"essential travel" to Canada - should she go?

[Evalina]

DD finished university in the summer of 2019 and was doing a ski season in Whistler Canada under the IEC programme, when Covid struck. The resort closed in March and she flew home a few days later. Since then she's been desperate to go back and resume/restart her ski season.

She has a job there waiting - in a mountain top restaurant so "food". In theory she will be let in as "food" jobs count as essential, and her work visa is active/valid until October.

I'm not wild about it, I don't think it's responsible to travel at the moment, and I'm worried about what might happen in the next few months. She has a good (science) job here, and they have said she can go and return to it, and she wants to change roles anyway.

She will have to have a negative test before flying and quarantine for 2 weeks on arrival (in a hotel with food delivered). Penalties for breaking quarantine are high in Canada - up to 6 months in prison/huge fine. If she's ill she's on her own, she has 'friends' from her ski season before in the area, and she says they would help - but no idea how realistic that is.

Normal travel insurance can't be got. So she has found regular travel insurance which covers her for travel/winter sports, and a Cigna Medical plan which will cover her for Covid related illness, including repatriation if needed.

I would far rather she waits until the summer, and goes for a few months then, but she is set on going now and is planning to book a flight for Monday/Tuesday next week.

At the end of the day she's an adult, and it seems she will go. Am I being unfair in trying to discourage her, and worrying unnecessarily?

Yes, I think you are.

I'd say go. A friend's DS is in Whistler and having a wonderful time. Plus she'll be gaining work and life experience.

Yeah, I think so.

Well she's already had Oct-March in Whistler, so I'm not sure she will gain anything extra. She has a science job here, where she is gaining really relevant experience.

But she's young, I get it's been hard being back home with us, and I was happy for her to go when I thought things were improving. The rates in Canada seem to be rising rapidly though, and I'm worried about new strains / borders closing / her travel not really being essential.

Thanks though, I'd like to be happy about her going.

That’s a very parental view. You’ve already said she doesn’t love her job. Young people have lost so much. This gives her independence, knowledge, experience. It sounds like she’s approached it in an adult manner... and there’s not all the time in the world to do this type of thing if she wants to own a home and progress in a career etc.

I’d be cautious about making her miss out on this too.

If she's finished university then she's an adult and she can do as she wishes. As long as you've said your piece about borders closing/her potentially being stuck there and she's okay with accepting the possible consequences of her actions, then it's really up to her. When I was 21/22 my parents weren't telling me what to do.

She sounds like she has a plan and she is an adult. The insurance would have been my concern but that sounds like a good workaround (have you looked over policies?). She will be allowed in as a worker but does she have a plan about what to do if resort closes? Different provinces have different lockdown policies but in mine a ski hill wouldn't be open in our most restrictive phase but can operate with restrictions in the others.

I'd say go

ok thanks, that's really helpful.

I have looked at the policies and they seem fine to me. I think if the resort closes she will either stay in staff accommodation for a while, if she can, or like last time get a flight home.

Fingers crossed it will be ok.

there’s not all the time in the world to do this type of thing if she wants to own a home and progress in a career etc.

This is also really important - don't assume that she'll get this opportunity again if she doesn't go now. When I look back on my 20s I'm so glad I seized every opportunity I did to work abroad. That stage of life when you have the freedom to just go somewhere for a few months on a whim is really short - don't make her miss it because you're feeling anxious.

Yes. Please let her go. There’s so little opportunity around at the moment I think she should sieze it. Heck, I want to go!! Best of luck to her

Yes I agree about the travel. I didn't really have the opportunity when I was her age, and have really encouraged her. She studied in Australia for a semester as part of her degree, has done other trips to China, Thailand and Cambodia.

As long as she has full medical cover for the trip - that covers her as a worker, not a tourist, then let her do as she wishes. Does she have a Plan B if she should catch the virus and become very ill?

I'd be packing my Ds bags for him.

I’d let her go. Of course you’re going to worry but it’s been a crap year with things not getting much better. Grab these opportunities where you can I say. X

Thanks everyone. I've told DD I think she should go, so she'll sort flights etc in the next few days.