Since March 2020, Canada has required a 14-day quarantine for incoming international travelers. Well, the country is now adding one more requirement, coinciding with fears of a new, more rapidly spreading COVID-19 strain.
International travelers need a negative test result
From January 7, 2021, Canada will require international travelers arriving in Canada by plane to have a negative COVID-19 test before traveling from another country:
- The test must be performed using a COVID-19 molecular polymerase (PCR) chain reaction test, and must be performed within 72 hours prior to the scheduled departure of the traveler to Canada
- This applies to all travelers aged five years and over
- The negative test result must be presented at the airline’s check-in counter before boarding the flight to Canada
This requirement is reasonable, although it is also worth posting a reminder that in many parts of the world it can still be difficult to get tested and get the results reliably within 72 hours.
Although we are seeing an increasing number of test kits designed specifically for these purposes in the USA, for example, there are many countries where they are not readily available.
Taking the test 72 hours before your trip is still tricky in some places
Canada also has a mandatory 14-day quarantine
Since March 13, 2020, Canada has advised against non-essential travel, although it has not banned them completely. Canada’s new negative PCR test requirement is an addition to the mandatory 14-day automatic quarantine for incoming international travelers, which means that you will need a negative and quarantine test to enter Canada.
The government notes that those who violate self-quarantine can face up to six months in prison and / or up to $ 750,000 in fines, although based on everything I’ve heard, enforcement has not been particularly strict.
Airlines have been trying to persuade the government to lift the 14-day quarantine in favor of a more rigorous testing program, although so far this has not happened. Instead, we are now seeing testing and quarantine requirements.
Canada also has a mandatory 14-day quarantine for international travel
Canada’s borders are still closed to most
Although Canada now has testing and quarantine requirements, 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 business, etc.), are allowed to enter Canada.
For example, the border between the United States and Canada has been closed since March, and the closure has been extended by one month at a time, with very short notice since. At this point, it seems highly likely that the borders will not reopen until the number of cases decreases significantly and / or there is widespread vaccination.
Canada’s borders are still closed to most foreigners
Result
From January 7, 2021, Canada will require incoming international travelers to have a negative PCR test in addition to quarantine for 14 days. In addition, the majority of non-Canadians are prohibited from entering the country, so this applies mainly to Canadians who choose to travel abroad.
I can’t think of many countries looking for zero cases (like Australia and New Zealand) that have testing and quarantine requirements, so Canada is unique in that regard.
What do you think of Canada’s new coronavirus test requirement for international travelers?