Government of Canada to remove COVID-19 border and travel measures effective Oct. 1

Source: Public Health Agency of Canada

Published September 26, 2022

As of October 1, 2022, all travellers arriving in Canada will no longer have to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to enter Canada or meet COVID-19 testing, quarantine or isolation requirements. All travellers will also no longer have to submit their public health information through ArriveCAN.

Transport Canada is also removing existing travel requirements. As of October 1, 2022, travellers will no longer be required to:

  • Undergo health checks for travel on air and rail;
  • Wear masks on planes and trains.

Although the masking requirement is being lifted, all travellers are strongly recommended to wear high quality and well-fitted masks during their journeys. In addition, air carriers will no longer need to validate if travellers have entered information in ArriveCAN before boarding.

Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of Canada put in place emergency border measures to reduce the risk of the importation and transmission of COVID-19 and new variants of concern in Canada related to international travel.

The first COVID-19 Emergency Order in Council (OIC) pursuant to section 58 of the Quarantine Act “Minimizing the Risk of Exposure to COVID-19 in Canada Order” came into force on February 3, 2020. Since that time, a total of 80 Emergency OICs have been made under the Quarantine Act to reduce the risk of importation of COVID -19 and its variants from other countries, to repatriate Canadians, and to strengthen measures at the border to reduce the impact of COVID-19 in Canada. The Government of Canada has taken a prudent, risk-based and measured approach, informed by the latest science and evidence, to adjusting and easing these Emergency OICs over the last two and a half years.

The pandemic situation has evolved since the peak of the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 fuelled wave.  A number of factors — including increasing immunity within the Canadian population, lower hospitalization and death rates, high vaccination rates, as well as the availability of vaccines (including new bivalent formulation), rapid tests and treatments — support lifting Canada’s COVID-19 border measures and travel requirements.

While travellers will no longer have to submit their quarantine and vaccination information through ArriveCAN, they can continue to use the optional Advance Declaration feature in ArriveCAN (free as a mobile app or on the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) website) to save time at the airport by submitting their customs and immigration declaration in advance of arrival. This feature is currently available to travellers arriving at Toronto Pearson, Vancouver, or Montréal-Trudeau international airports and will expand to the Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Billy Bishop Toronto City, Ottawa, Québec City, and Halifax international airports in the coming months.

Cruise measures will also be lifted. Travellers will no longer be required to have pre-board tests, be vaccinated, or use ArriveCAN. A set of guidelines will remain to protect passengers and crew, which will align with the approach used in the United States.

CLICK HERE to access the PHAC News Release regarding this matter.