Entry into Canada

Effective October 1, 2022, all travellers, regardless of citizenship, no longer have to:

  • submit public health information through the ArriveCAN app or website
  • provide proof of vaccination
  • undergo pre- or on-arrival testing
  • carry out COVID-19-related quarantine or isolation
  • monitor and report if they develop signs or symptoms of COVID-19 upon arriving to Canada

Transport Canada is also removing existing travel requirements. As of October 1, 2022, travellers are no longer required to:

  • undergo health checks for travel on air and rail
  • wear masks on planes and trains

Although the masking requirement is being lifted, all travellers are strongly recommended to wear high quality and well-fitted masks during their journeys.

Learn more about the federal travel requirements.

While these travel restrictions have been lifted, foreign nationals must still meet the entry requirements under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and provide appropriate travel and immigration documentation as necessary.

Employers who hire IAWs must follow federal and provincial requirements to ensure the health and safety of the IAWs they employ, including requirements under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR) as well as provincial employment and labour laws.

How and where to get tested post-arrival

IAWs can get tested at a COVID‑19 assessment centre or a participating community laboratory or pharmacy and self-isolate while test results are pending if they:

  • have symptoms consistent with COVID‑19
  • are part of an outbreak investigation
  • have been directed to get tested by a local public health unit.

Find additional information on testing and how to find the nearest testing location.

If several employees from the same farm need to be tested, testing centres may be able to schedule a block of time to make it more efficient and easier to coordinate transportation and translation services. If needed, please ensure requests for translation services are made in advance.

Once at the location, the entire process takes about 15 minutes per employee. Access to information on health and community supports will be available at the location.

When visiting a COVID‑19 assessment centre, please follow public health measures including wearing a face covering and maintaining physical distance.

A health care provider (nurse, doctor, paramedic) will obtain a sample by placing a swab/cotton tip into the nostril to collect cells and any virus (COVID‑19) material. This may cause some discomfort, but the procedure is brief.

The sample will be sent to a laboratory for analysis to determine if the test is positive (the virus was present) or negative (no virus was found). A positive test will be reported by the laboratory to the local public health unit to investigate and manage the individual with the positive COVID-19 result.

Test results

Typically, COVID‑19 test results are available 48 hours after the test was done. However, this is not guaranteed and could take longer. Depending on the testing location, workers may be able to get their result:

The testing location will provide workers with specific instructions for obtaining their results following the test.

If an employer needs access to test results, they must obtain consent from the worker to have the test result released to the employer by the ordering clinician(s), or for the worker to share their results directly.

If your workers do not have internet access or are having trouble accessing their results online, you can help them contact the assessment centre or their primary care provider.

Preparation for testing workers

Use our printable resources to help answer your workers’ potential questions and concerns. They are available in English, French, Spanish, Thai and Traditional Chinese:

Resources and consulting services

Workplace Safety and Prevention Services (WSPS) offer resources and consulting services to help farmers and other agri-food businesses provide safe workplaces and improve the effective management of the risk of COVID-19.

Learn more about COVID-19 resources for agriculture from the WSPS.

You can also call 1-877-494-9777 to speak to a customer service representative or e-mail customercare@wsps.ca.

WSPS is also hosting free webinars on how to develop a safety plan and has posted several sample safety plans on their website. Learn more about workplace safety plans.

The Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association (OFVGA) is maintaining a COVID-19 resource library for international agricultural workers and employers. This is a comprehensive list of COVID-19 resources to support international agricultural workers and employers in Ontario during the pandemic. Many resources in the library are available in English, Spanish and Thai.

This section will be updated with additional information as it becomes available.

If you have any questions, please contact omafra.labour@ontario.ca for more information.

International Agricultural Workers (IAWs) and other seasonal employees

You can report misuse or abuse of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program or workers by calling the toll-free Service Canada Confidential Tips Line at 1-866-602-9448.