On September 7, 2021, the Government intends to open Canada’s borders to any fully vaccinated travellers who have completed the full course of vaccination with a Government of Canada-accepted vaccine at least 14 days prior to entering Canada and who meet specific entry requirements.
As a first step, starting August 9, 2021, Canada plans to begin allowing entry to American citizens and permanent residents, who are currently residing in the United States, and have been fully vaccinated at least 14 days prior to entering Canada for non-essential travel. This preliminary step allows for the Government of Canada to fully operationalize the adjusted border measures ahead of September 7, 2021 and recognizes the many close ties between Canadians and Americans.
Subject to limited exceptions, all travellers must use ArriveCAN (app or web portal) to submit their travel information. If they are eligible to enter Canada and meet specific criteria, fully vaccinated travellers will not have to quarantine upon arrival in Canada.
To further support these new measures, Transport Canada is expanding the scope of the existing Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) that currently directs scheduled international commercial passenger flights into four Canadian Airports: Montréal-Trudeau International Airport, Toronto Pearson International Airport, Calgary International Airport, and Vancouver International Airport.
Effective August 9, 2021, international flights carrying passengers will 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.
These airports, in cooperation with the Public Health Agency of Canada, the Canada Border Services Agency and Transport Canada, are working to implement the measures necessary to safely welcome international passengers as soon as possible after August 9, as conditions dictate.
All travellers, regardless of vaccination status, will still require a pre-entry COVID-19 molecular test result. However effective August 9, 2021, the Government of Canada is adjusting its post-arrival testing strategy for fully vaccinated travellers. 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. There are no changes to the mandatory testing requirements for unvaccinated travellers.
International students travel to Canada
The changes the Government of Canada announced apply to all of IRCC’s clients. As the fall semester is approaching, we would like to remind international students of what they will need to do to return or come to Canada for their studies.
Here is a guide on what students who are travelling to Canada need to do:
Who may enter Canada to study
To be able to enter Canada as a student, you need to
- have a valid study permit or letter of introduction that shows you have been approved for a study permit
- be attending a designated learning institution with a COVID-19 readiness plan approved by its province or territory
It is also important to check if restrictions are in place for your country that may affect your ability to travel. For example, the Government of Canada has suspended flights from India until August 21, 2021.
You must have a quarantine plan
Designated learning institutions’ COVID-19 readiness plans aim to protect the health and safety of all students and the surrounding community. The plans indicate how institutions will manage the quarantine period for international students, including arrangements for transportation to the students’ quarantine location and for access to food and medications during their quarantine.
An international student must have a 14-day quarantine plan in case it is determined at the border that they do not meet all of the conditions required to be exempt from quarantine. This is still the case even if they believe they meet the criteria for being considered a fully vaccinated traveller.
Students should be in contact with their designated learning institution for assistance in developing quarantine plans in advance of their arrival to Canada.
Information about the quarantine plan must be submitted in ArriveCAN prior to travel to Canada.
Who is considered a fully vaccinated traveller?
Those who are fully vaccinated may qualify for exemptions from some of the quarantine and testing requirements.
To be considered fully vaccinated, travellers will need to have received the full series of a COVID-19 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-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD, and Janssen (Johnson & Johnson).
If you have received a different vaccine, you are currently not considered fully vaccinated in Canada.
Travellers must provide proof of vaccination in English or French (or a certified translation of their document). Travellers can receive their vaccine in any country, but it has to be 1 of the 4 vaccines accepted by Health Canada.
To be eligible for exemptions, fully vaccinated travellers must still meet the pre-entry and on-arrival testing requirements, including being tested within 72 hours pre-departure. They must also be asymptomatic, submit all required COVID-19 information electronically into ArriveCAN prior to travel to Canada, have a paper or digital copy of their proof of vaccination, and have a suitable quarantine plan.
Upcoming changes to public health measures
As of August 9, 2021, new measures will be put in place for travellers to Canada, including international students.
This includes the following:
- Eliminating the 3-night government-authorized hotel stay requirement for all air travellers arriving after 12:01 a.m. EDT on August 9, 2021. Until that time, non-vaccinated travellers flying to Canada must complete their 3-night hotel stay while they wait for their on-arrival test results.
- Implementing a surveillance randomized testing regime for fully vaccinated travellers who qualify for entry to Canada at select airports and land border crossings across Canada. Unvaccinated travellers will continue to be subject to mandatory on-arrival and day 8 testing.
- Allowing individuals who have recovered from COVID-19, but who continue to test positive, to present a positive COVID-19 molecular test result on a specimen taken 14 to 180 days prior to arrival in Canada as part of the pre-entry test requirements.