Canada will welcome American travellers to cross its border for the first time in over a year starting this August.
But Americans who are not fully vaccinated, or immunized with a vaccine that is not approved by Health Canada will still be subject to things like quarantines and COVID-19 tests.
Travellers will need to be fully vaccinated with one of four vaccines approved by Health Canada at least 14 days before arrival in Canada, and will be required to provide proof of a COVID-19 test prior to entry. But they will generally not be required to quarantine and will not need to provide a negative COVID-19 test upon arrival.
Using a new border testing surveillance program at airports and land border crossings, fully vaccinated travellers "will not need a post-arrival test unless they have been randomly selected to complete a Day 1 COVID-19 molecular test."
All travellers — regardless of vaccination status — must submit a suitable quarantine plan through the AriveCAN online portal. They must also be prepared to quarantine in case it is determined at the border that they do not meet all of the conditions required to be exempt from quarantine.
No travellers will be required to stay in a government-approved quarantine hotel, however. That program for travellers arriving by air will be eliminated as of 12:01 a.m. on Aug. 9.
Effective August 9, international flights carrying passengers will be also be permitted to land at the following five additional Canadian airports:
- Halifax Stanfield International Airport;
- Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport;
- Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport;
- Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport; and
- Edmonton International Airport.
International travel to resume in September
After opening its border to Americans in August, the Canadian government plans to welcome international visitors starting Sept. 7. Of course, that date is contingent on the current domestic epidemiologic situation — a spike in cases could mean that the date is pushed back.
Canada’s borders have been closed to non-essential travel since March 2020.
Find more information about entering the country with the Government of Canada's pre-travel checklists.
With files from Nelson Bennett.
