High Commission of Canada in the United Kingdom COVID-19: Frequently asked questions

Last updated: March 31, 2022

Below are answers to the most frequently asked questions from Canadians in the United Kingdom. There is also useful information for foreign nationals who are living, working or studying in Canada. Please check these FAQs before contacting the High Commission to allow us to focus on assisting Canadians who are in distress or require urgent assistance.

If you are a Canadian citizen in need of emergency consular assistance, please contact: ldn.consular@international.gc.ca. We strongly recommend that you contact us by email in the first instance. We check this inbox frequently between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on weekdays. We advise against coming to Canada House in person.

If you do not have access to email, you can leave us a voicemail message with your full name and number on (+ 44) (0) 20 7004 6000 (international call from a Canadian number) between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on weekdays. Follow the prompts for “Services to Canadian citizens”, then “Emergency situation involving a Canadian”. We will reply by the next business day.

For serious consular emergencies after hours, please call the 24-hour Emergency Watch and Response Centre in Ottawa, either directly on 00 800 2326 6831 (charges apply) or (+44) 0 20 7004 6000 (international call from a Canadian number) outside of office hours.

We recommend you check this page regularly for ongoing guidance. You can also follow our social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube) for updates. We recommend you also  visit the website Travel.gc.ca and register on ROCA (Register of Canadians Abroad) as a Canadian citizen abroad.

For the latest and most up-to-date information on coronavirus, or if you have additional questions, please visit the Government of Canada’s webpage at www.canada.ca/coronavirus or call the coronavirus information line: 1-833-784-4397.

On this page

For Canadians in the UK

UK-specific questions

• Are there any specific travel rules or restrictions for Canadians travelling into the UK?
• I am a Canadian citizen in the UK. I am concerned that I have contracted COVID-19. What should I do?

Returning to Canada

• I am a Canadian citizen flying to Canada. What are the entry and quarantine requirements? Are there any exemptions?
• What is ArriveCAN?

For foreign nationals travelling to Canada

Entry to Canada

• I am a foreign national travelling to Canada. What are the entry and quarantine requirements? Are there any exemptions?
• What is ArriveCAN?

Working and studying in Canada

• Are there any specific travel rules or restrictions for foreign nationals wishing to work or study in Canada?

For Canadians in the UK

UK-specific questions

Are there any specific travel rules or restrictions for Canadians travelling into the UK?

For information on entering the UK from Canada, we recommend you consult the UK government’s guidelines on “Entering the UK”. It is important to note that England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland each have their own sets of guidelines, which are regularly updated.

I am a Canadian citizen in the UK. I am concerned that I have contracted COVID-19. What should I do?

The UK’s National Health Service (NHS) has a 111 online coronavirus service, which is accessible to all, where you can answer questions about your health and get advice if you feel you may be at risk. As with any illness abroad, we would recommend that you contact your health insurance provider to make enquiries about your particular situation.

Returning to Canada

I am a Canadian citizen flying to Canada. What are the entry and quarantine requirements? Are there any exemptions?

Effective April 1, 2022 at 12:01 a.m. EDT, the Government of Canada is introducing changes to lighten border measures as part of the transition of the pandemic response. Consult the full details of these changes here. Visit the Government of Canada’s COVID-19: Travel, testing and borders web page to learn more about current travel measures and exemptions.

Travellers should check if they are eligible to enter Canada and meet all entry requirements before heading to the border. In addition, some provinces and territories may have their own entry restrictions in place. Check and follow both the federal and any provincial or territorial restrictions and requirements before travelling to Canada. Find out if you can enter Canada here.

All travellers continue to be required to submit their mandatory information via ArriveCAN (free mobile app or website), before and after April 1, including proof of vaccination in English or French and a quarantine plan prior to arriving in Canada.

As a reminder, travellers arriving to Canada from any country, who qualify as fully vaccinated, may need to take a COVID-19 molecular test on arrival if selected for mandatory random testing. Travellers selected for mandatory random testing are not required to quarantine while awaiting their test result. Fully vaccinated travellers can travel to their destination, including on connecting flights, without waiting for their arrival test results. Find out more about arrival testing, including what to do if you test positive here.

• If you are fully vaccinated, please check COVID-19 vaccinated travellers entering Canada.
• If you are not fully vaccinated, please check the COVID-19 Travel: Checklist for requirements and exemptions and find out if you can enter Canada.
• If you are travelling with unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated children or dependents, please check the ‘COVID-19 vaccinated travellers entering Canada’ page, under the section ‘Children or dependents’.
• To check whether you qualify for an exemption, please consult the COVID-19 Travel: Checklist for requirements and exemptions.
• Please note that each traveller is to be assessed based on their own circumstances.

What is ArriveCAN?

If you are travelling by air, land or sea to Canada, you are required to provide essential information before you arrive on the official Government of Canada platform, ArriveCAN.

The use of ArriveCAN, which has been mandatory for travellers since November 2020, expedites processing and helps to protect the health and safety of travellers and our employees.

ArriveCAN is a free, secure, user-friendly digital tool to help travellers comply with Canada’s border measures quickly and securely. It is available as a mobile app or by signing in online.

Find out more about downloading and using ArriveCAN here.

For foreign nationals travelling to Canada

Entry to Canada

I am a foreign national travelling to Canada. What are the entry and quarantine requirements? Are there any exemptions?

Effective April 1, 2022 at 12:01 a.m. EDT, the Government of Canada is introducing changes to lighten border measures as part of the transition of the pandemic response. Consult the full details of these changes here. Visit the Government of Canada’s COVID-19: Travel, testing and borders web page to learn more about current travel measures and exemptions.

Travellers should check if they are eligible to enter Canada and meet all entry requirements before heading to the border. In addition, some provinces and territories may have their own entry restrictions in place. Check and follow both the federal and any provincial or territorial restrictions and requirements before travelling to Canada. Find out if you can enter Canada here.

All travellers continue to be required to submit their mandatory information via ArriveCAN (free mobile app or website) before and after April 1, including proof of vaccination in English or French and a quarantine plan prior to arriving in Canada.

As a reminder, travellers arriving to Canada from any country, who qualify as fully vaccinated, may need to take a COVID-19 molecular test on arrival if selected for mandatory random testing. Travellers selected for mandatory random testing are not required to quarantine while awaiting their test result. Fully vaccinated travellers can travel to their destination, including on connecting flights, without waiting for their arrival test results. Find out more about arrival testing, including what to do if you test positive here.

• If you are fully vaccinated, please check COVID-19 vaccinated travellers entering Canada.
• If you are not fully vaccinated, please check the COVID-19 Travel: Checklist for requirements and exemptions and find out if you can enter Canada.
• If you are travelling with unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated children or dependents, please check the COVID-19 vaccinated travellers entering Canada page, under the section ‘Children or dependents’.
• To check whether you qualify for an exemption, please consult the COVID-19 Travel: Checklist for requirements and exemptions.
• Please note that each traveller is to be assessed based on their own circumstances.

What is ArriveCAN?

If you are travelling by air, land or sea to Canada, you are required to provide essential information before you arrive on the official Government of Canada platform, ArriveCAN.

The use of ArriveCAN, which has been mandatory for travellers since November 2020, expedites processing and helps to protect the health and safety of travellers and our employees.

ArriveCAN is a free, secure, user-friendly digital tool to help travellers comply with Canada’s border measures quickly and securely. It is available as a mobile app or by signing in online.

Find out more about downloading and using ArriveCAN here.

Working and studying in Canada

Are there any specific travel rules or restrictions for foreign nationals wishing to work or study in Canada?

To find out if you can travel to Canada at this time, we recommend you use the Find out if you can travel to Canada tool on our website.