Canada to Eliminate COVID Testing Requirement for Travelers

Following the reopening to vaccinated U.S. travelers on August 9, 2021 (and to all vaccinated international travelers on September 7, 2021), Canada is simplifying entry for fully vaccinated international arrivals.

Since last fall, international travelers aged 18 and over have been able to enter Canada by showing proof of full vaccination and (for all travelers aged 5 and older) providing results from a pre-entry COVID molecular test (known as a polymerase chain reaction or PCR test) conducted within 72 hours prior to departure. As of February 28, Canada started accepting negative COVID antigen tests alongside PCR tests.

However, beginning April 1, vaccinated travelers will no longer need a pre-arrival COVID test to enter Canada by air, land, or water.

“Changes to Canada’s border regulations are feasible due to several factors, including a high vaccination rate, increased accessibility and use of rapid testing for infection, a decline in hospitalizations, and enhanced availability of COVID-19 treatments domestically. As vaccination rates and healthcare capacity improve, we will keep assessing the possibility of further relaxing border measures,” stated Canada’s health minister Jean-Yves Duclos.

Starting April 1, fully vaccinated travelers arriving in Canada may still be randomly chosen for a COVID-19 molecular test upon arrival, but they won't need to quarantine while waiting for their results.

Until April 1, fully vaccinated travelers must provide either a PCR test taken within 72 hours before arriving in Canada or a rapid antigen COVID test conducted within one day of travel, which must be administered or observed by a pharmacy, laboratory, or healthcare or telehealth provider, such as the rapid COVID tests authorized for international travel in the U.S.

Instead of a pre-arrival PCR or antigen test, travelers who have recently recovered from COVID can show proof of a positive molecular or PCR test conducted at least 10 days and no more than 180 days prior to entering Canada.

All travelers aged 18 and over are required to submit their travel details, COVID vaccination status, and testing results via the ArriveCAN app, and a receipt from this app is mandatory to board any flight to Canada.

Children under 5 are exempt from testing, and those under 12 traveling with vaccinated adults do not need to quarantine. However, unvaccinated and partially vaccinated children aged 12 to 17 must undergo a 14-day quarantine and take tests before arrival, immediately after arrival, and again on the eighth day post-arrival, regardless of whether they are with fully vaccinated adults.

Unvaccinated international travelers are prohibited from entering Canada unless they have an approved or essential reason for their visit.