The Government of Canada prioritizes the health and safety of all people in Canada by adopting a risk-based and measured approach to reopening borders. Thanks to the hard work of Canadians, rising vaccination rates and declining COVID-19 cases, the Government of Canada is able to adjust border measures.
On September 7, 2021, provided that the domestic epidemiological situation remains favorable, the Government intends to open the borders of Canada to any traveler completely vaccinated with a vaccine accepted by the Government of Canada and made at least 14 days before entering Canada.
As a first step, starting August 9, 2021, Canada intends to begin allowing U.S. citizens and permanent residents who currently live 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 the Government of Canada to fully operationalize the adjusted border measures by September 7, 2021 and recognizes the close relationship between Canadians and Americans.
As of August 9, 2021, Canada intends to begin allowing U.S. citizens and permanent residents.
Subject to limited exceptions, all passengers must use ArriveCAN to submit travel information. If they are eligible to enter Canada and meet the specific criteria, fully vaccinated travelers will not have to be quarantined upon arrival in Canada.
To further support these new measures, Transport Canada is extending the scope of the existing Notice to Aviators (NOTAM), which directs scheduled international commercial passenger flights to four Canadian airports: Montreal-Trudeau International Airport, Toronto Pearson International Airport, International Airport Calgary and Vancouver International Airport.
Thus, starting August 9, 2021, international flights carrying passengers will be allowed to land at the following five Canadian airports, in addition to the four that could be landed so far: Halifax Stanfield International Airport, Jean Lesage International Airport in Québec, Ottawa Macdonald - Cartier International Airport, Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport and Edmonton International Airport.
All travelers, regardless of vaccine status, will still need to test negative for a COVID-19 molecular test before entering Canadian territory. Using a new border test program at airports and land border crossing points, fully vaccinated passengers will not need a post-arrival test unless they have been randomly selected to perform a COVID-19 molecular test immediately after entry into Canadian territory.
The Government of Canada is adjusting its post-vaccination testing strategy for fully vaccinated travelers.
This strategy allows the Government of Canada to continue to monitor vaccine variants and efficacy. Using these "layers of protection", the Government of Canada can monitor the situation of COVID-19 in Canada, respond quickly to threats and change decisions to restrict international travel.
Finally, with the increase in the vaccination rate in Canada and the decrease in the number of COVID-19 cases, but also the pressure on hospitals, the requirement of self-isolation at a government-authorized hotel for three nights will be eliminated for all travelers who arrive by air starting at 12:01 AM EDT on August 9th. Fully vaccinated travelers who meet the requirements will be exempted from quarantine. However, all travelers must continue to provide a quarantine plan and be prepared to be quarantined if they do not meet the required requirements at the border.
While Canada continues to move in the right direction, the epidemiological situation and vaccination coverage are not the same around the world. The Government of Canada continues to advise Canadians to avoid non-essential travel outside of Canada - international travel increases your risk of exposure to COVID-19 and its variants, as well as spreading it to others. Border measures also remain subject to change as the epidemiological situation evolves. As Canada wants to welcome fully vaccinated travelers from the US, the federal government will continue to monitor the situation and provide Canadians with up-to-date travel tips.