phone. It can take up to 10 business days for your card to ship.

Please note that visiting researchers are not eligible for a U-Pass (a student bus pass) because they are not registered in any courses.

Taking the Bus

To plan your trip or to find bus schedules, please visit the OC Transpo website.

Bus routes that currently come through Carleton include the 2, 7, 10, and 111. There are three main stops on campus, which you can find using this map.

• Campus Avenue (near Minto Center – MC)
• University Drive (near Athletics Building – AC)
• Raven Road (near Nesbitt Biology Building – NB)