Since the onset of the pandemic, the rules about who can enter
Canada have been confusing and hard to keep up with at times. A
particularly hard hit group has been "immediate family
members" of Canadians. The temporary travel ban enacted under
the Quarantine Act has consistently defined "immediate family
members" as the spouse or common-law spouse of a Canadian; a
dependent child of a Canadian; the parent or step-parent of a
Canadian or their spouse or common-law partner; or the guardian or
tutor of a Canadian. However, it has not always been clear who can
enter and when, nor have the changes thus far to the rules been
sufficient for all family members or loved ones of Canadians.
Initially, the COVID-19 travel ban did not apply to
"immediate family members" of Canadians so long as the
purpose for their entry was not discretionary or optional. In the
first few months of the pandemic, this meant airline personnel and
border services officers were assessing whether a
