Some international students inhibited by travel complications as Fall semester approaches
Heading back to school can be an exciting time for many students, but changes in travel restrictions due to COVID-19 may mean missing the start of class for some international students.
McGill student Shachin Dev, who is from India, has worked remotely on his PhD in medical physics since January, but says the nine and a half hour time difference is proving challenging.
“I was supposed to do experiments which I am totally missing. We are right now focusing on things we can do remotely,” he said. “In that way it's a kind of loss to my studies — if I had been there things would be better.
Dev wanted to start this semester in Montreal, but Canada again extended the ban on direct flights from India until Sept. 21, forcing Dev to re-book again.
Dev is now in Serbia, a country that has a visa on arrival for Indian nationals. Though fully vaccinated, he's quarantining before boarding a flight to Montreal via Frankfurt.
Frustrated with the ever changing rules, Dev hopes Canada relaxes measures for students.
“Canada is allowing US citizens [in] for non-essential [reasons],” he said, adding that double-vaccinated students from India are prohibited from entering even when it’s for “essential purposes.”
Canada imposed the ban on India because of the Delta variant that was ravaging that country last spring.
But experts say the focus should be on who is coming in: those who are fully vaccinated and test negative.
“If you wanted to reduce the chances or speed by which that variant is imported to Canada, then a direct ban when there was no or little Delta in Canada might have made sense,” said infectious diseases expert Dr. Matthew Oughton, “but that horse has left the barn, and to continue that ban now doesn't make a lot of sense.”
The federal government told CTV the ban on direct flights allows travellers to be tested for COVID once they've left a high risk country, reducing the risk of contracting the virus between receiving the test and boarding a flight to Canada.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canada, G7 urge 'all parties' to de-escalate in growing Mideast conflict
Canada called for 'all parties' to de-escalate rising tensions in the Mideast following an apparent Israeli drone attack against Iran overnight.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
'It was all my savings': Ontario woman loses $15K to fake Walmart job scam
A woman who recently moved to Canada from India was searching for a job when she got caught in an online job scam and lost $15,000.
Families to receive Canada Child Benefit payment on Friday
More money will land in the pockets of some Canadian families on Friday for the latest Canada Child Benefit installment.
After COVID, WHO defines disease spread 'through air'
The World Health Organization and around 500 experts have agreed for the first time on what it means for a disease to spread through the air, in a bid to avoid the confusion early in the COVID-19 pandemic that some scientists have said cost lives.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
DEVELOPING G7 warns of new sanctions against Iran as world reacts to apparent Israeli drone attack
Group of Seven foreign ministers warned of new sanctions against Iran on Friday for its drone and missile attack on Israel, and urged both sides to avoid an escalation of the conflict.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.