Foreign nationals who have been in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) within the past 21 days will be barred from entering Canada beginning at 11:59 p.m. on 20 July 2026. The ban, enforced through an interim order under the Aeronautics Act, will remain in force until 29 August 2026, and airlines flying to Canada must deny boarding to affected travelers.
Immediate entry restriction
- Applies to any foreign national with travel to the DRC in the 21 days preceding arrival in Canada.
- Effective 11:59 p.m. 20 July 2026; expires 29 August 2026.
- Private and commercial carriers are required to refuse boarding to those who fall under the restriction.
- The measure was announced by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) in a press release on 19 July 2026 in response to the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the DRC.
Earlier omnibus restrictions (since 30 May 2026)
- Travelers from the DRC, Uganda, or South Sudan must quarantine for 21 days after arrival in Canada.
- Immigration documents issued to foreign nationals residing in those three regions were suspended, and processing of immigration applications was halted.
- Both the quarantine requirement and the immigration freeze are also set to remain until 29 August 2026.
Ebola situation in the DRC
- As of 15 July 2026, the World Health Organization reported 2,124 confirmed Ebola cases and 828 deaths in the DRC (report released 17 July 2026).
- By comparison, Uganda had 20 confirmed cases and 2 deaths (as of 2 July 2026), while South Sudan reported no cases.
- PHAC stated that the health risk to Canadians is considered low and that no travel‑related Ebola cases have been reported in Canada to date.
Legal basis
- The entry ban utilizes sweeping executive powers granted to the government on 26 March 2026 under amendments to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act introduced by Bill C‑12.
- This is the first time those powers have been invoked for Ebola‑related immigration measures.
Source article: www.cicnews.com
