Since March 2020, Canada has required a 14-day quarantine for incoming international travelers. Well, the country is now adding a further requirement, which coincides with fears of a new faster-spreading COVID-19 strain.
International travelers need a negative test result
From 7 January 2021, Canada will require international travelers arriving by plane to test negative for COVID-19 before traveling from another country:
- The test must be performed using a COVID-19 molecular polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test and must be taken within 72 hours before the traveler’s regular departure to Canada.
- This applies to all travelers aged five or over
- The negative test result must be presented at the check-in counter of the airline before boarding the flight to Canada
This requirement is reasonable enough, but it is also worth sending a reminder that in many parts of the world it can still be difficult to test both within 72 hours and get the results reliable.
While we are seeing an increasing number of test kits specifically designed for travel for these purposes in the US, there are many countries where it is not readily available.
Getting tested within 72 hours of traveling is still difficult in some places
Canada also has a mandatory 14-day quarantine
Since March 13, 2020, Canada has been advising against non-essential travel, but has not directly banned it. Canada’s new negative PCR test requirement complements Canada’s mandatory 14-day self-guarantee for incoming international travelers, meaning you will need a negative test and a quarantine to enter Canada.
The government notes that those who violate the self-guarantee can face up to six months in prison and / or up to $ 750,000 in fines, but based on everything I’ve heard, enforcement is not particularly strict.
Airline tried to persuade the government to drop the 14-day quarantine in favor of a stricter testing program, although that has not yet happened. Instead, we now see the requirements for testing and quarantine.
Canada also has a mandatory 14-day quarantine for international travel
Canada’s borders still closed for most
Although Canada now has a test and quarantine requirement, the country is still closed to most foreigners. Only Canadians, as well as those who qualify under certain other exceptions (such as having a family in Canada, traveling for essential matters, etc.), may enter Canada.
The border between the US and Canada, for example, has been closed since March and the closure has since been extended by a month with a fairly short notice. At this stage, it seems very likely that borders will not reopen until the case numbers decrease significantly, and / or there is widespread vaccination.
Canada’s borders still closed to most foreigners
Bottom line
From January 7, 2021, Canada will arrive that international travelers must offer a negative PCR test, in addition to 14 days in quarantine. In addition, most non-Canadians are prohibited from entering the country, so this is mostly true for Canadians who prefer to travel abroad.
I can not think of many countries that aim for zero cases (such as Australia and New Zealand) that have both a test and quarantine requirement, so Canada is unique.
What do you think about the new coronavirus test requirement for Canada for international travelers?