As of February 28, fully vaccinated travellers will no longer be required to get a PCR test when coming back into Canada.
Minister of Health Jean-Yves Duclos announced travellers will still need to take a test prior to their arrival but it can be a cheaper and faster rapid antigen test. According to the new regulations, the rapid test cannot be taken at home, it must be authorized by the country in which it was purchased and must be administered by a laboratory, healthcare entity or telehealth service.
Travellers may still be randomly selected for PCR testing upon arrival at the border, but will not be required to quarantine while waiting for test results.
"The return to mandatory random testing of all vaccinated travellers will facilitate travel for Canadians all while helping our public health authorities to detect future changes in COVID-19 importation rates and variants of concern. As we have said all along, Canada’s border measures will remain flexible and adaptable, for potential future scenarios,” said Duclos.
The government is also lifting restrictions for children under the age of 12 who are not fully vaccinated while travelling with fully vaccinated parents or guardians. These children will no longer be required to isolate from school or daycare after travelling.
Currently, all travellers five years and older who come into Canada by air or land borders must have a negative PCR test result no matter the length of the trip. Prior to December 21, there was an exemption for Canadian travellers on trips less than 72 hours in length. However, as the Omicron wave surged, that exemption was removed.
The government has also adjusted the travel advisory and is no longer recommending Canadians avoid travel for non-essential purposes.
“The measures we are announcing today are possible in part because Canadians have stepped up, rolled up their sleeves and gotten vaccinated. These measures will allow vaccinated Canadians to once again reunite with family and friends and reap the economic benefit that travel provides. We will continue to evaluate our measures and will not hesitate to make necessary adjustments to keep Canadians and our transportation system safe,” said Minister of Transport Omar Alghabra.
Unvaccinated travellers will continue to be required to test on arrival, on Day 8, and quarantine for 14 days.
All travellers will still be required to submit mandatory information via the ArriveCan app or website. This information includes vaccination status and providing a quarantine plan should it be required.
Minister of Transport Alghabra also announced international flights will be allowed at all Canadian airports starting on February 28.
“We are committed to a safe reopening; one that provides predictability, flexibility and shows the world that Canada is one of the safest places to travel. Travel is safe and will continue to be safe in Canada. Thank you to the tourism industry that has been a leader around the world in ensuring the safety of travellers while weathering one of the most challenging economic crisis. Let me be clear that the Canadian economy will not fully recover until our tourism sector recovers and today's measures will help us safely welcome visitors to Canada,” said Minister of Tourism Randy Boissonnault.