Canada-US border closure extends further to late July: Reports

Both the countries had reached an initial agreement in March to temporarily close the border to non-essential travel while giving access to only commercial traffic and essential workers amid the coronavirus pandemic.

This deal was first extended until May 21 and last month it was reextended for another 30 days till June 21.

The final date to which further extension would apply has not yet been revealed.

Some exemptions to the above deal were announced on June 8 by the federal government of Canada allowing some immediate family members separated by temporary COVID-19 travel restrictions to cross the border into the country.

The government, through this exemption, defined an immediate family member as someone's: spouse or common-law partner, dependent child, the parent or step-parent or the parent or step-parent of the person's spouse or common-law partner, guardian or tutor.

“This is an incredibly difficult time to be apart from a spouse, a child, or mom or dad. We hear that,” said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in a press briefing on June 8. “That’s why we are bringing in a limited exemption to allow immediate family members of citizens or permanent residents to come to Canada.”

These changes effective midnight on June 8 are applicable to foreign nationals who are immediate family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents and who do not have COVID-19 or do not have any signs or symptoms of the coronavirus.

These exemptions, however, are not applicable to immediate family members of temporary residents in Canada, such as those on a student or work visa, and all foreign nationals with COVID-19 or exhibiting any signs or symptoms are prohibited from entering Canada.

Anyone who enters the country is required to self-quarantine for 14 days.

Failure to follow these rules could result in "serious penalties" Trudeau had said.

(Reporting by Asha Bajaj)