published on 27 September 2022 @ 11:50 am · COMMENT

COVID-19 Border and Travel Restrictions in Canada to be Lifted on October 1, 2022

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Canadian government has been committed to taking all necessary steps to keep Canadians safe and minimize the spread of COVID-19. The public safety measures that travelers have had to follow over the last two years – including masking, vaccination and quarantine requirements – have been some of the strictest in the world, but they have helped mitigate the full impact of COVID-19 for Canadian communities and travelers to Canada. Now, as the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 waves have largely passed their peak, the Canadian government has announced that border restrictions can be safely lifted.

Effective October 1, 2022, all travelers to Canada will no longer be required to submit public health information through ArriveCAN, provide proof of vaccination, undergo pre- or on-arrival testing, quarantine, or monitor and report for symptoms of COVID-19 after arriving in Canada. Travellers will also no longer be required to wear masks on planes or trains in Canada. For any travellers who entered Canada in the 14 days prior to October 1, 2022 they will not be required to complete their quarantine or testing requirements after that date.

The ArriveCAN app may also still be used by travellers to save time at the airport by submitting their customs and immigration declarations in advance their arrival. Current data has indicated that completing an advance declaration in ArriveCAN reduces the amount of time an average traveller spends at a kiosk by roughly one third, and over 30% of travellers arriving at the airports are already using it.

Additionally, though making requirements have been lifted, all travellers are still strongly recommended to wear masks during their travel to minimize the spread of COVID-19 as well as other respiratory viruses, particularly the seasonal flu, over the coming flu season.

filed under: IMMIGRATIONPERMANENT RESIDENCE