Heading to an international conference? Register as a Canadian abroad to ensure you are protected in the event of natural disasters, civil unrest, and other types of emergencies.

The Registration of Canadians Abroad service is provided by the Government of Canada to help ensure your personal safety when travelling. Academics are often in a situation where travel is necessary to disseminate research and share new ideas — and don’t always have a choice in destination for leading conferences.

By registering before attending a conference or otherwise travelling internationally, you ensure that Canadian consular services know how to reach you in case of emergency.

Registering online takes only a moment, and can save you a lot of difficulty down the road, should you be faced with a crisis in a place you are visiting. The Government of Canada will use your contact information to apprise you of any emergencies that are imminent or occurring.

This is critically important if you are travelling to a location where civil unrest is occurring, such as Chile, Hong Kong, or Lebanon, or anywhere experiencing an ongoing environmental emergency, such as Los Angeles or other areas where wildfires are burning.

In the event of an emergency, consular services abroad can aid in evacuation, help you contact loved ones, and assist you in other ways, but only if they know where you are. Take a moment to register before your next academic or personal travel.

Register online today, or if you are already travelling, contact the nearest consular office to register. Read more about registering as a Canadian abroad.