Feds ensure that international travellers cannot access recovery benefits during mandatory quarantine

While many organizations have put a total freeze on business travel, this is not endlessly sustainable and some travel remains essential. (supAVADEE/Adobe Stock)

GATINEAU, Que. — The Government of Canada has strongly urged Canadians to stay home to stop the spread of COVID-19. During this time, the Government of Canada has supported Canadians including through the creation of three new benefits for workers who do not qualify for EI: the Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB), the Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB) and the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB).

To ensure these benefits provide the targeted support Canadians expect, the Government of Canada is taking immediate action to ensure all three benefits — the CRB, CRCB, and CRSB — do not incent people to disregard the clear public health advice against travelling abroad. The Government of Canada will be proposing legislation so that, retroactive to January 3, 2021, all international travellers who need to quarantine upon return to Canada, including people returning from vacation, visiting loved ones, and attending to real estate matters abroad, will not be eligible to receive support from any of the Canada Recovery Benefits for the period of their mandatory quarantine.

Individuals who are exempt from the mandatory quarantine requirements under the Quarantine Act, such as health care workers who need to cross the border for work, will be eligible to apply following their return to the country.

“The Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit was created to provide workers with a paid sick leave option. We did this so that workers did not have to choose between going to work while impacted by COVID-19 and putting food on the table. The benefit was not intended to encourage Canadians to disobey public health and international travel guidelines,” said Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, Carla Qualtrough in a prepared statement. “We have heard Canadians and are tightening the eligibility criteria for our COVID recovery benefits. We will ensure that these measures have no unintended consequences and will target individuals who travel for discretionary and non-essential purposes.”

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) will update the application process for the three recovery benefits on Jan. 11. For claims covering a period beginning on or after Jan. 3, 2021, applicants will need to indicate whether they were self-isolating or in quarantine due to international travel. Over the coming weeks, the CRA will delay processing claims for individuals who are self-isolating or in quarantine because of international travel until the legislative process is complete to ensure those who receive the benefit meet the latest eligibility criteria.