Canada: Officials to require air, train, and maritime travelers to be fully vaccinated by Oct. 30 /update 29

Event

Authorities in Canada will require all workers and passengers in federally regulated air, train, and maritime transport services to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 effective Oct. 30. Other travel requirements remain unchanged.

Once the new directives take effect Oct. 30, anyone aged 12 or older taking a domestic flight, an interprovincial train, or a cruise ship will need to have received the final dose of their COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days prior to travel. Workers in affected industries will also need to be fully vaccinated, including employees of establishments located within airports. In addition, Canada's federal workforce is required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Oct. 29.

Other previously imposed regulations remain in place. All direct passenger flights with Morocco remain canceled through at least Oct. 29. Travelers may enter from Morocco via indirect flights but must obtain a negative molecular COVID-19 test result in a third country within 72 hours prior to their final flight. Individuals traveling from India must take a molecular test in the Airport Connect Building at Indira Gandhi International (DEL) in New Delhi within 18 hours before their scheduled departure, in addition to following all travel requirements.

Travel Requirements
Individuals may enter Canada regardless of their point of departure (except direct flights from Morocco) without the need to quarantine, as long as they follow these requirements:

• Individuals aged 12 and older must be fully vaccinated with an approved COVID-19 vaccine (those manufactured by Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca/COVIDSHIELD, or Janssen/Johnson & Johnson) at least 14 days before entering Canada and have proof of their vaccination.

• Unvaccinated children under the age of 12 will be allowed to enter without the need to quarantine if accompanied by a fully vaccinated parent or guardian.

• All passengers aged five and older must provide the airline with a negative result from an accepted molecular COVID-19 test, taken no more than 72 hours before departing for Canada. Travelers entering via the land border must also present a negative result from a COVID-19 test taken no more than 72 hours before arriving at the border. Antigen tests are not allowed. Fully vaccinated travelers who have recovered from COVID-19 within 180 days before entering Canada may show proof of such recovery instead of a pre-travel test.

• Individuals must also have a 14-day quarantine plan in case government officials determine upon arrival that they need to self-isolate.

• Travelers must upload their proof of vaccination, their 14-day quarantine plan, and other travel information to the ArriveCan website within 72 hours prior to their travel. For more details, click here.

• Travelers may be selected randomly by authorities to take a COVID-19 test on arrival. Unvaccinated children under the age of 12 must take a COVID-19 test on day eight after arrival.

Unvaccinated nonresident foreign nationals are banned from entering Canada, except for those traveling for essential reasons, temporary workers, international students, or diplomats. Those allowed entry must self-quarantine for 14 days. Some workers, including those who cross the border regularly, may be exempt from the quarantine requirement, provided they do not display COVID-19 symptoms. Unvaccinated Canadian citizens and permanent residents can enter but must also quarantine for 14 days upon arrival. All unvaccinated individuals must take a test on day eight of their 14-day quarantine period.

International flights are allowed to arrive at Halifax Stanfield International Airport (YHZ), Quebec City Jean Lesage International Airport (YQB), Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport (YOW), Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport (YWG), and Edmonton International Airport (YEG), as well as at Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ), Montreal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL), Vancouver International Airport (YVR), and Calgary International Airport (YYC).

All air passengers must wear protective facemasks. Persons exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms are generally not allowed to board planes to Canada or take domestic airplanes or trains.

Foreign nationals traveling by land to Alaska from the US Lower 48 may only enter Canada through one of five border crossings: Abbotsford-Huntington, Kingsgate, or Osoyoos in British Columbia; North Portal, Saskatchewan; or Coutts, Alberta. Travelers who attempt to enter Canada northbound through any other border crossing will be denied entry and rerouted to an approved crossing. Persons entering Canada from Alaska may use any border crossing. The regulations specify that travelers must take the most direct route through Canada and avoid stopping at leisure sites or national parks. Such individuals must also have proof of residence or employment in Alaska if going north or in the lower 48 states if going south. Violators could face fines.

Authorities could reimpose, extend, further ease, or otherwise amend any restrictions with little-to-no notice depending on disease activity over the coming weeks.

Advice

Heed all official directives. Reconfirm all health-related travel requirements before travel. Confirm appointments in advance.

Resources

WHO Coronavirus Knowledge Base
Canada - Coronavirus Updates
Canada - Travel Restrictions
Canada - ArriveCan website