Effective today (July 5), fully vaccinated Canadian citizens and permanent residents will be exempt from quarantine requirements when they enter the country. However, Canada’s border services agency also advises those entering the country to expect delays, stating, “CBSA will not compromise the health and safety of Canadians for the sake of border wait times.”
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) further warns that current restrictions on travel to Canada are not changing. “If you were unable to come to Canada on July 4 of this year, you can’t come in on July 5,” said CBSA VP Denis Vinette. “There’s been no change to all of the restrictions and the provisions that have been issued on that front.”
Vinette called today’s development a very cautious, early first step in the process of easing the restrictions that have been in place since March 2020.
The entry exemption only applies to those eligible travellers who have gone 14 days since receiving a full course of one of the four vaccines approved for use in Canada. The new rules also require travellers to use the ArriveCAN app or online service to log their vaccination details and COVID-19 test results prior to departure. (The ArriveCAN portal can be accessed either via the Apple or Android app or online via the federal government’s website at canada.ca).
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he’s confident the border agency has the tools and the personnel required to deal with the changes, adding that the government’s priority will always be the safety of its citizens.
“I think it’s really important that we are moving forward on allowing people who are currently allowed to come into Canada to be able to do so and not have to quarantine anymore, because they’re double-vaccinated,” he said.
“For others, we will be looking at how this works before we open up to next steps, but we will continue to put first and foremost the safety and security of Canadians at the top of everything we do.”
The mutual travel restrictions between Canada and the United States – which prohibit all discretionary travel between the two countries while continuing to allow the movement of trade, essential workers, and international students – are due to expire July 21.
It’s too soon to say how the rules might evolve by then, Trudeau said, adding, “When we start reopening so Americans and others who are fully vaccinated can come into Canada will depend on how this goes – on the data we collect, on how we’re able to keep Canadians safe, even as we make adjustments to the rules.”
Now is not the time to be cavalier, he continued, observing that the Yukon is dealing with its largest spike of cases since the pandemic began, despite having more than 70% of its population fully vaccinated.
Following are guidelines from the CBSA:
Who is eligible to enter Canada?
Changes are only applicable to fully vaccinated travellers who are currently eligible to enter Canada. This means those who enter by right (Canadian citizens, permanent residents and persons registered under the Indian Act) as well as foreign nationals who are eligible for entry under the following Orders in Council: Prohibition of Entry into Canada from the United States; Prohibition of Entry into Canada from any Country other than the United States.
Specific criteria for eligible fully vaccinated travellers
To benefit from the reduced public health measures, travellers must:
• Be eligible to enter Canada
• Be fully vaccinated: To be considered fully vaccinated, a traveller must have received the full series of a vaccine — or combination of vaccines — accepted by the Government of Canada at least 14 days prior to entering Canada. Currently, those vaccines are manufactured by Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD, and Janssen (Johnson & Johnson)
• Meet all criteria to be considered for the fully vaccinated traveller exemption such as providing proof of a valid pre-arrival COVID-19 molecular test before boarding a plane or arriving at the land border and, submitting mandatory information including a digital proof of vaccination in English or French in ArriveCAN.
Mandatory submission of information via ArriveCAN
Fully vaccinated travellers must submit their mandatory information including their digital proof of vaccination in English or French using ArriveCAN (either via the App or the Web portal) before arriving at the border. Travellers will be able to upload their proof of vaccination into ArriveCAN in the new version which will be released on July 5 as of 12:01 a.m. EDT. Travellers must use the most up-to-date version released on July 5 in the Google Play Store and the App Store for iPhone. If travellers are unable to enter their information themselves, they can have a friend or family member enter the information for them.
All other restrictions remain in place
There are no changes for travellers who are not fully vaccinated. They are still subject to the mandatory three-day stay at a GAA (air mode), a 14-day quarantine, all testing requirements (pre-arrival, on arrival/day-1 and day-8) and the mandatory submission of information via ArriveCAN before arriving in Canada.
Tourism to Canada continues to be prohibited
All current travel restrictions to Canada remain in place and all other public health requirements continue to apply. Discretionary travel (i.e. tourism, recreation, entertainment) by foreign nationals remains prohibited. Travellers attempting to cross the border for these reasons will be turned away.
Of note, the United States also extended restrictions on non-essential travel at their land and ferry crossings with Canada and Mexico through July 21, while ensuring access for essential trade and travel.
Get informed and be prepared
Before heading to the border, travellers should inform themselves and fully understand their obligations by ensuring their eligibility to enter Canada and reviewing the COVID-19 vaccinated travellers entering Canada Web page.
Travellers to Canada may experience delays at the border due to the enhanced public health measures.