Canada Extends Ebola Travel Restrictions for Another 30 Days

The Canadian government has extended its temporary border restrictions for another 30 days until September 28, prolonging uncertainty for tens of thousands of individuals whose visa and residency applications remain suspended.

Under these measures, foreign nationals who have visited the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Uganda, or South Sudan within the last 21 days are barred from entering Canada. Returning Canadian citizens and permanent residents from these regions are subject to a mandatory 21-day quarantine.

While the World Health Organization (WHO) and Africa CDC recently declared the outbreak over in Uganda—with zero cases recorded in South Sudan—the crisis persists in the DRC, where nearly 2,800 deaths have been reported from the rare Bundibugyo strain.

Public Health Agency of Canada spokesperson Mark Johnson defended the policy as a necessary precaution given the disease's severity, despite maintaining that the overall risk to the Canadian public remains low.

The policy continues to face pushback from global health experts, human rights advocates, and impacted families who question its scientific justification.

Health law experts and international organizations, including the WHO, argue that blanket travel bans do not align with public health guidance and hamper international aid efforts. With over 67,000 pending and approved residency applications currently frozen, families, workers, and visiting performers are left facing continued delays as North American border protocols remain strictly enforced.