Fully vaccinated tourists can now come to Canada

Canada is now opening its borders to tourists who are fully vaccinated as of September 7, 2021.

Travellers will need to have completed the full course of vaccination. They must also be vaccinated with a Canada-approved vaccine.

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This means that travellers will need to have received two doses of either the Pfizer vaccine, the Moderna vaccine or the AstraZeneca vaccine, or one dose of the Janssen vaccine. Other vaccines that may be approved elsewhere in the world are currently not accepted.

In addition, travellers need to have received their last dosage at least 14 days before they travel to Canada.

Canada first started allowing fully vaccinated American citizens and permanent residents to enter Canada starting on August 9, 2021. This first step allowed for the Canadian government to prepare for the full opening of their border to vaccinated individuals.

What you need to know before travelling to Canada?

Travellers coming to Canada are required to use the ArriveCAN mobile or web application where they will submit their personal and travel information.

They will need to show a pre-arrival COVID-19 molecular test result, even if they are fully vaccinated. Travellers may also be selected at random to conduct a COVID-19 test upon arrival in Canada. They will also need to show proof of their vaccination, and must not have any symptoms of the virus.

In addition, travellers to Canada will be exempt from quarantine if they meet certain requirements. However, they will still be expected to prepare a quarantine plan, in case the border officer determines that they do not meet these requirements.

Unvaccinated individuals under 12 years old will be allowed to enter Canada without needing to quarantine if their parent or guardian is fully vaccinated and is accompanying them.

Foreign nationals who are not vaccinated are not allowed to enter Canada. Those who are allowed to enter Canada include temporary workers, international students, diplomats and other individuals who are traveling for an essential reason. These individuals are required to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival if they are not fully vaccinated.

It is also important to note that international flights are only allowed to arrive at nine Canadian airports, listed below:

Toronto Pearson International Airport;
Montreal-Trudeau International Airport;
Vancouver International Airport;
Calgary International Airport;
Halifax Stanfield International Airport;
Quebec City Jean Lesage International Airport;
Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport;
Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport;
Edmonton International Airport.

In addition, flights from India will continue to be banned until at least September 21, and flights from Morocco will be banned until at least September 29.

Those travelling from India or Morocco will need to stop at a third country, where they will have to get a negative COVID-19 test, before continuing to Canada. The COVID-19 test will need to be conducted within 72 hours before the departure of the final flight to Canada.

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