Starting April, fully vaccinated travellers won't need a pre-entry COVID test to enter Canada

Beginning April, fully vaccinated travellers coming to Canada will no longer need to take a pre-arrival COVID-19 test to be allowed entry.

In a press conference on Thursday, Minister of Health Jean-Yves Duclos; Minister of Transport Omar Alghabra; and Minister of Tourism Randy Boissonnault, alongside other government officials, announced new updates to border measures implemented to protect the health of Canadians due to COVID-19.

Effective April 1, 2022, fully vaccinated travellers will no longer be required to complete a pre-entry test for travel to Canada. However, randomized testing upon entry to Canada will continue.

You might also like:
• Half of Canadians fear COVID-19 will never really be over: Report
• WHO pauses Quebec's plant-based COVID-19 vaccine approval
• Fourth COVID-19 vaccine dose "necessary" according to Pfizer CEO

Rest assured, travellers will no longer be required to quarantine while awaiting their results.

“Unvaccinated and partially vaccinated travellers will continue to be tested with COVID-19 molecular tests on arrival and quarantine for 14 days,” said Duclos.

All travellers are also required to complete an arrival scan online, or through the free mobile app, before entry into Canada.

“We continue to have measures such as the obligation to be vaccinated to take a plane or a train in Canada, and wearing a mask in Canadian airports and on planes,” Minister Alghabra said.

He also highlighted what removing pre-entry testing will mean for cruise ship travellers, as the season begins in early April.

“Passengers on a cruise will need to take an antigen test no more than one day before the scheduled departure, but will no longer be required to be tested before getting off the cruise ship,” he said, adding that the requirement to be vaccinated in order to board will remain in place.

Last month, Canada dropped pre-arrival PCR testing but maintained rapid antigen testing as a pre-requisite to entering Canada. At the time, travellers needed to complete it within 24 hours of their trip.