Since June 1, temporary foreign workers can receive a first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as they arrive on Canadian soil at Montreal-Trudeau International Airport.
“Since temporary foreign workers in agriculture are essential workers in settings at significant risk of outbreaks, it was essential to find a way to get them the vaccine quickly. There are thousands who will arrive in the coming weeks to lend a hand to the Quebec agri-food sector, “André Lamontagne, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food said Monday in a press release.
Nearly 2,275 foreign workers should therefore be eligible for this initiative. However, only temporary foreign workers arriving on charter flights are affected by this offer. They will be able to receive their second dose in their host region this summer. A team from the Direction régionale de santé publique de Montréal will be deployed on site for each flight. “Everything is in place to provide them with relevant information and facilitate the vaccination process, in particular through a translation system that will facilitate the registration and assessment of workers,” underlined the Minister of International Relations and Francophonie and Minister of Immigration, Francization and Integration, Nadine Girault.
“Accessibility to vaccination is a determining factor, and since the start of this major vaccination operation, we have seen in the field a real desire on the part of companies to work in concert with the health and social services network to adapt the ‘offer,’ added Christian Dubé, Minister of Health and Social Services.