Effective September 7, 2021, foreign nationals can travel to Canada for discretionary purposes if fully vaccinated tourists meet all Covid health and other entry requirements. At midnight on Monday, travel and quarantine requirements were eased for non-essential international fully vaccinated tourists, students, business visitors and other travellers who have completed the Health Canada-approved COVID-19 vaccine requirements and other travel requirements including:
- Travellers must have received two doses of the Pfizer vaccine, the Moderna vaccine or the AstraZeneca vaccine, or one dose of the Janssen vaccine. Only the four vaccines are approved for entry to Canada: other Covid vaccines that are approved elsewhere in the world are not accepted for entry to Canada.
- Travellers must have received their last Covide dosage at least 14 days before they travel to Canada.
- All travellers will be required to upload proof of vaccination to the ArriveCAN app or website before they board their flight to Canada.
- Travellers must carry their vaccine certificate with them to present to border officials.
- Travellers must show a pre-arrival COVID-19 molecular test result even if they are fully vaccinated.
- Travellers cannot have any symptoms of the Covid virus.
- Travellers must have a quarantine plan to follow if the border officer determines that they do not meet Covid health requirements.
- Unvaccinated children under the age of 12 and unvaccinated dependent children can accompany a fully vaccinated parent, step-parent, or legal guardian without the 14-day quarantine but must follow all public health guidelines in the region they’re visiting.
International flights are only allowed to arrive at nine Canadian airports. Flights from India are banned until at least September 21, and flights from Morocco are banned until at least September 29. Canada began admitting American non-essential travellers who meet the health requirements on August 9. Nonessential Canadians are banned from entering the United States by land until at least September 21.
Travel Exemptions
Travellers who do not meet Canada’s Covid health requirements but are allowed to enter Canada as essential temporary workers, students and other exempt categories are required to quarantine for 14 days if they are not fully vaccinated.
Penalties For Non-Compliance With Canada Covid Travel Requirements
The Public Health Agency of Canada fined two Canadian travellers CA$20,000 each for presenting fake Covid vaccination documents and tests in early August. Canada says violation of traveller health requirements including fake documents, lying to public officials or noncompliance with quarantine will result in severe penalties. Public health offences in Canada can result in fines of CA$5,000 per day for each offence; more serious breaches have penalties including up to six months in jail and a fine of up to CA$750,000.
The travellers were Canadian citizens who flew to Toronto from the United States.
Do You Need to Travel to Canada for Business, School or Family?
If you have questions about your eligibility to travel to Canada, contact Ackah Law for assistance.