Canada Update - Full Vaccination Required of All Foreign Workers

Effective January 15, 2022, all foreign workers are required to be fully vaccinated in order to enter Canada. “Fully vaccinated” means having received the full series of a government-approved vaccine at least 14 days prior to entry into Canada. A list of government-approved vaccines can be found here. Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated workers will now be denied entry unless exempt from the vaccination requirement. Current exemptions are available for agricultural and food processing workers, marine crew members, individuals entering Canada on compassionate grounds, new permanent residents, resettling refugees, and certain children under the age of 18.

What this Means for Our Clients

There may be challenges to securing Canadian work authorization for individuals from countries with limited access to vaccines who cannot get inoculated. Employers may also need to screen prospective candidates for vaccination status during the pre-hire assessment process before an offer of employment is issued. Goeschl Law has integrated advice regarding the requirement for fully vaccinated status into pre-hire assessments and is working with clients to ensure their internal processes align with this new policy.