The federal government will remove all COVID-19 entry restrictions, as well as testing, quarantine, and isolation requirements for anyone entering Canada, effective Oct. 1, 2022.

The removal of border measures has been facilitated by a number of factors, including modelling that indicates that Canada has largely passed the peak of the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 fuelled wave, Canada’s high vaccination rates, lower hospitalization and death rates, as well as the availability and use of vaccine boosters (including new bivalent formulation), rapid tests, and treatments for COVID-19.

The requirement for Unvaccinated Canadians to isolate when they return to the country also no longer applies effective October 01.

Health Minister, Jean-Yves Duclos said that: “Thanks largely to Canadians who have rolled up their sleeves to get vaccinated, we have reached the point where we can safely lift the sanitary measures at the border. However, we expect COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses will continue to circulate over the cold months, so I encourage everyone to stay up-to-date with their COVID-19 vaccination, including booster doses and exercise individual public health measures. I also thank the dedicated public health officers and frontline staff at our land borders and airports who have worked tirelessly to protect the health and safety of people in Canada for the last two years.”

Effective Oct. 1, 2022, all travellers, regardless of citizenship, will no longer have to:

• Submit public health information through the ArriveCAN app or website
• Provide proof of vaccination
• Undergo pre- or on-arrival testing
• Carry out COVID-19-related quarantine or isolation
• Monitor and report if they develop signs or symptoms of COVID-19 upon arriving to Canada

Transport Minister, Omar Alghabra noted that: “Canada’s travel measures successfully mitigated the full impact of COVID-19 for travellers and workers in the transportation sector, and helped keep communities safe. Thanks to Canadians who rolled up their sleeves and got vaccinated, we are able to take this great step towards easing measures and returning to normal.”

As well, Transport Canada is removing existing travel requirements. As of Oct. 1, 2022, travellers will no longer be required to:

• Undergo health checks for travel on air and rail
• Wear masks on planes and trains

Although the masking requirement is being lifted, all travellers are strongly recommended to wear high quality and well-fitted masks during their journeys.

Cruise measures are also being lifted, and travellers will no longer be required to have pre-board tests, be vaccinated, or use ArriveCAN. A set of guidelines will remain to protect passengers and crew, which will align with the approach used in the United States.

Public Safety Minister, Marco Mendicino said that: “Since the start, our Government has taken the necessary steps to keep Canadians safe in the face of a global pandemic. COVID-19 border measures were always meant to be temporary and we are making adjustments based on the current situation because that’s what Canadians expect. I want to thank CBSA officers who are at the front line facilitating travel, supporting our economy, and ensuring the safety and security of our communities.”

Individuals are reminded that they should not travel if they have symptoms of COVID-19. If travellers become sick while travelling, and are still sick when they arrive in Canada, they should inform a flight attendant, cruise staff, or a border services officer upon arrival. They may then be referred to a quarantine officer who will decide whether the traveller needs further medical assessment as COVID-19 remains one of many communicable diseases listed in the Quarantine Act.

The Government of Canada also reminds travellers to make informed decisions when considering travel outside of Canada to protect their health and safety.

They are encouraged to review the travel health notices at https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/advisories for more information on safe travel.

Some Quick Facts Of Note Include:

• Travellers must follow any provincial or territorial COVID-19 requirements as applicable. Foreign nationals must still meet the entry requirements under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and provide appropriate travel and immigration documentation as necessary.
• Air carriers will no longer need to validate that travellers have entered information in ArriveCan before boarding.
• As of Oct. 1, 2022, travellers who entered Canada in the 14 days prior to Oct. 1, 2022, will not be required to complete the remainder of their quarantine or isolatation, or complete their testing requirements.

While travellers will no longer have to submit their quarantine and vaccination information through ArriveCAN, they can continue to use the optional Advance Declaration feature in ArriveCAN (free as a mobile app or on the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) website) to save time at the airport by submitting their customs and immigration declaration in advance of arrival.

• This feature is currently available to travellers arriving at Toronto Pearson, Vancouver, or Montréal-Trudeau international airports and will expand to the Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Billy Bishop Toronto City, Ottawa, Québec City, and Halifax international airports in the coming months.
• Early data shows that using the Advance CBSA Declaration in ArriveCAN cuts the amount of time a traveller spends at a kiosk by roughly one third, and over 30% of travellers arriving at the airports are already using it.
• The CBSA will continue to make technology available at the border to speed up traveller entry and enhance the safety and security of Canadians. For example, CBSA is exploring other optional ArriveCAN features to provide travellers with easy access to information such as border wait times, and other self-serve functions. This will be expanded to travellers by land so they can make use of available technology to expedite and facilitate their travel.

Restrictions May be Reinstated in Future if Deemed Necessary

Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos noted the Government of Canada will maintain the ability to reinstate some testing at the borders in the event it is needed in the future for a COVID-19 variant of concern, or other emerging public health threats.