With declining COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, the Canadian government announced on Feb. 15 that it would be lifting its travel advisory against all non-essential international travel and easing some restrictions at the border.
These loosened restrictions went into effect at the border yesterday, Monday, February 28, 2022, with fully vaccinated travellers no longer needing the expensive pre-arrival PCR test result to enter Canada.
Previously, all travellers, regardless of vaccination status, have had to present a negative PCR test result taken within 72 hours of their scheduled flight or land entry into Canada. Now, fully vaccinated travellers have the option to instead show proof of an antigen test taken a day before the scheduled flight or arrival at a land border crossing — but that test result cannot be derived from a self-administered rapid test. It must be taken at a lab, health care entity, or telehealth service in order to be observed.
To view all current requirements for fully vaccinated travellers, click here.
To qualify as a fully vaccinated traveller to Canada, you must:
- have received at least 2 doses of a vaccine accepted for travel, a mix of 2 accepted vaccines
- or at least 1 dose of the Janssen/Johnson & Johnson vaccine
- have received your second dose at least 14 calendar days before you enter Canada
- Example: if your second dose was anytime on Thursday, July 1, then Thursday, July 15 would be the first day that you meet the 14 day condition
- have no signs or symptoms of COVID-19
- follow pre-entry testing and entry requirements
- upload proof of vaccination in ArriveCAN
- complete your ArriveCAN submission and and have ArriveCAN receipt with letter I, V, or A beside your name
- complete arrival test if selected
All travellers must still use the free ArriveCAN mobile app or sign in on a computer to enter your proof of vaccination, quarantine and travel information.
Proof of vaccination and travel documents can be saved in your ArriveCAN traveller profile before any planned travel. To be ready for your trip, create your free ArriveCAN account. To get an ArriveCAN receipt, submit your travel and quarantine plan information within 72 hours before your arrival to Canada. If you do not have a smartphone, within 72 hours of your arrival in Canada, sign in to ArriveCAN from a computer to get your ArriveCAN receipt to print and take with you when you travel.
