According to an announcement on Thursday, fully vaccinated visitors will no longer require a pre-departure COVID test to enter Canada. On top of this, travelers will also not require a booster shot to be considered fully vaccinated.

Canada eases the rules

The Minister of Health Jean-Yves Duclos said on Thursday that Canada will no longer require a negative pre-departure COVID-19 test from fully vaccinated travelers. This change is set to come into effect on April 1, at 12:01 am EDT. Also, visitors will not need a booster shot to be considered fully vaccinated.

Canada’s government made the announcement as the country’s COVID-19 case numbers begin to settle following the latest surge, driven by the high-contagious Omicron variant. According to Johns Hopkins, In the past week, Canada has recorded around 35,000 cases, as compared to the record high weekly count of 268,181 in January.

Duclos said Canada is in a much better position today than in 2020. “High vaccination rates and strong adherence to public health measures have pushed us through the peak of the Omicron wave,” he added.

What does Canada consider to be fully vaccinated?

The country considers travelers who have received two doses of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines, or a single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, received at least 14 days prior to arrival as fully vaccinated.

Duclos did state that officials will continue to review travel restrictions and these may be adjusted as necessary.

However, all visitors are required to use the ArriveCAN app or website to enter Canada. Also, it should be noted that masks are still required on planes, trains and public transport for people aged 6 and up.

Canada and the pandemic

At the onset of the pandemic in March 2020, Canada closed its borders to nonessential travel. Meanwhile, following a year of only allowing essential travel through its borders,

The country began to ease travel restrictions in August. At that time, borders were reopened to vaccinated travelers with proof of a negative test, such as a PCR test. From February, the country started accepting negative rapid antigen tests to cross its borders.

Air Canada welcomes new travel measures

After the announcement, Air Canada made a statement on Thursday, welcoming the new travel measures. David Rheault, Air Canada’s Vice President of Government and Community Relations made a statement. He noted that the removal of pre-departure testing will help to accelerate and stimulate the recovery of the country’s travel and tourism industry.

Moreover, Rheault noted the commitment of the airline in helping to rebuild the industry by restoring its global network.

CDC warns travelers against visiting Canada

Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) still note that Canada has “very high” levels of COVID-19. For this reason, the CDC warns US travelers against visiting the country.

Moreover, the CDC’s website recommends that US travelers should ensure they are fully vaccinated before traveling to Canada. However, the CDC did add that even fully vaccinated travelers may still be at risk of catching the virus.

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