Parliamentary Committee Notes: Current COVID-19 Border Measures for Travellers Entering Canada
Date: May 10, 2022
Classification: Unclassified
Fully releasable (ATIP)? Yes
Branch / Agency: TB / CBSA
Proposed Response:
- The Government continues to refine its border measures to help Canada transition towards a more sustainable framework for long-term management of COVID-19 at our borders.
- On April 1, 2022, Canada removed the pre-entry test requirement for fully vaccinated travellers.
- Effective April 25, 2022, Canada has removed the pre-entry test requirement for children 5-11 who are travelling with a fully vaccinated parent, step-parent, guardian or tutor.
- In addition, fully vaccinated persons, their children under 12, and persons with a medical contraindication are not required to provide a quarantine plan.
- These new changes are in addition to the changes that took effect on March 1, 2022 that include allowing the use of rapid antigen tests, under certain parameters, to satisfy pre-arrival testing requirements for those who require a negative test for entry.
- The adjustments to Canada’s border measures are made possible by a number of factors, including Canada’s high vaccination rate, the increasing availability and use of rapid tests to detect infection, and growing domestic availability of treatments for COVID-19.
Background:
The Government of Canada’s phased approach to easing border measures was developed to meet specific public health criteria and is based on scientific evidence and the public health situation in Canada and around the world.
Changes on April 25, 2022
Effective April 25, 2022, children between 5 and 11, who are not fully vaccinated, who are travelling with their fully vaccinated parent, step-parent, guardian or tutor are exempt from pre-arrival testing.
In addition, fully vaccinated persons are no longer required to mask in public spaces for 14 days post arrival, including at the port of entry on arrival, nor are they required to maintain a list of close contacts post arrival.
- Note: the Transport Canada Interim Order was updated to require the wearing of masks in airports throughout the travel journey. This includes the CBSA arrival process.
Unless otherwise exempt, all travellers 5 years of age or over who do not qualify as fully vaccinated must continue to provide proof of an accepted type of pre-entry COVID-19 test result:
- a valid negative antigen test, administered or observed by an accredited lab or testing provider, taken outside of Canada no more than one day before their initially scheduled flight departure time or their arrival at the land border or marine port of entry;
- a valid negative molecular test taken no more than 72 hours before their initially scheduled flight departure time or their arrival at the land border or marine port of entry; or
- a previous positive molecular test taken at least 10 calendar days and no more than 180 calendar days before their initially scheduled flight departure time or their arrival at the land border or marine port of entry
Fully vaccinated travellers, their children under 12 and persons with a medical contraindication to vaccination are no longer required to provide a quarantine plan.
Travellers are no longer required to complete daily symptom reporting in ArriveCAN, however, should they experience symptoms or test positive, they are required to isolate and report to their local health authority.
Changes on April 1, 2022:
On March 17, 2022 the Government of Canada announced that pre-arrival tests would no longer be required for fully vaccinated travellers.
National Interest Exemptions:
The Minister of Public Safety has extended National Interest Exemptions from the prohibition on entry for the following cohorts of travrellers who would otherwise fall under the new measures, until May 31st.
- Fully-vaccinated foreign national crew members (including truck drivers) who failed to provide mandatory information through ArriveCAN;
- US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officers who are unvaccinated or failed to submit mandatory information through ArriveCAN and are transiting through Canada to their place of work or a work location (this cohort will also require an NIE quarantine and on arrival testing);
- Unvaccinated persons who enter Canada, for the purpose of transiting to and from Alaska for non-discretionary purposes.
Changes on March 1, 2022:
Starting on March 1, 2022, a series of changes to Canada’s border measures came into effect.
- Allowing Rapid Antigen Testing as an accepted form of pre-arrival COVID-19 testing
- Travellers required to present a negative COVID-19 test result now have the option of using an antigen test result (taken the day prior to their scheduled flight or arrival at the land border or marine port of entry) or a molecular test result (taken no more than 72 hours before their scheduled flight or arrival at the land border or marine port of entry).
- Unless otherwise exempt, all travellers 5 years of age or older must provide proof of an accepted type of pre-entry COVID-19 test result:
- a valid negative antigen test result taken the day prior to their scheduled flight or arrival at the land border or marine port of entry;
- a valid negative molecular test result taken no more than 72 hours before their scheduled flight or arrival at the land border or marine port of entry; or
- a previous positive molecular test result taken at least 10 calendar days and no more than 180 calendar days before entering Canada.
- To be valid, the COVID-19 antigen test must be authorized by the country in which it was purchased and must be administered by a laboratory, healthcare entity or telehealth service.
- Whether using molecular or antigen tests, travellers must continue to attest in ArriveCAN that they have proof of a valid test result in their possession and must present a copy to air carriers and to border services officers upon request.
- Mandatory randomized testing for fully vaccinated arrivals from all countries
- Fully vaccinated travellers arriving to Canada from any country will not need to take a COVID-19 molecular test on arrival, unless selected for mandatory random testing.
- If selected for mandatory random testing, travellers will not be required to quarantine while awaiting their test result.
- On April 20th, the airports where MRT is operational was reduced from 18 to 4. MRT is now operationalized at only the big 4 airports (Toronto, Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver).
- There was no change in MRT in the land environment.
- Modified quarantine for children under 12 who aren’t fully vaccinated and are travelling with vaccinated adults
- Children under 12 years old who are not fully vaccinated, travelling with fully vaccinated parents and other eligible adults, or have a medical contraindication to vaccination, will continue to be exempt from quarantine, without any prescribed conditions limiting their activities.
- Children will no longer be subject to additional conditions. This means, for example, they no longer need to wait 14 days before attending school, camp or daycare. They will also no longer be subject to testing and other specific requirements, regardless of their vaccination status.
- These children may be selected for mandatory random testing upon arrival; however, they will not be required to quarantine while awaiting the Day 1 test result.
- Parents should also check with local public health authority, school or daycare on additional post-travel requirements. Many jurisdictions across Canada have recently reduced their isolation and quarantine periods. If there is a discrepancy between federal requirements and those outlined by your province, territory or community, you are required to follow to the more stringent requirement.
Contacts:
Approved by: John Ommanney, A/Vice President, Travellers Branch
- Date modified: