Updated Guidance on Entry to Canada

What’s New

• Fully vaccinated citizens and permanent residents of the U.S. currently residing in the US can enter Canada for discretionary (non-essential) travel if fully vaccinated at least 14 days prior to entering Canada.
• Unvaccinated children under 12 years of age, or unvaccinated dependent children (due to a mental or physical condition), who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents currently residing in the U.S. and who are accompanying a fully vaccinated parent, step-parent, guardian or tutor who either has a right to enter Canada (e.g. Canadian citizens and permanent residents), is a US citizen and permanent resident currently residing in the US, or is otherwise permitted every under the US Prohibition on Entry Order made under the Quarantine Act. They must meet all other required criteria, including submitting information electronically through ArriveCAN and all testing requirements. They cannot attend camps or daycare during the first 14 days.
• Canadian citizens and permanent residents travelling to the U.S. for less than 72 hours can do their re-entry test in Canada. (Note – it appears not to include temporary foreign workers or foreign students residing in Canada).
• Fully vaccinated travellers will not need a post-travel test unless they are randomly selected to complete a Day 1 COVID-19 molecular test on entry.
• Transport Canada will remove the requirement to perform on-board temperature screening of passengers on all domestic flight and international departures, as well as airport workers.
• The three-night government-authorized hotel stay requirement for all travelers by air will be eliminated.
• Airlines will verify travelers have submitted their information digitally by the ArriveCAN app or website before they board their flight.
• International flights to airports in Halifax, Quebec City, Ottawa, Winnipeg and Edmonton will also resume.

What Has Not Changed:

• Travellers must still provide information through ArriveCan (app or web portal), including proof of vaccination, but must do so prior to departure.
• All travellers, with few exceptions, must meet re-entry testing requirements (i.e. molecular test 72 hours prior to scheduled departure of flight or 72 hours prior to entering by land).
• All travellers must be asymptomatic upon arrival.
• All travellers must have a paper or digital copy of their vaccination documentation English or French (or certified translation, along with the original).
• All travellers must present a suitable quarantine plan, and be prepared to quarantine, should they not meet all conditions required to be exempt from quarantine.
•  All travellers must wear masks at airports and on board all flights to, from and within Canada.
• All unvaccinated travellers must continue to undergo Day 1 and Day 8 COVID-19 molecular tests and completed a 14 day quarantine, subject to limited exceptions.
• Unvaccinated children will remain the subject of Day 1 and Day 8 testing requirements.
• The ban on direct flights from India remains in place.
• Travellers with a right to entry (e.g. Canadian citizens and permanent residents), or travellers who qualify for entry under another exemption (e.g. immediate or extended family member) or who are coming to Canada for essential reasons (such as temporary foreign workers, or international students) will not be denied boarding, but will be required to submit information relating to their vaccination status via the ArriveCAN app or website.
• All travellers must follow public health measures in place, such as monitoring for signs and symptoms of COVID-19, wearing a mask when in public and keeping a copy of their vaccination documentation and test results-as well as a list of close contacts and locations visited for 14 days after entry to Canada.
• Entry to Canada will continue to be prohibited for U.S. travellers who are not fully vaccinated and all other foreign nationals, unless they already meet an exemption set out in the Orders made under the Quarantine Act.

What Else You Need to Know:

• Provinces and territories may have more stringent rules around people who have recently returned from travel. (Stay tuned for more details).
• Canadian approved vaccines include: Pfzer-BioNTech, Modern, AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD, and Janssen (Johnson & Johnson).
• The U.S. has not yet reciprocated and have not yet opened the land borders for discretionary travel.
• Expect long delays boarding planes, entering Canada as agents decipher and administer all of these rules.
• On September 7, 2021 the Government intends to open Canada’s borders for discretionary travel by travellers from any country that have been fully vaccinated with Government of Canada accepted vaccines at least 14 days prior to entering Canada who meet specific entry requirements.

If you are planning a trip to Canada, we still recommend that you consult with one of our team members. Our professionals can be reached by phone (416 368 1111) or via email: caruso@cilf.ca; guberman@cilf.ca; appleby@cilf.ca; mukherjee@cilf.ca; fagan@cilf.ca; bonisteel@cilf.ca; ali@cilf.ca; green@cilf.ca