NEW REQUIREMENTS FOR TRAVEL TO CANADA: WHAT’S NEW

Canadian government advises Canadians to cancel or postpone non-essential travel plans outside of Canada because now is not the time to travel. But in case that you are still traveling, from February 21^st, 2021, the government of Canada announced several new requirements for travelers entering Canada. People who travel by air and land, regardless of citizenship, face new measures and expenses when they return to Canada. The Government of Canada introduced these measures to prevent further introduction and transmission of COVID-19 and new variants of the virus into Canada.

Upon arrival in Canada by air or land, at the border, regardless of citizenship, Border Services Officer will ask you the questions:

• the purpose of your trip
• whether you are feeling ill or unwell
• other questions as needed to complete their assessment

CBSA officers will look for signs of illness, regardless of how travelers respond to screening questions. Officers will refer any traveler they suspect is ill for a further medical assessment by the Public Health Agency of Canada.

Everybody is required to:

• wear a mask
• provide required information and documents, including:
• ArriveCAN receipt
• proof of valid COVID-19 molecular test
• comply with mandatory quarantine requirements

All travelers, with limited exceptions, will need to submit information electronically before they board using Arrive CAN application. It is available as a mobile app or by signing in online. They will have to give travel and contact information, plan of quarantine, COVID-19 symptom self-assessments.

Federal quarantine applies to all travelers entering Canada.

Travellers will be required to stay in quarantine for 14 days if they do not have symptoms or isolate for 14 days if they have symptoms of COVID-19.

All air travelers must take a mandatory 3 night pre-paid booking at a government-authorized hotel at their own cost.

All driving travelers may proceed directly to your suitable place of quarantine.

With limited exceptions, no one is excluded from quarantine, even if they have:

• tested negative for COVID-19
• been vaccinated for COVID-19
• recovered from COVID-19

After quarantine, travelers will be required to take another COVID-19 test and stay in their place of quarantine until they receive a negative test result. Furthermore, they will be required to stay additional 14 days in isolation if they begin to show symptoms during the quarantine period.

Foreign citizens with symptoms of COVID-19 will not be allowed to enter Canada. Only Canadian citizens, permanent residents, persons registered under the Indian Act, and protected persons (refugee status) may enter Canada with symptoms.

As a traveller, they must show an adequate plan for quarantine. Foreign nationals who do not have an adequate plan may be denied entry into Canada. Canadians who arrive in Canada without an appropriate place to quarantine will be transferred to a federally designated quarantine facility for the full 14 day quarantine period.

Violating any instructions is an offence under the Quarantine Act and could lead to up to 6 months in prison, $750,000 in fines or both.

If travellers break mandatory quarantine or isolation requirements and cause the death or serious bodily harm to another person, they could face a fine of up to $1,000,000 or imprisonment of up to 3 years or both.

For all travelers who travel within Canada, without having been out of the country, there are no federal travel requirements, but there may be provincial or territorial rules and restrictions.

In addition to the above, Canada has suspended all flights on all Canadian airlines to and from Canada and Mexico and all Caribbean countries from 31 January 2021 to 30 April 2021. 

https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/flying-canada-checklist