Canada will remove all COVID-19 travel rules from 1 October 2022, including mandatory proof of vaccination, testing and quarantine for international visitors. Those travelling by air, rail or cruise ship will also no longer need to wear masks or undergo health checks.
Travellers, regardless of citizenship, will not have to submit 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 requirements, or report symptoms on arrival to Canada from 1 October.
A requirement for travellers to wear masks on planes and trains would also be dropped. Cruise ship passengers and crew would also no longer be subject to vaccine requirements or COVID-19 testing.
Although the masking requirement is being lifted, all travellers are strongly recommended to wear high-quality and well-fitted masks during their journeys.
Canada had some of the longest and strictest entry requirements in the world and the removal of these final restrictions will see the country fully open to tourists after 2.5 years.
The nation reopened to fully vaccinated overseas visitors on 1 March, however travellers could still be subject to random arrival testing.
The move is likely to boost the Canadian travel industry, already booming after months of lull during the pandemic.
Canadian carriers were also pressing for an end to mask mandates on flights, citing thousands of incidents of non-compliance this year alone.
“As Canadians and international visitors look to make travel plans, the long-awaited removal of all remaining measures effective 1 October 2022 will further expedite recovery for our industry and the Canadian economy,” Canada’s second-largest carrier WestJet Airlines said in a statement.
For more info, visit travel.gc.ca
Via Reuters
