Travel to Canada for non-essential reasons is currently prohibited. Especially from India and Pakistan. However, from August 9, Canada will open its borders to vaccinated U.S. citizens. Almost less than a month later, from September 7, vaccinated foreigners from all countries will be able to enter Canadian territory.
In the following sections, you can check all the news regarding travel restrictions for Canada, as well as the current coronavirus situation in the country.
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Entry requirements to Canada during the pandemic
To enter Canada by air, eligible travelers must:
- Present a negative result of a COVID-19 test, performed within 72 hours of the scheduled time of departure of the trip to Canada.
- Register in the ArriveCan app to provide your travel information and your vaccination data if you have received the vaccine. Registration must be made no later than 72 hours before arrival.
- Once at the Canadian airport, another COVID-19 test must be performed.
- It is mandatory to book in advance a stay of at least 3 days in an approved hotel to wait for the result of that test.
Household isolation of 14 days remains mandatory for citizens entering the country.
After testing upon arrival, you will receive a COVID sample collection kit at home. You must use it on day 8 of your mandatory quarantine.
At the moment, no exemptions apply to vaccinated citizens.
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ArriveCan: what information should I provide before traveling?
All travelers must send the following information electronically through the ArriveCan application:
- Travel and contact information
- Positive or negative COVID-19 test information (where applicable)
- Quarantine plan (unless exempt from the mandatory quarantine requirement)
- Vaccine information, if applicable
- Self-assessment of symptoms of COVID-19
- Travel history of the countries visited within the 14-day period before arriving in Canada
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Who can enter Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic?
The latest data published by the Canadian government indicated that they can currently travel and enter Canada only:
- Canadian citizens.
- Permanent residents of Canada.
- Passengers who do not need to obtain a temporary resident visa and their immediate family members.
- Passengers with a refugee travel document.
- Foreign citizens, including citizens of the United States, only if they are eligible.
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Vaccinated foreigners can enter Canada
As of September 7, Canada reopens its borders to third-country nationals who have received a vaccine approved by the Canadian government. The vaccine must have been received at least 14 days before the date of entry.
The vaccines approved by Canada are:
- Modern
- Pfizer-BioNTech
- AstraZeneca
- Janssen (Johnson & Johnson)
The United States and Canada will reopen their borders mutually from August 9. From this date, the airports of Halifax, Quebec City, Ottawa, Winnipeg, and Edmonton will begin to receive international flights.
In order to enter Canadian territory, those vaccinated must be prepared to:
- Present proof of vaccination through the ArriveCAN portal or application
- Comply with pre-entry test requirements
- Be asymptomatic on arrival
- Have a quarantine plan on hand (if necessary)
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Relatives of Canadians traveling to Canada
Immediate family members of Canadian citizens (spouse or legal partner, dependent minor, legal guardian, father or mother, stepfather or stepmother) or permanent residents may enter Canada only if they can demonstrate that:
- They are, in fact, a direct relative of a Canadian citizen.
- They are permanent residents.
- They will stay in Canada for a minimum of 15 days.
- The reason for your trip is not for tourism or leisure.
In addition, it is mandatory to have a quarantine plan that details how the 14-day quarantine is planned upon arrival in the country.
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Other exceptions to restrictions on entry to Canada
Other foreign citizens who wish to travel to Canada must be part of one of the following groups:
- Passengers arriving from the U.S. for a purpose other than tourism (for example, temporary foreign workers, some international students, etc.).
- French nationals who reside in Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon and who have only been in Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, USA or Canada in the last 14 days. They must travel for an essential purpose and not for sightseeing.
- Indian nationals registered in the Indian Act.
- Students studying in Canada.
- Persons in a protected situation.
- Airline crew.
- Merchant sailors.
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Mandatory quarantine exemptions
In the following cases the traveler may be exempt from the mandatory quarantine requirements:
- Travelers who provide essential services
- Those who are receiving medical care within 36 hours of their entry into Canada (not related to COVID-19)
- If you regularly cross the border to work (daily or weekly)
- Students who regularly cross the border to attend school (one or more days a week)
- If you live in an integrated cross-border community
COVID test exemption on arrival in Canada
There are only a limited number of exceptions where additional testing is not required after landing in Canada:
- People recovered from COVID-19: they must have molecular tests with a positive result between 14 and 90 days before the trip.
- Children who are four years of age or younger
- Diplomatic or consular messengers
- Travelers with diplomatic, official and courtesy visas
- People who boarded a medical evacuation flight
- Persons or groups of national interest determined by the Minister of Health
- Extraordinary and unforeseen circumstances (consult the Canadian Government website)
- Persons who were exempt from quarantine requirements
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Mandatory requirements for entry to Canada during COVID-19
Regardless of whether they meet the entry requirements, those who have symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) cannot travel to Canada until:
- Prove that you are not symptomatic.
- Present a medical certificate confirming that they do not carry the virus.
In turn, travelers who meet the eligibility criteria can access Canada from a foreign country only through the following Canadian airports:
- Calgary (YYC)
- Montreal (YUL)
- Toronto (YYZ)
- Vancouver (YVR).
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Is there a risk of traveling to Canada during the pandemic?
The risk for foreign visitors who decide to travel to Canada of contracting coronavirus on Canadian territory is generally low today.
If you arrive from one of the countries at risk or with a large number of cases, before the lifting of the travel restrictions, keep in mind that:
- You will be denied access to the country and you will have to return to your country of origin.
- You will be forced to perform a mandatory quarantine at a designated location in Canada.
What to do if I’m currently traveling in Canada?
In the event that you can enter the country without problems, make sure at all times that you do not have fever, cough, or difficulty breathing for the first 14 days after your arrival in Canada.
If you have any of the symptoms mentioned, call the public health authority of the Canadian province or territory in which you are as soon as possible.
If you come from any country other than the U.S. or Canada or have recently been to China, Iran, Italy, or Spain in the last 14 days, it is best to rule out the option of traveling to Canada (unless you meet the exceptions mentioned above).
If you enter the country with any of these conditions, you will be obliged to communicate it to the local public health authority of the Canadian province or territory in which you are within a maximum period of 24 hours (from your entry into Canada).
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Is it possible to apply for a Canadian eTA during COVID-19?
Despite travel restrictions to Canada for tourism reasons, please note that it is currently possible to apply for a Canadian eTA at any time.
Fill out the eligibility form to travel to Canada
To apply for an eTA in Canada during the pandemic, authorities have included a travel eligibility form to the country.
In the digital format, you must “send a travel exemption query.” Then, complete it with information such as:
- Your email address
- Detailing how you meet a travel exemption to come to Canada
- Passport number
- Dates on which you plan to travel
- Current country of residence
- If you have already booked your trip, you must provide your flight number, time and place of departure / arrival
- You will have to upload the documentation to support your request
- Do not include personal photographs
You will get a response within approximately 14 days.
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Why hasn’t the eTA Canada process been suspended?
The processing of the Canadian eTA has not been suspended, since this travel authorization has a period of validity of 5 consecutive years or until the applicant’s passport expires, whichever comes first.
Therefore, you will be able to process and obtain your Canadian eTA without any problem. The only drawback is that you will not be able to access Canada with your authorization until the Canadian travel restrictions are revoked.
If you want to make a trip to Canada for tourism or leisure reasons at this time, you will be denied entry to the country with a Canadian eTA.
We advise you to periodically review this page to find out all the news regarding entry restrictions to Canada.Process eTA Canada
When will it be possible to travel to Canada with an eTA?
The decision to allow entry into Canada with an eTA will depend on how the coronavirus situation progresses in eligible countries.
It is recommended to be up to date with Canadian travel restrictions. If you consider it necessary, contact your Canadian embassy before flying.
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I already have an eTA from Canada, can I continue to use it?
During the coronavirus pandemic, it is not possible to enter Canada with an approved Canadian eTA. Once the travel restrictions are revoked you will be able to enter the territory and use your eTA without any problem.
Remember that the validity of your eTA is 5 years from the time of its approval, so it may be convenient for you to process it now and have your authorization approved.
However, we inform you that if your passport expires while your eTA is still in force, you will have to process a new Canadian eTA.
The reason is that your travel permit is electronically linked to your passport. Therefore, once your document expires, eTA Canada loses its validity. In this case, you will require another authorization to travel to the North American country.
To process a new Canadian eTA, the application process will be identical to the one you made to obtain your permission the first time:
- Fill out the eTA Canada online form correctly
- Make the payment of the corresponding fee
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