NBCC International Student Travel Guide

All NBCC students planning to travel to Canada must clearly understand Government of Canada and Government of New Brunswick laws and regulations, which are subject to change, before making travel plans. Please consult government websites for the most up-to-date information.

International Students: In addition to reviewing this webpage (NBCC Student Travel Guide), it is highly recommended to review the following:

• NBCC’s International Students: Travel Restrictions and Preparing to Enter Canada document (pdf);
• Government of Canada’s Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): International students - Canada.ca; and
• Canada Border Services Agency’s (CBSA): Information for international students

In Transit

While in transit to the airport, in airports and during flights:

• Wear a mask (recommended);
• Wash hands frequently;
• Use hand sanitizer;
• Keep your cell phone charged.

Arrival in Canada:

• Proceed through immigration and baggage pick up;
• Present appropriate documentation to the representatives from Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA);
• Move as quickly as possible through the baggage area;
• Meet your transportation (i.e.. taxi driver) at the agreed pick-up location (if applicable);
• Adhere to all protocols put in place by the transportation company.

Upon Arrival in Canada

Travellers entering Canada by air, land or sea may use ArriveCAN to submit an advance declaration form at certain Canadian international airports.  Providing your customs and immigration declaration to the CBSA in advance may save you time at the airport. Get started with your declaration up to 72 hours before your scheduled arrival in Canada at one of the following international airports:

• Vancouver international airport (YVR)
• Toronto Pearson international airport (YYZ) (Terminals 1 and 3)
• Montreal-Trudeau international airport (YUL)
• Winnipeg Richardson International Airport (YWG)
• Halifax Stanfield International Airport (YHZ)

You can review more information at this link:  Submit your customs and immigration information before flying into Canada (cbsa-asfc.gc.ca)

Download the ArriveCAN app (iOS, Android, or web format)

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Travel to New Brunswick

When you arrive to Canada (if arriving by air) you will be flying into a port-of-entry airport (an airport that receives international flights). After that, you will need to travel to New Brunswick.  There are a few options to do this:

• Travel by air (recommended): book a connecting flight directly to Fredericton (YFC), Saint John (YSJ) or Moncton (YQM) in New Brunswick.
• Travel by train or bus: there are limited options for train or bus travel to New Brunswick. You can search for routes on Maritime Bus and/or Via Rail. 
• Travel by car rental: this can be a difficult mode of transportation given changing road conditions and long drives. If you decide to pursue this option, please research it thoroughly and familiarize yourself with Canadian driving conditions.

Transportation in New Brunswick

Each airport in New Brunswick has their own taxi company service contracted for that airport. Students are to contact the taxi company once arriving at the airport. Phones are available within airports with direct lines to taxi companies, or students can call from their cell phones (only once they are ready to be picked-up).

Taxi Companies at New Brunswick Airports:

Fredericton Airport – Checker Cab at 506-450-8294
Saint John Airport - Diamond Taxi at 506-648-8888
Moncton Airport - Air Cab at 506-857-2000 or White Cab at 506-857-3000

NBCC is not currently organizing any airport pickups for international students. If you do not plan to take a taxi, you have the following options to travel to your final destination in New Brunswick: 

• Taxi
• Public Transportation
• Car Rental
• Family/Friends picking you up

Remember to bring enough Canadian money to pay for your taxi fare from the airport to final destination that you have previously arranged. Credit card and debit are also accepted as methods of payment.

Where to stay when you first arrive in New Brunswick

Suitable accommodations when you first arrive in New Brunswick will depend on your individual circumstances but can take the form of a variety of different arrangements including, but not limited to:

• Hotels: Reservations made with local hotels are to be done between students and the hotel. NBCC is not responsible for any charges. Rates are subject to change at anytime.
• Long-term apartment or house rentals: If you have arranged your long-term accommodation, you will need to coordinate your move-in date with your rental agency.
• AirBnB or other types of short-term rentals: If you rent for a week or more, you may receive a slight discount.
• Shared accommodations: This may be a possibility as part of a long-term rental or on a short-term basis.

Food

If you do not want to travel to a grocery store in your first few days in Canada and prefer having groceries delivered, there are three large grocery stores that carry a wide variety of food and health care products. Credit cards are required to purchase food online. You may also need to use a delivery service (see below) to have them delivered, otherwise you may be required to pick them up at the grocery store. 

• Atlantic Superstore
• Sobeys
• Walmart

How do I pick up my groceries?

• Instacart can be used as a delivery service option.

Ordering Take-Out: 

• Skip the Dishes

Other restaurants are offering a “knock and drop” for delivery, where they will deliver to your accommodation if you make those arrangements over the phone.

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Pre-Departure

1. You have carefully reviewed all information to ensure you are prepared to travel to Canada.

2. You have decided when you are going to come to New Brunswick and have made flight, accommodation, and transportation arrangements.

3. Optional: you have submitted an arrival plan to NBCC to join our voluntary Travel Check-In Program. See NBCC Arrival Plan and Travel Support Letter for additional information. 

4. You have downloaded the Arrive CAN app to submit your Advance Customs Declaration with the Government of Canada (if applicable).

5. You have arranged medical health insurance. Your guard.me coverage will cover your term dates. You must arrange early arrival insurance if you will be arriving before the start of the term.

Documents

Make sure you have the following documents available when you arrive in your carry-on luggage. You may be required to present these to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBS) when going through Canadian Customs and Immigration:

• Passport;
• Letter of Introduction (the letter that you received from the Government of Canada when they approved your study permit);
• Valid Letter of Acceptance from NBCC;
• NBCC Mandatory Work Experience Letter (pdf);
• NBCC Travel Support Letter (available for download on this page);
• Proof that you have enough money to support yourself during your stay in Canada;
• Letters of reference or any other documents the visa office told you to bring;
• A valid Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) or Temporary Resident Visa (TRV);
• Contact information of NBCC International Education Office: international@nbcc.ca; and,
• Other applicable documents in your circumstances.

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International students travelling to Canada may choose, but are not required, to submit an arrival plan to NBCC using the form below. If you submit an arrival plan using that form, you will be automatically added to our Travel Check-In Program. The Travel Check-In Program includes:

• Travel Restriction Updates via email in advance of your travel (after submission of your arrival plan).
• An email check-in during the week after your anticipated arrival date to Canada. This email will include resources and information about getting settled in New Brunswick.

Please explore the following resources to stay up-to-date:

• Please check this website regularly as it will be updated on an ongoing basis;
• Sign up for an upcoming Travel Restrictions & Entry to Canada Webinar
• Review Immigration Scenarios and Travel Preparations (look in the “Before NBCC” section);
• Review all requirements from the Government of Canada
• Review all requirements from the Government of New Brunswick

Winter 2023

NBCC’s academic programming for the Winter 2023 term is delivered in a blended format, with up to 80 percent of instruction delivered in person and the rest on our virtual platforms, depending on your program. 

Students starting an NBCC program in Winter 2023 are recommended to arrive in New Brunswick between December 5, 2022 and January 2, 2023. However, if you should decide to arrive earlier or later than our recommended arrival window, it is your responsibility to meet all travel restrictions and requirements, and to be in class by the deadlines outlined below.

You can see on our Academic Calendar that the first day of classes for the Winter 2023 term is Tuesday, January 3, 2022 and the last date to join classes is Monday, January 9, 2022. Extensions to the in-class deadline will not be provided and students must be physically present in Canada to begin their program of study.

Winter 2023 NBCC Arrival Plans: We are now accepting optional NBCC Arrival Plan submissions for Winter 2023 students.

Winter 2023 NBCC Travel Support Letter: Download Travel Support Letter (pdf)

Spring 2023

The first day of classes for the Spring 2023 term, as per the NBCC Academic Calendar, is April 24, 2023. Travel restrictions and self-isolation requirements are changing rapidly and we are not able to provide specific guidance on arrival timelines for the Spring 2023 intake at this time. At this time, we recommend arriving in the four weeks before the first day of classes.

Spring 2023 NBCC Arrival Plans: We will begin accepting optional NBCC Arrival Plan submissions for Spring 2023 students in March 2022.

Spring 2023 NBCC Travel Support Letter: A Travel Support Letter for NBCC students will be available for download in March for Spring 2023 students.

In the meantime, please explore the following resources to stay up-to-date:

• Please check this website regularly as it will be updated on an ongoing basis;
• Sign up for an upcoming Travel Restrictions & Entry to Canada Webinar
• Review all requirements from the Government of Canada
• Review all requirements from the Government of New Brunswick

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