Importance Of Getting A CanadianSIM Before Traveling To Canada During COVID
Traveling has changed massively due to the ongoing pandemic. Along with your luggage and passport, a number of items have also added to your baggage – carrying your mask, protection kit, sanitizer, COVID certificate, and a lot more. No matter where you are traveling, these mandates are important and a must!
However, if you are planning to travel to Canada, then one more thing is added to the items you need before taking off – A Canadian phone!
Now you may have questions as to why it is important (or rather mandatory) to get a Canadian SIM card prior landing, right? This article endeavors to answer all those questions.
Why it is important to get a Canadian phone number before landing?
Starting from the top!
The rapid spread of the coronavirus has made traveling more difficult than ever. Traveling on an airplane with hundreds of others can be nerve-wracking. Wearing the mask for long hours, or even a PPE kit can be a cause for massive anxiety in the very least, and often leads to second thoughts.
Now imagine yourself without a means of communication on top of this situation! Makes it seem like a nightmare doesn’t it?
Well, it seems to be difficult but not when you’re traveling to Canada. Getting a Canadian phone number and an affordable phone plan before take-off can help you better adhere to the norms laid down for international travelers. The Canadian government has deployed numerous digital tools are been used for fighting against this COVID pandemic.
Digital tools such as:
- Web-based self-assessment tool
- COVID alert app
- Mental health & substance use the support portal
- COVID email updates
- Open call initiative
- Interactive data summary and case map
- And more
If we talk about these tools in detail – they all have their benefits. From identifying an individual affected by COVID, to a data summary of the number of patients (COVID positive), you can get all the information related to the Coronavirus here.
You should definitely be looking to have a Canadian phone number before stepping out of the airplane in order to handle this pandemic situation better. You would do best to be aware of all the guidelines laid out by the Canadian government before landing. Once you are there, to hunt for a SIM card, especially without any knowledge of the terrain, and considering the pandemic, could be more dangerous and difficult.
Having a phone number beforehand will also help you in contacting any of your dear ones and keep them apprised as to how you are doing.
How the Canadian Government has Served its People
The Canadian government has introduced an app, namely ArriveCAN for both Apple and Android phones. It is a must for travelers to download this application before they arrive in Canada.
In here, you need to choose a plan, namely – a self-isolation plan where you need to isolate yourself for 14-days and submit it online before departing from your home country. While you are downloading this application, you will be needed to fit the Canadian phone number to it.
For this reason, it is important (mandated even) to get a Canadian phone number prior to boarding the airplane. Apart from this, when you land at the Canadian airport, you will also need to undergo a thermal screeningno matter what your home country.
Whether or not you have symptoms of COVID, you will need to submit a self-isolation plan to the government in which every last detail of your quarantine needs to be mentioned. This would include details about the location you will be at for the duration of the 14-days of self-quarantine.
Final Thoughts
Just as important as booking your flight tickets, having a Canadian SIM card handy before landing in Canada is more important than ever. Do not forget simple things like a universal power adapter, and masks that are comfortable for you.
As you will be entering a mandatory 15-day quarantine as soon as you land in Canada, having a good phone plan and data pack will hold you in good stead. Isolation will no doubt make you want to call home and catch up, having a SIM card already in your phone will just make the process that much easier.
If you are among those planning to travel to Canada during this pandemic and are looking for a Canadian SIM, get in touch with us today!
We excel in offering students a simple no contract post-paid plan. In addition to a host of benefits, our exclusive plan also offers 1000 international long distance minutes per month to over 8 countries, including India, enabling you to make a direct call back home the moment you land!
Go on, live your Canadian dreams, we have your back!
