Canada now requires incoming international travelers above 5 years old to undergo a compulsory COVID-19 test, and this is irrespective of their vaccination status. The test is expected to be taken within 72 hours of entry before it can be considered valid.However, incoming travelers that keep testing positive to COVID-19 despite their recovery are permitted to enter into the country without the need for further test. This is provided that the test was taken between 14 – 90 days before entry.
In respect to the particularity of the tests; it is only molecular COVID-19 tests like PCR and RT-PCR that are accepted. Coupled with this, incoming travelers are also expected to undergo a 14-day quarantine. Failure to do this attracts six months imprisonment or a fine of CAD$750,000.
In order to ensure the smooth implementation of this policy, the Canadian government has engaged the services of more border officials, and it is also working on increasing the number of entry ports.
Post-arrival COVID-19 test
All international travelers – including air and land travelers – are to undergo COVID-19 test at the entry ports. So, ultimately, land travelers will have to come into Canada through an entry ports equipped with onsite testing capacity. Plans are underway to add 11 more land ports to the already existing ones which include:
- Coutts, Alberta
- Douglas, British Columbia,
- Queenston-Lewiston Bridge, Niagra-on-the-Lake, Ontario
- St. Bernard de Lacolle (Highway 15), Quebec
- St. Stephen 3rd Bridge, New Brunswick.
After undergoing the post-arrival COVID-19 test, the travelers are made to wait for 3 days in a government-approved hotel for test results to be ready. Individuals who tested negative to COVID-19 are allowed to go home on the back of them adhering to the 14-day quarantine requirement. On the other hand, travellers who tested positive are taken to an accredited quarantine centre where they spend the remainder of their isolation period.
Checklist for travelling coming into Canada
- Approved COVID-19 test result
- Booking a room in a government-approved hotel for initial 3-day quarantine
- 14-day quarantine
- Installation of ArriveCAN mobile application before travelling into Canada
