This week, we’ve finally got some good news. Canada is lifting the pre-entry testing requirements for fully vaccinated passengers.
We are travel ready!
The good news came on St. Paddy’s Day, with Canadian government announcements.
Read the details below – the restrictions are gone as of April 1st for fully vaccinated passengers to enter Canada.
Of course, you still have to be vaccinated to fly, and you still have to wear masks on planes and trains. And, there are still random testing at entry, and you still have to use the Arrive Can app.
But – this is great news.
Story links and details below – but – are you travel ready?
https://www.travelpress.com/pre-arrival-testing-dropped
Canada Ends Pre-Arrival Testing
Federal Government Removes Restriction As Of April 1, Air Canada Reacts
For the Canadian travel and tourism industry, there is good reason to celebrate today.
News that the federal government is dropping the requirement of a pre-arrival COVID-19 test (either a PCR or Rapid Antigen test) for arriving travellers has long been called for by the industry and those calls have finally been heard.
The announcement of the removal of the pre-arrival testing requirement was made by federal health minister, Jean-Yves Duclos, transport minister, Omar Alghabra and tourism minister, Randy Boissonnault.
While travellers arriving in Canada will no longer need to present test results as of APRIL 1, 2022, they will still need to be fully vaccinated and they will also still have to use the ArriveCan app to provide officials with the required information on arrival in Canada.
Arriving travellers will also be randomly selected for testing.
For unvaccinated or partially vaccinated travellers, they will still have to test and quarantine as is currently required by the federal government’s current border rules.
Excellent News
Air Canada was quick to respond to the federal government’s March 17 announcement, with the carrier’s vice-president, government and community relations, David Rheault stating that: “Today’s announcement by the federal government is excellent news for the entire travel and tourism industry, which are important contributors to the Canadian economy. People are eager to travel and reconnect with their loved ones, and the end of pre-departure testing will provide travellers with more certainty, allowing them to plan their next trip with more confidence and without the worry of incurring additional costs.”
Rheault pointed out that: “Canada now joins other countries around the world in reopening and we look ahead to the summer travel season. The removal of pre-departure testing requirements will continue to accelerate and stimulate the recovery of Canada’s travel and tourism industry, which we are committed to help rebuild through the restoration of our global network.”
It’s Official: As Of 01APR, Ottawa Drops Entry Testing For Land, Air And Cruise Arrivals
It will be after March Break travellers have already returned home, but the travel industry and Canadian travellers are nonetheless heaving a sigh of relief – and looking forward to summer vacation season.
After months of intense pressure on the federal government by Canada’s tourism and travel industries, as well as politicians here and in the U.S., the federal government finally made the long-awaited announcement that it would drop pre-departure testing requirements for Canadian arrivals.
Thursday 17MAR, Canada’s Minister of Health, Jean-Yves Duclos, confirmed reports on Wednesday that Ottawa is removing entry testing requirements at airports and land border crossings at the end of MAR.
Border officials will continue to randomly test travellers upon arrival to identify and track variants of COVID-19. However, there will be no quarantine requirements while those pax await results.
All arrivals still need to use the ArriveCAN app to submit their health information prior to arrival.
The minister of health called Thursday’s announcement “encouraging”, and noted that the pandemic is now entering a “transition phase.”
Full Vaccination Still Required
Vaccine mandates do not change under the new policy changes announced 17MAR, however.
The government of Canada still requires pax to be fully vaccinated to board domestic and international flights departing from Canada, for VIA Rail and Rocky Mountaineer trains and for cruise ships. While that policy expires in MAR, it is expected to be extended, according to CBC.
Today’s announcement clarified that although no pre-entry tests will be required for fully vaccinated arrivals into Canada beginning 01APR, unvaccinated and partially-vaccinated arrivals will still receive molecular tests upon arrival and on Day 8. And they’ll still need to quarantine for two weeks.
For partially or unvaccinated travelers who are currently allowed to travel to Canada, pre-entry testing requirements are not changing. They must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test result:
- a valid, negative antigen test, administered or observed by an accredited lab or testing provider, taken outside of Canada no more than one day before their initially scheduled flight departure time or their arrival at the land border or marine port of entry; or
- a valid negative molecular test taken no more than 72 hours before their initially scheduled flight departure time or their arrival at the land border or marine port of entry; or
- a previous positive molecular test taken at least 10 calendar days and no more than 180 calendar days before their initially scheduled flight departure time or their arrival at the land border or marine port of entry. It is important to note that positive antigen test results will not be accepted.
Cruise Travel in Canada
The announcement marked “a great day for Canadian travellers” and tourism, said Canada’s transport minister, who also translated how the announcement will affect cruise travellers to Canada.
Omar Alghabra said that cruise guests will need an antigen test no more than 1 day prior to boarding, but they will no longer will require to be tested before disembarking from cruise ships in Canada.
Vaccination requirements for cruise arrivals into Canada will remain in place.