Arrival and Quarantine Process

Travellers entering Canada by air or by land may be selected to complete a COVID-19 PCR test upon arrival. For those arriving by air, this test will be done immediately at the Port of Entry. To avoid delays you can book your arrival test in advance with the testing provider for the first airport you will arrive at.

Students who arrive by land might be able to complete their arrival test at the land border. If the border crossing doesn’t offer on-site testing, travellers will receive a kit to complete the COVID-19 test upon arrival to their place of quarantine.

Upon arrival to Canada, international travellers must go directly to their quarantine location. Students who wish to quarantine in Ottawa but arrive in a different city (such as Toronto, Montreal, or Vancouver), must ensure that the connection flight is scheduled to depart within 24 hours of the departure time of their flight to enter Canada. Students are not to leave the airport in between connecting flights or they will need to quarantine in that location. You should be prepared to expect delays at airports, so please ensure you have plenty of time in between any connecting flights for anticipated delays.

Students also have the option of travelling to Ottawa by car. Please keep in mind that Ottawa is around a 2-hour drive from Montreal and around 4 hours from Toronto. If you choose to drive, don’t stop for gas, food, or other items. Travellers are encouraged to use a private vehicle when possible. If you don’t have your own vehicle, you may take a taxi or use a rideshare service (such as Uber, where there’s only you and the driver).

Those who must travel by taxi or rideshare are advised to create as much distance between people as possible (sitting in the back and in the corner, diagonally from the driver if they are the only occupant) and wear appropriate PPE (non-medical mask). Carry and use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available. Masks should be worn before entering the vehicles and for the duration of the travel. Weather permitting, it is recommended that windows be opened to increase ventilation/airflow.

Students must observe public health guidelines throughout their travel, including wearing a face mask for the duration of your journey from your home country to your quarantine destination. These guidelines should also be followed when travelling from the airport to the quarantine location.

Government of Canada officials will contact travellers selected for quarantine to monitor compliance with the 14-day quarantine. Students should be prepared to answer emails, phone calls and in-person visits to demonstrate their compliance.

Students and their co-arriving family members are required to use the ArriveCAN app to check-in no later than 48 hours after arrival in Canada, and for their daily symptom reporting. If students are unable to use the ArriveCAN app to complete check-ins, they must call 1-833-641-0343 every day until the end of their 14-day quarantine period in order to demonstrate ongoing compliance with the current quarantine measures.

Carleton University staff will also be conducting daily symptom and wellness check-ins with students throughout their mandatory 14-day quarantine period. During these check-ins, a staff member will ask about any new or worsening symptoms, verify that students have everything they need, answer questions, and connect students to any additional resources. We encourage students to download Microsoft Teams as our staff members will be using this platform to conduct the check-ins.

Students can also email the ISSO at isso@carleton.ca with any questions they might have during their quarantine period.

Upon arrival to Canada, you will receive a “Home Collection Kit”, issued in partnership with the Government of Canada and public health authorities to all international travelers to Canada. On Day 8 of your quarantine, you will need to complete a self-administered COVID-19 test by following the detailed instructions within your test kit. Once you have completed the test, you must coordinate with Purolator to collect and deliver your test to a lab for results.

Students must continue to isolate until they have received their COVID-19 test results. Students are responsible for extending their stay at their quarantine accommodation if necessary.

After test results have been received, you must send them to resnurse@carleton.ca for your quarantine compliance file.

Students must plan on how they will safely arrange for food and other necessities while in quarantine. You should budget for meal expenses such as breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. There is a wide variety of services to help you receive food and goods online during your 14-day quarantine. You may have the option to order groceries and/or goods from any one of these services:

• Amazon – Carleton students are eligible for Prime Student discounts
• Instacart, Walmart, Loblaws – for grocery deliveries
• Uber Eats, Skip the Dishes, and Love Local Delivery – to order meals

In addition to these, you can search for nearby options that do delivery based on your quarantine location. Please ensure that any services used can provide contactless delivery by dropping off orders safely at your door. You should also ensure you are able to pay for these. Having a credit card or other contactless method of payment is preferred.

Please note that you must include information on how you will arrange for food and other necessities in your quarantine plan, including details on how these will safely be delivered. We encourage students to research options before arriving in Canada, as ordering food may get costly. You must not leave quarantine to arrange for food and other necessities.

The ISSO is pleased to have our Global PALS (Peer Advisors Lending Support) assisting with conducting outreach and virtual programming to their peers during the quarantine period. Our PALS provide incoming and current international students with the opportunity to connect with an upper-year or graduate student who can provide insights and support as they navigate the social, cultural, and academic transition to life at Carleton University and in Ottawa.

Students are encouraged to connect with Community Connections mentors through the Student Experience Office (SEO) to widen their circle of support. Mentors can provide support as you build your community on campus, helping you identify areas of growth and strategies to overcome potential challenges.

Another way of staying connected with peers is through virtual events offered by the ISSO and the SEO.

Carleton University has a dedicated Mental Health and Well-Being website containing excellent resources for students seeking additional tools, resources, and supports.

In addition, Health and Counselling Services offers students virtual appointments with counsellors, with information about how to make appointments found on the Health and Counselling Services website.

Information about vaccines for international students in Canada: COVID-19 FAQ – International Student Services Office

Sources of Information about COVID-19:

• Ottawa Public Health: 1-866-426-8885
• Government of Ontario: 1-866-797-0000
• Government of Canada: 1-833-784-4397
• Telehealth Ontario: 1-866-797-0000
• Center for Disease Control and Prevention
• World Health Organization