HÂş»­

 

International Travel


HÂş»­â€™s International Travel Framework

HÂş»­ students, faculty, and staff travel internationally to pursue scholarly research and academic studies, develop international partnerships, recruit international students, and enhance HÂş»­â€™s international presence and reputation. 

HÂş»­â€™s International Travel Policy provides direction on ensuring safe international travel. 

HÂş»­ has partnered with International SOS, an international travel medical and security service.  International SOS provides medical and security information and advice prior to and during travel, support in case of a medical or security incident or emergency during travel, and the platform on which travellers register their travel with the University. .

Registering your travel

When faculty, staff and students register their travel with HÂş»­, it ensures that the University can respond quickly and effectively in the event of an emergency.  The process for registering travel is to:

  1. Create a personal profile (with a password) with . Use your HÂş»­ email address as your username and create a unique password. You only need to do this once.
  2. Forward your itinerary confirmation email from your HÂş»­ email address directly to: HÂş»­Travel@itinerary.internationalsos.com

You will receive an email from International SOS that confirms registration and includes location-specific information and advice.  

Itinerary Forwarding - Quick Tips:

  • Use your HÂş»­ email address to book travel and forward your itinerary.
  • Forward your original confirmation email without making any changes.  For example, if you receive 2 separate confirmation emails for 2 different trips, you should forward each original confirmation email separately.
  • If your confirmation email includes a PDF document, ensure the PDF is included when forwarding the confirmation email.
  • If you change your itinerary, forward the most recent version of the itinerary confirmation email.

If you require any assistance registering your travel, please contact the International SOS Online Help team at onlinehelp@internationalsos.com.

Canadian travellers are also expected to register with the Canadian government’s online . If you are a citizen of a country other than Canada, please register your travel with the foreign office of your home country, where possible.

Pre-travel planning

Risk assessment and safety plan

Managing the risks of traveling international is a shared responsibility between the University and individual travellers.  Creating a safety plan is part of managing these risks.

Students are required to create a  [PDF-300KB] for their international travel.  Faculty and staff are strongly encouraged to do so (except for authorized travel to a Level 4 destination, where a risk assessment and safety plan are required). 

When creating a risk assessment and safety plan, you should:

  • Consult the or speak directly with an International SOS representative 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by calling 1-215-942-8478
  • Consult the .
  • Consult .

International SOS app

Travellers should also download the . Up to date information about your destination will be sent directly to your phone. You can also “check in†via the app during travel. The tracking function on the app can be easily enabled and disabled, depending on your preference.

Travel documents & insurance

You should also ensure you have required documents and insurance coverage, including:

  • Required travel documents (ex: passports, visas, permits, etc.) for your destination.
  • Trip cancellation and interruption insurance: This is mandatory for students and strongly recommended for faculty and staff.
  • Appropriate travel medical insurance: This is mandatory for all travellers. The policies provided to students by the HÂş»­ Student Union, and to eligible faculty and staff through HÂş»­â€™s health benefit plan, provide appropriate coverage.
  • Other appropriate travel insurance, including coverage for the loss of personal property.

Incidents/emergencies during travel

In the event of a medical or security incident or emergency during travel, you should act to protect your own safety and contact International SOS as soon as possible for support and direction.  You can contact International SOS via the app or by calling 1-215-942-8478.  In such cases, International SOS will liaise with the University where necessary to ensure you receive appropriate support.

Restricted travel

The International Travel Policy also addresses those rare situations when the University does not support high risk travel and provides a process for requesting authorization in certain situations.  These travel restrictions are based on faculty/staff or student status:

  1. Undergraduate students: Travel to destinations where the Government of Canada has advised to “avoid non-essential travel†or “avoid all travel†is restricted.  There is no exception to this restriction.
  2. Graduate students: Travel to destinations where the Government of Canada has advised to “avoid non-essential travel†or “avoid all travel†is not supported by the University.  In exceptional circumstances, graduate students may request authorization from the relevant Dean and Provost, following the process outlined in section D.4. of the Policy.
  3. Faculty and staff: Travel to destinations where the Government of Canada has advised to “avoid all travel†is not supported by the University. In exceptional circumstances, faculty or staff members may request authorization from the relevant Dean or Administrative Head and Provost, following the process outlined in section D.4. of the Policy.

Escalation of risk rating prior to planned travel:  There may also be situations where travel has been planned to an authorized destination but the Government of Canada increases its travel advisory to a restricted level prior to travel (for example: in the event of a natural disaster or political unrest).   In such cases, the relevant Dean or Administrative Head and the Provost will consult with appropriate members of the University community in as timely a manner as possible to determine whether and in what circumstances travel may proceed.