Welcoming International Students in the Context of COVID-19

You are currently abroad and are beginning or pursuing your studies or postdoctoral fellowship at INRS this fall? INRS is now ready to welcome you in its facilities! Regardless of your situation, INRS provides you with all the information you need to help you.

Steps to follow

The INRS has implemented a comprehensive plan to accompany you in preparing for your arrival in accordance with the requirements of Quebec and Canada’s public health authorities. Please follow the steps below.

1. Consult the Information Guide

Before planning any travel, INRS invites you to consult the Information guide web page which allows you to learn about the rules in effect and the elements to be taken into account before you decide to come.

2. Decide with your supervisor

• If your travel is possible, you must notify the Studies and Student Life Service (Service des études et de la vie étudiante) of the decision by writing to sve@inrs.ca.
• Your supervisor will then designate, with a copy to sve@inrs.ca, a person employed by INRS who will act as a support person to assist you in the preparations.
• You must quickly prepare your quarantine plan with the help of the support person assigned to you.
• Finally, you must send the quarantine plan to sve@inrs.ca as soon as possible.

3. Plan your arrival and your quarantine

• A checklist (PDF) is available to help you prepare for the various aspects related to your quarantine and your arrival.
• A Flat-rate living allowance for the quarantine has been established to provide you with financial support.

4. Prepare your arrival at INRS

If you are a new graduate student at INRS, you will be contacted by a mentor once you have submitted your study permit approval letter to Student Life Services. The mentor’s role is to help you become familiar with your new environment. Each research centre provides you with a Welcome Guide to help you start and continue your formation at INRS.

Vaccination passport

Take note of the information on vaccination and the vaccination passport introduced by the Government of Quebec.

Use of the vaccination passport

As of September 1, 2021, the Quebec government has introduced a vaccination passport that is required to access certain non-essential places or services:

• Sports and physical activities
• Outdoor events and festivals
• Performance venues, cinemas, sports venues
• Bars and restaurants
• Arcades, theme parks, amusement parks and centres, recreation centres, and water parks
• Other events, such as conventions and conferences

In Quebec universities, the vaccination passport is only used for extracurricular activities. However, it will not be required for the general assembly of your student association.

• You wish to participate in extracurricular activities? Make sure you have your vaccination passport as soon as possible, if you don’t already have it.
• Want to organize an extracurricular activity? Inform Student Life Services (sve@inrs.ca) of your activity and follow the rules that will be recommended.

For more information on how the vaccine passport works, visit the Quebec government website.

Vaccination campaign

The Quebec government offers the vaccine free of charge to all the residents from the province of Quebec, including foreign students and other temporary residents. If you have not yet been vaccinated, you can make an appointment on Clic Santé. People who have been partially vaccinated outside of Quebec can have their first dose registered.

If you have any question about the effectiveness and security of the vaccines, do not hesitate to consult the Government of Canada website or the COVID-19 section of the Rumour Detector website (in French only), a joint initiative of the Agence Science-Presse and the Fonds de recherche du Québec.

Registering a vaccine received outside of Quebec

The Quebec government recognizes vaccines received outside of Quebec. This recognition is necessary in order to obtain the vaccination passport and to receive another dose to complete your vaccination status. To find out how to proceed, consult the Quebec government’s web page.

Important government resources describing impacts of the pandemic on programs and travel:

• For information on travel restrictions and the impact on international students, please visit Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): International students.
• For information on travel in Canada and travel for non-discretionary or non-elective purposes, please visit COVID-19 – Study permits and travel to Canada.
• For information on air travel and entry to Canada, please visit Travel restriction measures: COVID-19 program delivery.
• For information on the Canada – U.S border restrictions, please visit Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): Travel restrictions, exemptions and advice.