February 24, 2022
Recent Changes to COVID-19 Related Entry Requirements for Canada
In light of recent data indicating that the latest wave of COVID-19 driven by the Omicron variant has passed its peak in Canada, provinces and territories continue to adjust their public health measures moving towards a more sustainable approach to long-term management of COVID-19.[1]
On 15 February 2022, the Government of Canada announced a series of adjustments to the current border measures, as part of the transition of the pandemic response representing the beginning of a phased easing of travel restrictions.[2]
As of February 28, 2022 at 12:01 a.m. EST:
- Travellers arriving to Canada from any country, who qualify as fully vaccinated, will be randomly selected for arrival testing. Travellers selected will no longer be required to quarantine while awaiting their test result.[3]
- Children under 12 years old, travelling with fully vaccinated adults, will continue to be exempt from quarantine, without any prescribed conditions limiting their activities.
- Unvaccinated travellers will continue to be required to test on arrival, on Day 8 and quarantine for 14 days.
- Unvaccinated foreign nationals will not be permitted to enter Canada unless they meet one of the few exemptions.
- Travellers will now have the option of using a COVID-19 rapid antigen test result (taken the day prior to their scheduled flight or arrival at the land border or marine port of entry) or a molecular test result (taken no more than 72 hours before their scheduled flight or arrival at the land border or marine port of entry) to meet pre-entry requirements. The test must be authorized by the country in which it was purchased and must be administered by a laboratory, healthcare entity or telehealth service.[4]
- The Government of Canada will adjust its Travel Health Notice from a Level 3 to a Level 2 meaning that the Government will no longer recommend that Canadians avoid travel for non-essential purposes.[5]
- On February 28, 2022 at 16:00 EST, Transport Canada’s Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) that restricts where international passenger flights can arrive in Canada will expire. This means that international flights carrying passengers will be permitted to land at all remaining Canadian airports that are designated by the Canada Border Services Agency to receive international passenger flights.
For more information about pre-entry testing and entry requirements, see: https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/covid-vaccinated-travellers-entering-canada#entry-vaccinated.