Canada’s Latest Travel Restrictions: Mandatory Three-Day Hotel Quarantine Leaves International Students Upset Due to High Costs

On February 22, the Canadian government decided to expand travel restrictions and include a compulsory three-day hotel stay for which each traveler must pay with their own money, a decision that has left many international students upset as the latter think the price is not reasonable.

According to Erudera.com, international students consider unfair the quarantine obligation as the amount of $2,000 is unaffordable for them.

During a press conference held on January 29, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that the obligatory hotel quarantine costs could surpass $2,000. Whereas, the new measures intend to reduce the non-essential travel overseas in order to prevent the COVID-19 spread across Canada.

Due to a spike in COVID-19 cases, many international students decided to return to their home countries and remain there for a longer period, postponing their plans to return to Canada for the 2020/2021 academic year.

Many of them are now expressing concerns over the impact that these travel restrictions will have on their plans to return to Canada.

International student pursuing studies at the University of Toronto, Abigail Ting Baker, said that she experienced many challenges studying from Hong Kong as due to time difference, she had to take lessons at an unusual schedule.

“The worst part about the time difference is the lack of collaboration I have with my peers. All the extra zoom study sessions and gatherings happen in the middle of the night for me, so I feel like I’m missing out on that aspect of the university experience,” she told the globalnews.ca.

Following the quarantine restrictions, several universities are undertaking actions in a bid to help international students return to Canada safely.

The director of university affairs at the University of British Columbia (UBC), Matthew Ramsey, said that the university is working to find out the best way to support international students in their return amid the pandemic.

One of the steps the University of British Columbia has taken is to offer international students asynchronous learning opportunities and a 24/7 mental health helpline.

“We’re talking with folks across campus to determine how we can support students who do choose to come back. We are also seeking some additional clarity from the federal government on those travel guidelines,” Ramsey said.

New regulations for travelers entering Canada came into force since January 30 and include the suspension of flights to some sunny destinations until April 30, mandatory COVID PCR testing at airports for returning passengers, and most importantly, the three-day hotel stay at government-approved hotels. The latter has become a discussion topic due to its price tag.

In February this year, the Canadian government notified that all international students pursuing studies completely online due to travel restrictions, will still be able to get postgraduate work permits.