Some passengers will now have an easier time entering Canada as the country eases more than the border measures originally introduced to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Effective 1 am EDT on April 25, the changes apply to fully vaccinated as well as children, regardless of their vaccination status. International travelers will also notice updated quarantine plan requirements upon arrival in Canada.
Below is everything travelers need to know about Canada’s updated border restrictions.
WHO IS AFFECTED AND HOW?
Children between the ages of five and 11 who travel with a fully vaccinated parent or guardian will no longer be required to complete a COVID-19 test before entering Canada, whether or not the child has been vaccinated. This was stated in a statement made by the Public Health Agency of Canada on April 22.
Children under the age of five will also not be required to complete a COVID-19 test before entering and are exempt from vaccination requirements. Travelers aged 12 and over who are partially vaccinated or unvaccinated will still need to take a COVID-19 test before entering Canada by land, air or water.
WILL YOU HAVE TO QUARANTINE OR WEAR MASKS AFTER TRAVEL?
As a result of the changes, some passengers are no longer required to prepare a quarantine plan for 14 days after arriving in Canada. This applies to travelers aged 12 and over who have been fully vaccinated, as well as children aged 5 to 11 who are traveling with a parent or guardian who is fully vaccinated.
Those with valid medical contraindications for COVID-19 vaccines will also not be required to provide a quarantine plan upon entry into Canada. In addition, if a passenger begins to show symptoms of COVID-19 or tests are positive after arriving in Canada, those traveling in the same group will not be required to quarantine under the new measures.
The federal government has also lifted its requirement for those entering the country to monitor and report all symptoms of COVID-19 they are experiencing. Travelers from abroad will also not be required to maintain a list of close contacts and places visited during the first 14 days after arriving in Canada.
Canadian adults and children five and older who are fully vaccinated are no longer expected to wear a mask in public for 14 days after arriving in Canada. However, children between the ages of five and 11 who are either unvaccinated or partially vaccinated must continue to wear masks in public places, such as school, for 14 days after entering Canada.
All travelers must still wear a mask while traveling on federally regulated modes of transport, such as airplanes or trains, whether or not they have been vaccinated.
WHAT MEASURES ARE STILL IN EFFECT?
Vaccine and mask mandates for anyone traveling by plane, train or cruise ship to Canada remain in place, federal public health officials said.
“Currently, of course, in the Canadian context, Omicron BA.2 is getting strong… I think this is one of the least intrusive measures, but it definitely adds another layer of protection,” said the chief public health officer, Dr. Teresa Tam, when discussing the mask mandate on April 22.
Those wishing to enter Canada who have not been fully vaccinated still have to undergo a molecular test for COVID-19 after arriving on the eighth day of their 14-day quarantine. Fully vaccinated travelers arriving in Canada will also continue to be tested at random, but are no longer required to be quarantined while awaiting results if selected. The government’s mandatory random testing program is in place at four major international airports in Canada, located in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto and Montreal.
All travelers are still expected to use the ArriveCAN app or website to provide the necessary travel information, including their proof of vaccination. This information must be provided within 72 hours prior to arrival in Canada. Any passenger who does not comply can be fined $ 5,000.
With files by Rachel Ayelo of CTV and The Canadian Press.
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