Health & Safety

Updated: July 7th 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic is still ongoing, but vaccination rates are increasing and many countries are lifting restrictions. However, it is important to continue taking steps to protect yourself from COVID-19, even if you are vaccinated.

CRCC Asia is committed to keeping our participants safe and frequently checks The CDC, The WHO, British FCDO advice, US State Department Travel Advisories and Embassies and government sources of our program locations. We monitor official government sources for information on entry requirements and regulations; and in-country COVID-19 related policies as well as develop our own CRCC Covid Protocol for each program location that follows and complies with any relevant COVID-19 national and local guidelines including but not limited to COVID-19 testing and social distancing. In general: 

• Covid vaccination and testing requirements are currently not required when traveling to South Korea, Japan, Vietnam and India. However, we still highly suggest all participants be fully vaccinated to join our program (at least 3 doses of a nationally recognised vaccine).

• All CRCC Asia Program Staff will be trained on COVID-19 safety protocols and relevant local/national guidelines.

Read more at CRCC Asia COVID-19 Protocol: Seoul | Tokyo | Kansai | Ho Chi Minh City | Mumbai.

 Arrival Protocols

• Arriving passengers may experience some combination of temperature screening, health questionnaires, quarantines, and/or COVID tests, depending on points of departure, visa status, vaccination status, and nationality.

On the ground Protocols 

• Masks are no longer required in indoor or outdoor spaces for visitors. However, we recommend you wear masks in medical facilities, pharmacies, and facilities vulnerable to infection. masks are not compulsory in outdoor and indoor spaces. If you have any signs and symptoms of COVID-19, you are required to wear a mask when visiting public areas. 
• After beginning your internship, please refer to your supervisor at your host company for their stance on whether or not they require their employees to wear a face mask during work hours.

• Participants will be required to adhere to any rules or regulations of our accommodation providers.
• Participants will be required to adhere to any rules or regulations of our accommodation providers 
• Social distancing and following COVID-19 policies in the workplace will be encouraged wherever possible (for example, frequent hand-washing, hand sanitiser available, mask wearing). 
• If there are are COVID-19 health and safety concerns in the workplace (for eg. close contact with a positive test), participants will undertake a COVID-19 test and follow their host companies office protocols. 
• Participants will be encouraged to take a lateral flow COVID-19 test on return from travel outside of the Host City or having come into close contact with an individual who has recently tested positive for COVID-19. 

In the event of a positive COVID-19 test 

• A participant who tests positive for Covid-19 (with no or mild symptoms) is recommended to self-isolate for 5 days at our accommodation. After 5 days, if the test is negative, they can return to the program and join activities as normal.
• Results of all covid tests taken during the program must be shared with program staff. If the rapid test is performed by the participants themselves, a photo/video of the test result must be taken where the live date and time are shown.
• A CRCC Asia staff member will aid participants that test positive for COVID-19, health and safety permitting, wherever possible. This will include assistance with delivering any necessary medication and any other reasonable requests submitted by the participant. The intern is responsible for all associated costs. 

• A CRCC Asia staff member will check in on a participant’s well-being if they are in quarantine and refer to mental health support/a physician if needed.

• CRCC Asia will inform any relevant parties (for example the participants family or university) of the situation and provide regular updates.

• Anyone that has come into close contact with the individual will be required to take an appropriate COVID-19 test.

• CRCC Asia will work closely with our accommodation providers to ensure participants can safely isolate without causing risk to other participants or guests.

Departure Protocols

• Students are responsible for checking the requirements for re-entry into their home countries/other destinations when they depart from Japan (immigration, health, regulated regulation, etc.)

Updated: October 5th 2021
Coronavirus (CoV): Student Safety and Travel Message
The Covid situation is an ever changing situation globally. Many of our program locations have successfully administered vaccination programs, or are in the process of doing so and as such we are confident that our international internship programs will be resumed in the upcoming months.

How do we monitor the situation?

Our team continues to stay up to date with the global situation, as well as specific regulations and policies in each of our program locations.

We’d like to keep you updated on our most recent assessment in regards to our program options, government & international standards, on-the-ground risk assessments, as well as suggestions for you when choosing a program.

Our students’ safety while benefiting from a culturally-rich program remains our priority in making any official decisions. We continue to base our assessment on the US-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advice on a country specific basis, The US State Department maintaining a level 3 or lower on a country specific basis and UK and Australian Government advice:

• South Korea – Level 2 (Exercise normal precautions)
• Vietnam – Level 3 (Reconsider Travel)
• Japan – Level 3 (Reconsider Travel)
• China – Level 3 (Reconsider Travel)
• UK – Level 4 (Do not travel)

Our local teams continue to evaluate each component of our program and make necessary adjustments to continue delivering an impactful international experience to our students, while following the healthy & safety protocols. The requirements for Covid-19 safety pack remains unchanged from our last update (Masks, hand sanitizer, maintaining hygiene, staying away from crowded gatherings)

What are the general guidelines before choosing a program?

• Decide on which program option fits your situation. All in-person programs are to be resumed in 2022.
• Frequently check the official sources, including the US CDC, US State Department, UK Government, Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade (Australia), websites of embassies/consulates in your areas and country-specific policies for information & advice on travelling to each location
• Consider your health situation, especially those with chronic medical condition as having higher risk of contracting coronavirus
• Find out about your visa & entry eligibility to each country via embassies/ consulates in your areas
• Check your airlines’ official websites for requirements, potential flight changes or cancellations. We recommend students purchase refundable or flexible tickets to account for any possible changes
• Check requirements of negative Covid testing proofs, any other required documentation, and quarantines procedures in your interested location (both before arrival and on return to your home countries)
• Plan ahead for suitable program start dates that take into account all of the above elements

We will continue to keep you updated of the situation in each of our locations and advise on a case by case basis as regards to program options, start dates, feasibility of entry into each country/city. Please send our Admissions Teams and email at [email protected] if you have further questions about your situation.

We hope you stay safe and healthy, and we are looking forward to welcoming you to our programs in the near future.

Updated: 18 February 2021

Coronavirus (CoV): Student Safety and Travel Message:

While CRCC Asia continues to work, explore, and develop virtually, we await the day that we can once again welcome students in person. While our staff, partners and most importantly students are keen to once again explore the world and gain international work experience, CRCC Asia acknowledges that many factors will need to be met in order for us to safely begin preparing for everyone’s arrival. 

Since December 2019, CRCC Asia has been carefully monitoring the global situation to make careful decisions about our participants’ welfare and our ability to offer onsite programming. Most recently we have completed a full audit of our risk assessment both for virtual and in person programming, determining a solid checklist of criteria for our programming. This checklist utilizes government and international standards and guidance, on-the-ground risk assessments, and a full feasibility report for delivering international internships safely and successfully.

Our students’ safety is the most important factor in officially welcoming students on the ground, and in making any official decisions to re-open, we will review:

1. The US-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advice on a country specific basis
2. The US State Department maintaining a level 3 or lower on a country specific basis
3. Ability to successfully obtain the correct and valid visa for international internships, without the requirement of government-controlled and delivered quarantine (home quarantines are approved)
4. Feasibility of finding quality internship placements that can maintain strong social distancing and COVID-19 safety guidelines while welcoming international students into their office.

Due to our wonderful permanent staff located in all 10 of our program cities, we are fortunate enough to be able to readily assess and determine points 3 and 4 in-person. Full health and safety guidelines for our students will be provided once we have ascertained that we can safely open. Given the changing nature of COVID-19 and required precautions, we are carefully reviewing all new developments to be poised and ready to formalize additional safety measures to include:

• Requirement of a COVID-19 safety pack to include:

• • Provision of Masks sufficient for the duration of the program

• • Bottle of alcohol-based hand sanitizer

• • Personal Thermometer for daily log

• • Guidance on the specific country’s COVID-19 prevention recommendations (in English) & online resources to stay up to date

• • List of hospitals and medical clinics within 10km of their accommodation

• • List of the nearest COVID testing centers 

• Requirements for:

• • Daily temperature checks logged by students

• • Adherence for in-country protocols and regulations

• • Accommodation to provide sleeping quarters that take into account COVID-19 related safety, including reduced number of students per shared living space. accommodation will have availability to offer private quarantine should a student be exposed to the virus.

We thank our partners for the dedication and loyalty in their continued planning and support of international travel for their students through CRCC Asia. For our students who are planning to go, and those who may not have even started considering their global experiences, we look forward to safely welcoming you once again to Japan, China, South Korea, Vietnam, India, and The UK, as soon as as the global outbreak of COVID-19 is brought under control. Until then we will continue to monitor the situation closely, collaborate with partners on best practices, and will welcome you abroad, virtually through our Virtual International Internship Program.

 

Updated: 20th March 2020

Coronavirus (CoV): Student Safety and Travel Message:

CRCC Asia continues to monitor the situation in all of our program locations and throughout the world as the COVID-19 spread and containment efforts continue to impact at a significant global level. Currently CRCC Asia is actively working to support:

1. Current students confirmed for summer 2020, allowing any student to defer their program start to a new date within the next 18 months at no cost as well as keeping in close contact with each individual as we support changing global news. 
2. Current University Partners, making the difficult decision to cancel or delay programs. We have attempted to remain in close communication with all partners as changes to spring and summer programming have taken effect, and are now working to cancel any programs and confirmed student placements. We are also working to source alternative programming to include Online International Internships. If interested please reach out to [email protected] for more information.
3. Current Staff in all locations, ensuring they are following local governmental guidance. While all staff have been given the option to work remotely since the end of February, we are also requesting staff to take heed of local government measures taken to include Social Distancing and Sheltering in Place.

CRCC Asia is actively planning for summer 2020 programs and will continue to monitor real-time travel advice taking into account the Center for Disease Control and Department of State travel advisories as well as local embassies visa guidance to make the final decision to run a program. All final decisions will be completed on a country by country basis and confirmed at 6 weeks prior to the program start date. Should a program location become confirmed as cancelled we will immediately communicate this with all affected students and partners.

 

Updated: 12th March 2020

Coronavirus (CoV): Student Safety and Travel Message:

CRCC Asia continues to monitor the situation regarding COVID-19. Across our 5 program locations, the US State Department recommends: 

• Vietnam – Level 1 (Exercise normal precautions)
• UK- Level 2  (Exercise increased precautions)
• India- Level 2  (Exercise increased precautions)
• Japan – Level 2  (Exercise increased precautions)
• China – Level 4 (Do not travel)
• South Korea – Level 3 (Reconsider Travel)

As per our communication on 4th February 2020, CRCC Asia programs in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen are cancelled until 28th May 2020. 

We are committed to remaining flexible and supportive of our participants and in the presence of COVID-19 remain open to:

• Any student switching locations and paying/refunding the price difference for the same start date with no administrative fee
• Any student accepting their program fees paid as credit to be applied on any future program and date within 18 months of the originally planned start date.

In addition to the health and safety features introduced to our programs on 24th February 2020, CRCC  Asia is overseeing the following:

• All staff to wear face masks and undertake recommended WHO hygiene practices prior to being in contact with any participants
• Increased health and safety visits to host companies prior and during placement  
• Arranging remote events where feasible, such as language classes and business seminars
• Requesting accommodation providers to conduct temperature checks upon entering the premise and ensuring regular sanitization of communal areas
• Providing participants with face masks on arrival 
• Our recommended travel insurance partner- Envisage Global, offers a comprehensive insurance policy that includes COVID-19 coverage
• Offering creative remote programming where applicable and feasible.