Before You Go

Please review the COVID-19 and International UCalgary Travel page for current information regarding travel decisions and restrictions for University business purposes. 

Please note that personal travel/vacations/family visits are not considered university business-related travel.

A risk rating is the rating level that the university determines is applicable to an international destination after assessing the health, safety, and security risks associated with such international destination.

Check Risk Rating

The University of Calgary is partnered with International SOS to provide worldwide assistance for employees, students, and volunteers while travelling outside of Canada on university business.

International SOS Assistance App

Download the International SOS Assistance App on your mobile phone to access resources.

https://www.internationalsos.com/subscriber/assistance-app

While setting up the app, you will need to create an account. When prompted, use your UCalgary email address and create a unique password. Do not use your UCalgary account password when setting up the app.

If needed, the UCalgary membership number - 27AYCA093142.

Telephone Access

+1.215.354.5000 (call collect)

In the event of an emergency, you have instant access to:

  • telephone advice from a physician
  • referrals to global, vetted providers
  • travel information and alerts for all countries
  • medical and security assistance.

You may also contact International SOS prior to your travel for country specific information. A network of multilingual specialists are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Email Alerts

To receive International SOS email alerts, follow the steps below:

  1. Go to the Subscriber Login page on the International SOS website.
  2. Type in our UCalgary membership number: 27AYCA093142.
  3. Click on Get Started, enter your UCalgary email address. When the UCalgary login screen displays - enter your UCalgary credentials and respond to the 2-factor authentication prompt. 
  4. Scroll down and click on Sign up for Email Alerts.
  5. Register yourself as a new user by entering your name and email address in the How Do I Register section. Click Register.
  6. International SOS will send you an email. Click on the link in the email to activate your registration.
  7. Once you are in the My Alerts area, choose the country you are travelling to/in, and choose Medical and/or Non-Medical alerts.

Assistance App Alerts - Mobile Devices

To receive location-based Assistance App Alerts, follow the steps below:

  1. Open Settings on your mobile device
  2. Find the Assistance App and open the app settings.
  3. Set Location and Notifications to Always Allow, or While Using the App
  4. Open the Assistance App, click on the Settings (gear icon in the top right corner of the Assistance App)
  5. Open Alerts and Notifications and turn on Location Based Alerts

 See this image for details.

Medical Coverage

All individuals approved to travel on University-related business are required to ensure that they have health coverage that will extend to cover any COVID-19 related illness while traveling.  This must include Medical Emergency Assistance and Medical Evacuation coverage.

Academic Staff, Support Staff (AUPE) and Management and Professional Staff (MaPS):

Information regarding Alberta Blue Cross (ABC) coverage for travel outside of Alberta, for academic staff, support staff and MaPS who are enrolled in the University's ABC plan, is available on the UCalgary Group Benefits website at  https://www.ucalgary.ca/hr/benefits-pension/group-benefits/out-province-emergency-medical.  Please go down to the appropriate section on that page and click on "COVID-19 and Travel Outside of Alberta."

Please note that all plan members are strongly encouraged to contact Alberta Blue Cross directly at 1.800.661.6995 in advance of travel to review coverage and their  circumstances.

Post-Doctoral Scholars:

Information regarding Alberta Blue Cross (ABC) coverage for travel outside of Alberta, for academic staff, support staff and MaPS who are enrolled in the University's ABC plan, is available on the UCalgary Group Benefits website at  https://www.ucalgary.ca/hr/benefits-pension/group-benefits/out-province-emergency-medical.  Please go down to the appropriate section on that page and click on "COVID-19 and Travel Outside of Alberta."

Please note that all plan members are strongly encouraged to contact Alberta Blue Cross directly at 1.800.661.6995 in advance of travel to review coverage and their  circumstances.

Undergraduate Students: contact the Students' Union Undergraduate Health and Dental Plan Office to determine if you have health care coverage that applies outside of Canada. 

Graduate Students: contact the Graduate Students' Association.

Volunteers:  are not provided with any health or life insurance coverage through the university and are responsible to ensure that they have adequate international coverage to meet their needs. 

Contractors:  are not provided with any health or life insurance coverage through the university and are responsible to ensure that they have adequate international coverage to meet their needs.

Workers' Compensation Board Coverage

University of Calgary academic, support, and professional staff are covered by Alberta Workers' Compensation while travelling outside of Alberta if all of the following four conditions are met:

  1. you must be a resident of Alberta or have your usual place of employment in Alberta
  2. the work outside of Alberta must be a continuation of the employment by UCalgary
  3. the nature of the employment is such that, in the normal course of employment, the work you perform is required to be performed both in and out of Alberta
  4. the employment outside of Alberta must last less than twelve months.

For more information on Workers' Compensation coverage for out-of-Alberta work, see the WCB out-of-province fact sheet.

Postdoctoral trainees that are paid directly by the University of Calgary are covered by WCB in the same manner as staff as per above.

Undergraduate and graduate students based in Alberta are considered workers of the Government of Alberta for the purposes of WCB coverage. See the WCB student coverage fact sheet.

Evacuation and Security Plan

A helpful resource to take with you is the UCalgary Emergency Assistance Card, which when folded, fits easily in your wallet. The card has a list of web addresses, phone numbers, and instructions in the event of an emergency abroad.

You can request a card from Risk Management and Insurance by emailing riskmgmt@ucalgary.ca or calling 403.220.5847. You can also request a luggage handle wrap that has emergency information printed on the inside.

Print an Emergency Assistance Card

Emotional support programs are offered to individuals travelling internationally on University of Calgary business.

  • Employees travelling abroad can access the Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP), 24 hours a day, 365 days a year at:
    • Toll Free in North America: 1.866.424.0699
    • Faculty and Staff in Qatar: 00800.100.090
    • All other countries at: 1.905.886.3605
    • TTY: 1.877.338.0275
      • Tell the representative the name of your employer and what country you are calling from and request they call you back immediately, or at a time convenient for you.
      • Provide the representative with the telephone number where you can be reached.
         
  • Students, postdoctoral scholars, interns, externs, and volunteers can access International SOS 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Call collect at 1.215.354.5000

Updated: Feb 22, 2023

Groups travelling internationally should ensure that they have an emergency plan completed and that all travelers are aware of the contents. 

View

Medical and Security Briefings are available from International SOS.  These can be requested by completing the travel briefing request form.

Travel briefings are available through UCalgary International Study Abroad. Contact them at study.abroad@ucalgary.ca to arrange a travel briefing.

Security briefings are available from Research Security at: researchsecurity@ucalgary.ca 

Travel briefing guidelines are available as a resource to departments and individuals who deliver travel briefings for UCalgary travellers.

US Customs and Border Protection Agency at the Coutts, AB/Sweetgrass, MT border crossing would appreciate being warned ahead of time of groups entering the U.S. This allows them time to pre-clear visitors and ensure that they have appropriate staff on duty at the time of crossing to expedite the process at the time of passage. This is a request to save time for the group. It is not a requirement.

A fax can be typed and sent to 406.335.2611 that contains the following information:

  1. full name of each group member (John Edward Smith)
  2. date of birth (Jan. 1, 1970)
  3. gender
  4. citizenship
  5. date of arrival in the U.S.
  6. driver(s) name
  7. location(s) of travel.

Any students/staff joining the group at the last minute should proceed and will be cleared at the border at the time of the crossing.

Transporting University Equipment across the U.S. Border

Supply Chain Management

Transporting university equipment while driving across the U.S. Border: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) requires the reporting of certain shipment information prior to allowing a shipment to enter the US by truck or surface vehicle. Failure to pre-notify U.S Customs could subject the importer or carrier to significant fines (If you are transporting your own equipment or goods, you are considered to be the carrier). Effective November 1, 2005, the same rules apply for shipments coming through Canadian Customs Services from the US. It is imperative all UCalgary personnel transporting equipment or goods to the US contact 403.220.5615 to ensure pre-arrival documentation is in place prior to the arrival of goods at U.S. Customs.

You are required to purchase insurance from the rental agency to use a vehicle on university business outside of Canada and the United States. The university's insurance policy will only respond if the rental agency coverage has been purchased.

Register on the UCalgary Travel Registration system and check off that you are renting a vehicle during your travel to that country.

Employees are automatically covered by the university to drive rental vehicles on university business. Any others driving the rental vehicle are required to complete a Drivers Registration Form and be approved to drive prior to travel. They are also required to register on the UCalgary Travel Registration system.

Coverage is world-wide except for Iran, North Korea, Syria, Cuba, and Sudan. If you are renting vehicles in those countries, purchase the local insurance offered by the rental agency.

 

 

Maritime Travel

Maritime provides a ‘COVID-19 Return to Travel’ website to provide updates to their clients. This includes general information, along with updates from the federal government, airlines, hotels, etc.

Email – connect@maritimetravel.ca
Phone: 403-292-7482

UCalgary Top-6 Reasons to book with Maritime:

  • Fare Optimization - Working directly with airlines to track and coordinate cancelled flight credits on behalf of travelers, to maximize their value towards future bookings, and avoid loss of funds.
  • Dedicated Travel Consultants - Experienced team able to respond to inquiries and meet travel requirements globally, and ensure that all UCalgary, airline, airport and government travel policies are followed.
  • Airline Discounts and Membership Rewards -  Airline discounts negotiated through corporate agreements that can only be booked through Maritime to provide the lowest available flexible fares, while individual membership statuses are honored and protected with 1-year extensions.
  • Reporting - Spend and itinerary data is captured to provide customized reporting for all Faculties and Departments to improve real time budget oversight, forecasting, and traveler tracking.
  • Customer Care - Priority on traveler safety and support, including travel alerts and advisories from booking to trip completion, and 24/7 customer service for travelers worldwide. This is offered in additional to resources provided by International SOS.
  • Credits transfer to UCalgary if traveler is unable to use - Regarding travel credits, travelers generally have 12 months to use funds from cancelled flights. On flights booked with Maritime that become cancelled due to COVID-19, the traveler and/or travel arranger will be provided with regular reminders from Maritime. Once they get closer to the expiration of the funds, Maritime will notify them that if the credit can’t be used in time, it will be transferred to another UofC traveler. The result is that by using Maritime, very few credits would be forfeited.

Due to these advantages, Risk Management & Insurance recommends that faculty and staff use this preferred vendor, where possible.