What you need to know about Canada’s travel restrictions

Canadian public health authorities have implemented a variety of health guidelines to help manage and mitigate the risk of COVID-19 in our communities, including a non-essential travel advisory that has been in place since March 2020.

With international travel strongly discouraged at this time, the federal government recently announced enhanced testing requirements and a new mandatory hotel quarantine for air passengers arriving in Canada. While these strict entry protocols might seem excessive to some, a recent Global News Ipsos poll shows that 83 per cent of Canadians are in favour of the new travel restrictions.

Read on for more details on Canada’s travel quarantine rules and testing requirements.

[Photo Credit: Chalabala]

Only Canadian citizens, permanent residents, individuals registered under the Indian Act, and protected persons (such as refugees) are permitted to enter Canada at this time. Foreign nationals aren’t allowed to enter the country unless they’re travelling for an accepted purpose, such as reuniting with family or for compassionate reasons.

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Leisure travellers over the age of five arriving in Canada by air or by car now have to complete a COVID-19 molecular test within 72-hours of their arrival. Travellers also need to download the ArriveCAN mobile app before departure, which they’ll use to track symptoms and submit information about their quarantine plan.

Upon arrival in Canada, travellers must take a second COVID-19 test at their point of entry. Border services officials will then ask you to show your ArriveCAN receipt, pre-departure test results, and quarantine plan.

All international travellers regardless of citizenship will need to complete a mandatory 14-day quarantine once they arrive in Canada. There are no exclusions from Canada’s travel quarantine period for those who have a negative test result and/or have received the COVID-19 vaccine. The quarantine requirements differ slightly for those travelling by air vs. car:

• International air passengers must complete their first three (3) nights of mandatory hotel stop-over quarantine in a pre-paid government-authorized accommodation at their own expense, which may cost up to $2,000. Travellers must book directly through approved hotels near their arrival airport in Alberta (YYC), British Columbia (YVR), Ontario (YYZ), and Quebec (YUL) or can call GB Travel Canada Inc. to book by phone at 1-800-294-8253. Hotel costs vary by region and the nightly fee will cover the cost of your hotel room, food, security, transportation from the airport, and infection prevention and control measures.
• Travellers who arrive by car via the U.S. land border will be asked to proceed directly to their place of quarantine.

Individuals can be exempt from the mandatory quarantine period if they meet certain requirements such as providing essential services, receiving medical care, or regularly crossing the border for work. Travellers may be granted a temporary release from quarantine for a compassionate reason like attending a funeral.

If at any point you start to experience symptoms, are exposed to another traveller with symptoms, or test positive for COVID-19 during your quarantine, you will need to begin another 14 days of isolation.

During the two-week quarantine period, travellers must provide regular status updates via the ArriveCAN mobile app. On Day 10 of quarantine, you’ll need to take another COVID-19 test. Testing kits and instructions for your at-home test will be provided at the airport or border, and you are obligated to stay in your place of quarantine until you receive your results.

Individuals who do not comply with the rules set out in Canada’s Quarantine Act can be fined anywhere from $3,000 to $750,000 and could face up to six months in prison.

While you don’t need a negative COVID-19 test to travel within Canada, there are numerous inter-provincial rules and restrictions. Airline passengers are subject to a health check before boarding and must adhere to local health measures at their destination. You may even be denied entry into a specific province or territory unless travel is essential.

Note, the travel protocols listed above are accurate at the time of publishing. For up-to-date travel requirements into Canada, please visit the Government of Canada’s official website.