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COVID-19 quarantine and isolation information

Learn who needs to quarantine upon arrival in Canada and when you need to isolate

Who needs to quarantine upon arrival in Canada?

Updated August 19, 2022

International students aged 18 or older must be fully vaccinated with an approved vaccine to enter Canada. 

 

If you are a minor student aged 12-17, you can be unvaccinated or partially vaccinated, but you must complete:

 

If fully vaccinated, regardless of age, you are exempt from:

  • pre-entry COVID-19 test
  • quarantine upon arrival in Canada
  • providing a quarantine plan

However, you may still be selected for random arrival testing. If you receive a positive arrival COVID-19 test result, you are required to:

  • isolate for 10 days; and
  • report your isolation with UCalgary here. 

 

If aged 18 or older with medical exemptions to COVID-19 vaccination, you are not required to quarantine if you:

  • have a valid medical contraindication;
  • have a letter describing the valid medical reason from a licensed physician;
  • complete pre-entry, arrival, and Day-8 tests;
  • limit contact with others; AND
  • report a positive test results within 24 hours to PHAC
UCalgary Quarantine Information Register Your Travel with UCalgary
Student walking by the Teaching and Learning Centre at UCalgary

Who needs to quarantine

Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated minors under 18 years old must quarantine when they arrive in Canada.

Minor students aged 12 to 17

Minors aged 12 to 17 years old who aren't fully vaccinated must complete the following:

  1. Submit a quarantine plan before coming to Canada and complete a 14-day quarantine. For your quarantine plan, we recommend using the Government of Canada’s quarantine assessment tool to verify that your quarantine plan meets requirements.
  2. Complete the testing requirements for pre-entry, arrival and day-8 tests. This must be completed even when you're accompanied by someone who qualifies as a fully-vaccinated traveller. If you test positive on the day-8 test, you have to quarantine for an additional 10 days from the date of that test.
  3. Register your travel with UCalgary.

Review the testing and quarantine requirements checklist

Children aged 5 to 11

If you're bringing your child(ren) with you to Canada, they'll be exempt from quarantine if they're aged 11 and under. This exemption is based on you (their parent) being fully vaccinated. However, the child(ren) may have specific considerations that will need to be met.

Unvaccinated and partially vaccinated children aged 5 to 11 aren’t required to provide a valid pre-entry test result if they’re accompanying a fully-vaccinated adult. 

These children are exempt from quarantine. There aren't any limitations on their activities, which means they can immediately attend school, camp or daycare. However, they must wear a mask in public settings (including school) for 14 days after arriving in Canada. 

Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated children aged 5 to 11 must submit to arrival testing if their accompanying parent is selected for mandatory randomized on-arrival testing. 

Children under 5

Children under 5 are exempt from vaccination requirements. They are also exempt from pre-entry testing, arrival testing and quarantine. They don't have any limitations on their activities. 

The exemptions listed above only apply to the child - they don't apply to parents, guardians or family members travelling together.  

Children who turn 5 on the day of their travel are not exempt from testing requirements. Review the "children aged 5 to 11" tab for more information. 

masks

COVIDSafe Campus

Masks are still strongly recommended for use on the University of Calgary’s campuses, and everyone should feel comfortable continuing to wear a mask.

Learn more about COVIDSafe campus

Quarantine requirements

While in quarantine:

  • Expect calls, emails, and potential visits from the Government of Canada officials. You must answer calls from 1-888-336-7735 and answer all questions truthfully.
  • Expect calls and emails from UCalgary staff.
  • Plan to have food delivered to your quarantine unit (if you didn't purchase a meal package)
  • Don't leave your place of quarantine unless it's:
    • for a medical emergency
    • for an essential medical treatment
    • to obtain a COVID-19 test
    • pre-authorized by a Quarantine Officer
  • Use only private outdoor spaces (such as a balcony)
  • Don't have any visits from friends, family or other guests
  • Don't use shared spaces such as lobbies, courtyards, restaurants, gyms or pools

You must follow Canada's federal government guidelines for quarantine plans, and any requirements for the province that you're entering in Canada.  

UCalgary's quarantine information webpage explains how to prepare for your arrival in Canada, and how to stay in contact with the university.  

Planning for quarantine

To quarantine off-campus, you may need to arrange short-term accommodation for your quarantine. UCalgary has arranged preferred rates at Best Western Plus Village Park Inn and Aloft Calgary University. You need to book through their sales office indicated in this document and provide parent/guardian consent form.

You’ll need to have a suitable place to quarantine where you can: 

  • stay for 14 days (or possibly longer)
  • have access to the necessities of life without leaving quarantine - this includes water, food, medication and heat
  • avoid contact with others who didn't travel with you 
Learn more on quarantine accommodation requirements

You must travel directly from the airport to your quarantine location without stopping. The most direct option would be to take a taxi or ride-share (Uber). If you’ve arranged hotel accommodation, check to see if they have a special taxi rate or a shuttle service. 

Learn more about transportation from the airport to the UCalgary campus.

What should I do while in quarantine? 

It’s important to monitor for COVID-19 symptoms. You should also check in with your family or friends back home, and rest and relax after your journey. You can also start getting connected with UCalgary's staff, students, and resources. 

While you're in quarantine, you must submit daily updates through the ArriveCAN app and complete a day 8 COVID-19 test.   

Expenses 

  • Accommodation: Be sure to budget the cost of a temporary stay in quarantine accommodation.
  • Grocery/meal delivery: research your accommodation to determine whether these services are included. If not, learn more about local options on our shopping page or view details about specific grocery and food delivery services available in Calgary:

Payment options

Bring an international credit card (Visa or Mastercard) or prepaid VISA with you to Canada. This will allow you to easily pay for items online that you need to buy remotely while in quarantine.

Cell phone and internet access

You must go directly to your quarantine accommodation, so you won't be able to purchase a Canadian cell phone or SIM card right away. To access the internet while you're isolating, bring a Wi-Fi-compatible laptop or cell phone (which you can keep on “airplane mode” to avoid charges). 

  • Check if you devices need adaptors for North American electrical outlets/charging 

If your accommodation has Wi-Fi and you have a compatible device, you’ll be able to access key UCalgary services through the our website and your UCalgary email account.

Your physical and mental health is important. Before travelling, we recommend you review resources on the Alberta Health Services website. This will ensure you know which COVID-19 symptoms to watch for, and what to do if you have any minor or emergency concerns. In particular, please review: 

Important and Emergency Contacts

  • Stay in touch with your family or friends to let them know how you are doing.
  • Call Health Link 811 if you develop COVID-19 symptoms, have non-emergency concerns about your health, or if you have any questions about COVID-19.
  • 911 is the number for emergency services in Canada (this includes ambulances, fire services, and the police). Learn more about 911.
    • If you're severely ill and in need of immediate medical attention, call 911 and inform them that you may have COVID-19.  

Medical Insurance 
Learn more about arranging medical insurance.

Wellness Services 
Learn more about the services and support available for UCalgary students through Student Wellness Services. 

 

There are some tasks you can start remotely while in quarantine. Some of them can also be completed once you have finished your quarantine.:

Consider ways to communicate and socialize with your fellow students remotely, fill your time with fun or relaxing personal hobbies, and prepare yourself for your studies at UCalgary. Some suggestions include: 

  • Bring a favourite book, video/computer game, or activity with you - or consider how to access these activities online. 
  • Sign up to be matched with an international student mentor. They can help answer questions you may have about studies as a UCalgary student. Learn more. 
  • Review and register for summer series events, welcome webinars, social events, and orientations. Learn more. 
  • If you belong to a faith community or want to learn more about how to practice while in isolation, visit the Faith and Spirituality Centre website. 

Check out some virtual Zoom backgrounds from different locations around the city of Calgary. It’s a fun way to feel connected to Calgary even if you’re studying remotely or are in another location. Learn more. You can also check out: