Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
travel.gc.ca
Common menu bar links
CONTENT|CONTENU
Travel Information - FAQ
Travel Reports
- What are Travel Reports?
- Who should read Travel Reports?
- How are Travel Reports developed and maintained?
- How often are Travel Reports revised?
- What do the four risk levels mean?
- How do you determine the risk level of a country or region?
- How do I determine if it is safe for me to travel?
Global Issues
Travel Updates
Travel Warnings
- What are Travel Warnings?
- When does the Government of Canada issue a Travel Warning?
- How often are Travel Warnings revised?
- Should I cancel my trip if a Travel Warning has been issued?
Travel Reports
Travel Reports provide Canadians with official information and advice from the Government of Canada on situations that may affect their safety and well-being abroad. Travel Reports may include a Travel Warning for a country, or region(s) of a country, where security conditions put Canadians at heightened risk. Travel Reports help Canadians make their own informed decisions in order to minimize risk while travelling abroad.
2. Who should read Travel Reports?
Travel Reports are aimed at all Canadians who venture outside Canada, including tourists, business travellers, students, and those living overseas.
3. How are Travel Reports developed and maintained?
The Travel Information Program team collects continuous reports on safety and security abroad from a variety of sources and monitors world events. The team also analyses trends and incidents affecting international travellers. Travel Reports are updated promptly to inform Canadians of situations that may affect their safety and security abroad.
4. How often are Travel Reports revised?
Revisions are done on a cyclical basis or as required if conditions change.
5. What do the four risk levels mean?
Each Travel Report contains a graph indicating the country’s overall level of security risk. There may be more than one graph if the risk level differs in a specific region.
The four risk levels are as follows:
There are no significant security concerns.
There are identifiable security concerns, and travellers should be alert and vigilant to their surroundings.
There is a specific security concern, and travellers should reconsider their need to travel at this time (official Government of Canada Travel Warning).
There is an extreme risk to personal safety, and Canadians should not travel at this time (official Government of Canada Travel Warning).
6. How do you determine the risk level of a country or region?
The risk level is based on an overall assessment of the current security situation in a country or region. However, this assessment is not exhaustive.
7. How do I determine if it is safe for me to travel?
Travel Reports and Warnings provide recommendations about safety and security conditions abroad to enable Canadians to make their own informed decisions regarding travel. However, the decision to travel is the sole responsibility of the individual.
Global Issues
Global Issues are advisories that provide Canadians travelling and living abroad with up-to-date information and recommendations on matters that could affect their safety and security for a specific period.
Travel Updates
How can I keep track of the safety and security situation abroad?
Subscribe to our daily Travel Updates to receive an e-mail that summarizes changes made to our Travel Reports and Global Issues. You may also contact our Emergency Operations Centre 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Travel Warnings appear in individual Travel Reports and provide the Government of Canada’s official advice regarding travel to a country or specific region(s) of a country. A Travel Warning may recommend that Canadians avoid “all travel” or “non-essential travel” to a country or region and, in some cases, that they leave that country or region. It is up to the individual to decide what constitutes “non-essential travel,” based on family or business requirements, knowledge of a country or region, and other factors.
2. When does the Government of Canada issue a Travel Warning?
There are many events that can necessitate an official Travel Warning, including the threat of terrorism, civil unrest, war, rebellion, a natural disaster, political instability, and health emergencies.
3. How often are Travel Warnings revised?
The Government of Canada closely monitors safety and security conditions abroad, particularly in countries for which Travel Warnings have been issued. As new information becomes available, the level of risk is reassessed, and a Travel Warning may be upgraded or downgraded.
4. Should I cancel my trip if a Travel Warning has been issued?
You are strongly advised to follow the Government of Canada’s official travel advice to ensure your personal safety and security. Cancelling a scheduled trip could cost you money, so check with your travel agent, travel insurer, or airline/tour operator first. Travel insurers generally take into account the government’s Travel Warnings when determining their refund policy, but they have no legal or contractual obligation to do so. The decision to travel is the sole responsibility of the individual.