Proof Of Vaccination For Foreign Nationals Permitted Entry For Discretionary Purposes Who Enter On The Basis Of Their Vaccination Status
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Starting August 9, 2021, air carriers will be verifying that the travellers coming to Canada have submitted their information digitally by using the ArriveCAN app or website before they board their flight. Discretionary travellers who are unable to show their ArriveCAN receipt either on their mobile device or a printed copy – will not be allowed to board their flight to Canada, as they are ineligible to enter Canada. In addition to their ArriveCAN receipt, travellers should carry their actual vaccine certificate with them to show officials at the border entry point.
Discretionary travellers include:
- Fully vaccinated American citizens or permanent residents who reside in the U.S., and are entering from the U.S. for discretionary travel and
- Other fully vaccinated foreign nationals coming to Canada for discretionary purposes
After You’ve Entered Canada
If a border services officer confirms that you qualify as a fully vaccinated traveller, you may still be subject to random testing on arrival. However, you won’t report your results through ArriveCAN. Follow the instructions given to you by the border services officer. Please register in advance for your arrival test. It will speed up your testing experience.
If you’re receiving notifications that don’t reflect your situation, contact us so that your situation can be resolved.
If you were selected for mandatory random testing on arrival to Canada, you may receive emails reminding you to take and submit your test.
If you are completing a group submission with travellers with mixed vaccination statuses, you will continue to receive notifications.
Beginning the day after you arrive in Canada, all travellers, unless exempt from this requirement, must use ArriveCAN to:
- confirm that you’ve arrived at the address you provided for your quarantine or isolation location
- complete daily COVID-19 symptom self-assessments until the completion of your quarantine period or until you report symptoms
- confirm that you have completed your day-8 test and sent your sample to the lab
If the provincial or territorial quarantine requirements in your area conflict with the federal quarantine requirements, please follow the directions that are more strict.
How you report depends on whether you:
You’ll be able to complete your mandatory reporting in less than a minute.
When Your Quarantine Starts And Ends
Your quarantine period begins on the day that you arrive in Canada.
For example, if you arrive at 8:15 am on Thursday, October 1, then Thursday is considered day 1 of your quarantine period. Your quarantine period would end 14 full days later, at 11:59 pm on Wednesday, October 14.
If you begin to show symptoms during your quarantine, are exposed to another traveller with symptoms, or test positive for COVID-19, you must begin 10 days of isolation. Your first day of isolation is the day when you received your test result or the day when the symptoms started.
If you do not have symptoms, you may choose to leave Canada before the end of the 14-day quarantine period. However, you must:
- continue to quarantine yourself until your departure date
- wear a mask when you depart Canada
- comply with all regulations for the country of destination
If you are in a federal designated quarantine facility, you must get authorization from a quarantine officer to leave.
You may seek testing or medical treatment, provided that you resume your quarantine immediately afterwards.
If you need assistance to access medical treatment, an exception may be made to allow one other person to accompany you, which can include a person who is also under mandatory quarantine.
If the person who needs to visit a health care facility is a dependent child, the exception extends to one other person who accompanies them.
Children qualify as dependants if they:
- are under 22 years old and
- dont have a spouse or partner
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Completing Your Arrival Test
Follow the directions you receive on arrival to complete your test:
- if you were directed to a testing service at the airport, you are required to register with the testing service provider, and the provider will collect your sample they will notify you of your test result within 72 hours
- if you are provided with a self-swab kit, use the instructions in the kit to complete it within 24 hours of entering Canada, and arrange for it to be picked up as directed in the kit
You are under a legal obligation to take the arrival test within the required timeframe. If you don’t comply, you may not be exempted from quarantine. You may also be required to go to a quarantine facility, face fines, or other enforcement measures.
Who Can Enter Canada During Covid
Canadas previous travel ban affected the majority of foreign nationals but there were a few exceptions. Canada allowed entry to foreign nationals who had the authorization to enter Canada such as Canadian work permit holders and international students with study visas. Those with written authorization from the IRCC could also travel to Canada if their reason for travelling to Canada was non-optional.
As of January 15, only travellers who are fully vaccinated who have received approved vaccines are allowed to enter Canada, unless they are listed as exemptions.
You can enter Canada if you are:
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Flights With Confirmed Cases
Recent passengers on domestic and international airlines should monitor the Government of Canada list of flights that have confirmed COVID-19 cases and follow instructions if affected.
- Check the federal list of affected flights.
- Passengers in affected rows should self-monitor for symptoms for 14 days.
- If symptoms develop, isolate immediately until you are feeling well again.
Your Arrival Test Results
You can take connecting flights and trains without waiting for your arrival test results.
If your arrival test is negative:
- you can leave your quarantine, if you were ordered to quarantine while waiting
- follow local public health measures
- wear a mask when in public spaces for the first 14 days after your entry
- maintain a list of all close contacts and locations you visit for your first 14 days in Canada
- monitor yourself for signs and symptoms
- keep copies of your proof of vaccination and pre-arrival tests for 14 days
You must take another test.
- If you completed your test using a kit: another kit should be automatically couriered to you by your testing provider but it is recommended that you contact the provider to ensure a kit is on its way.
- If you were tested on-site at the airport: contact your testing provider to find out how to complete a re-test.
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When Will Express Entry Draws Get Back To Normal
In 2021 so far, all Express Entry draws have been restricted to candidates from the Canadian Experience Class or from a Provincial Nominee Program . The Canadian government has been prioritizing in-Canada applicants and since most of these programs are dedicated to foreign nationals with Canadian work experience, its likely that they wont be affected by the current travel ban. Canada also introduced six new immigration programs to welcome 90,000 essential workers who are working in Canada.
There is no formal indication as to when the Express Entry system will return to all-program draws. The Government is, however, currently trying to finalise 14,000 backlogged CEC and almost 600 FSWP applications. Its possible that once the backlog has been addressed, COVID-19 infection rates fall and a great deal of the population has been vaccinated that Canada will begin to lift travel restrictions and Express Entry will once again proceed as normal.
Vaccine Requirements For Popular Travel Destinations
While outbound passengers from Canada will not require proof of vaccination, many countries around the world theyll be arriving to, including the United State, still have COVID-19 mandates in place. Heres a roundup of the different mandates for popular travel destinations around the world.
Mexico – No COVID-19 tests are required before or on arrival and it is open to unvaccinated travellers.
Australia – Most travellers from Canada with proof of full COVID-19 vaccination can enter, but there are restrictions. States and territories are responsible for determining and managing quarantine requirements
New Zealand – All fully vaccinated Canada passport holders can enter New Zealand and do not need to self-isolate or go to quarantine.
France – Vaccinated persons shall be under no restrictions when entering metropolitan France. If you are already vaccinated, you only have to show proof of vaccination status. Unvaccinated travellers must present a negative test to travel to France but the measures on arrival are lifted when they come from countries on the “green” list, characterized by moderate circulation of the virus.
England – You do not need to complete a UK passenger locator form before you travel, take any COVID-19 tests or quarantine when you arrive in England. This applies regardless of vaccine status.
Iceland – Travellers are welcome to visit regardless of vaccination status.
These could include:
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Changing Travel Requirements To Address Covid
Effective All Canadians returning from short trips must take a molecular pre-entry test. The test must be taken outside of Canada.
Effective Temporary enhanced requirements ending for travellers who have been in Botswana, Egypt, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
Avoid non-essential travel outside Canada, regardless of your vaccination status. Omicron travel health notice
Travellers are eligible to enter or return to Canada if they qualify as a fully vaccinated traveller.
Travel To Canada And Covid
Wondering just how COVID-19 is affecting your travel plans to Canada? Whether youre an international student, a new COPR-holder, or simply want to visit family and friends, were bringing you the latest COVID-19 travel news, requirements, and new immigration policies to help you stay up-to-date while navigating your way to Canada.
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Booking A Trip To Canada
I spent a few minutes checking what the best weekend to travel to Canada over the next month or so would be as travelers face fewer obstacles.
For New Yorkers looking to take a short flight to Toronto, I found round trips to Toronto-Pearson International Airport from LaGuardia Airport for $216 the weekend of April 30. Air Canada is a Star Alliance partner with United Airlines.
Those looking to travel from New York to Montreal may want to head to Quebec a weekend earlier. The cheapest options I found to Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport both from LaGuardia were the weekend of April 23, with round trips for $260 on both Air Canada and American Airlines.
Related: 10 things no one tells you about Montreal
For those on the West Coast looking to take advantage of the relaxed restrictions, the best weekend for a trip from Los Angeles to Vancouver was the weekend of April 16. A flight on Air Canada is priced at $236 round trip.
Requirement For Vaccinations Suspended For Domestic And Outbound Travel
- As of June 20, 2022, at 00:01 EDT, vaccination will no longer be a requirement to board a plane or train in Canada.
- This change does not affect border measures that require all travellers entering Canada to continue following entry requirements, including vaccination.
- Other public health measures, such as wearing a mask, continue to apply and will be enforced throughout a travellers journey on a plane or train.
- Given the unique nature of cruise ships, including the fact that passengers are in close contact with each other for extended periods of time, vaccination against COVID-19 is still required for passengers and crew on cruise ships.
- Adherence to strict public health requirements on cruise ships will still be required.
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Red Carpet Rolled Out For Visitors
After nearly two years with close to zero tourism dollars coming in from the U.S., Jim Diodati, mayor of Niagara Falls, Ontario, said operators of hotels, restaurants and attractions are grateful for every piece of tourism business they get.
Weve got red carpets waiting to be rolled out for all our guests, Diodati told TPG Saturday, sharing his hope that tourists will take advantage of the relaxed restrictions and visit the Canadian side of Niagara Falls, where he said 14 million people visited annually prior to the pandemic.
Diodati called the removed testing requirement for vaccinated visitors a step in the right direction. He worries that the continued requirements for tourists to enter information into the ArriveCAN app may still be an obstacle for travel into the country.
You might as well keep the borders closed, because theyre not going to come, he said, predicting that return of travel to Canada will be extremely gradual because of the requirements still in place. The Canadian governments ArriveCAN site however says that entering the information in the app is a step that only takes minutes to help keep each other safe.
Returning To The United States
Depending on the length of stay, American citizens are entitled to take goods back to the U.S. duty free. Be aware that goods purchased in a duty free shop are not automatically free of duty upon your return to the U.S.
You can find a list of duty free items to bring back to the U.S. here, as well as a list of prohibited and restricted items here. For further information on U.S. customs regulations, please visit the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website.
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Who Can Come To Canada
- Canadian citizens , people registered under the Indian Act, permanent residents of Canada, or protected persons are allowed to enter Canada.
- Fully vaccinated foreign nationals may be allowed enter Canada for discretionary travel.
Foreign nationals who don’t qualify as fully vaccinated will only be allowed to enter in specific circumstances:
Travellers entering Canada, regardless of citizenship, must follow testing and quarantine requirements to keep everyone safe.
- Canadians must meet and follow all of the same entry requirements.
Under certain circumstances, you may be exempt from some requirements.
Filter by keywords for your work roles or personal situations, then open the options that appear.
All eligible fully vaccinated travellers
vaccine, vaccines, vaccination, Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Johnson,us, u.s., usa, America
Check if you qualify for the fully vaccinated traveller exemption, and follow the steps for you and for accompanying children and dependents.
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This exemption is provided only until January 15, 2022. After that time, you must qualify for, and follow the requirements in place for a fully vaccinated traveller.
port, anchor, vessel, dock, berth, moor, harbor
Check if you qualify for the fully vaccinated traveller exemption, and follow the steps for you and for accompanying children and dependents.
infants, infant, kids, baby, babies, parents
A resident of:
Isolating Upon Returning To Canada
If you are arriving by air and begin to have symptoms you may be directed to a federal quarantine facility if you do not have private transportation or to a suitable place of isolation if you have private transportation.
If you are arriving by land and show symptoms or have a positive test result taken within the last 14 days, you must demonstrate that you have an adequate plan for isolation to avoid infecting others. You are expected to make plans, within your own means, before travelling to Canada. If you do not have a suitable place, you will be directed to a federal quarantine facility.
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Who Needs A Pre
- All travellers 5 years of age or older
- You must provide proof of a COVID-19 negative molecular test result to enter Canada OR proof of a previous positive test result taken between 14 and 180 days ago .
If you are now symptom-free, you can provide proof of a positive COVID-19 molecular test when crossing the border, instead of a negative one.
- The test must have been taken at least 14 and no more than 180 days before :
- the initial scheduled departure time of your aircraft
- your scheduled entry into Canada by water or land
- The proof of the positive result must be from an accepted type of molecular test
- If your positive proof is accepted you wont have to take arrival or Day-8 tests
You must take a molecular test within 72 hours of the scheduled departure time of your flight to Canada.
If you have a connecting flight:
- the test must be taken within 72 hours of the scheduled departure time of your last direct flight to Canada
- you may need to schedule the test in your transit city