Canada Just Extended Its Ban On Passenger Flights From India Until At Least September 21

The Government of Canada has extended its India flight ban for the fifth time, preventing travellers from the country from entering Canada until September at the earliest.

In a notice shared on Monday, August 9, federal officials said they continue to prioritize the "health and safety of all people in Canada by continuing to take a risk-based and measured approach to re-opening the border."

The statement says that, based on the latest public health advice from the Public Health Agency of Canada, the ban on all direct commercial and private passenger flights to Canada from India would be extended.

While the ban was previously set to lift on August 21, this has now been extended to September 21, at 23:59 EDT.

Cargo-only planes, medical transfers and military flights will not be impacted by this restriction.

Passengers who depart India to Canada via an indirect route must continue to obtain a valid COVID-19 pre-departure test from a third country (other than India) before continuing their journey to Canada.

The India flight ban first came into effect back in April 2021, due to concerns related to COVID-19 variants in the country.