According to announcements made on Monday, Canada will begin lifting all remaining COVID-19 entry restrictions on October 1.
This includes testing, quarantine, and isolation requirements.
According to Minister of Health Jean-Yves Duclos, “The Government of Canada will not renew the order in council that expires on September 30 and will consequently abolish all COVID-19 border requirements for all visitors entering Canada.
The abolition of all federal testing quarantine and isolation procedures, as well as a requirement for the reporting of health information in ArriveCAN, are included in this, he added.
Since September 7, 2021, foreign visitors who have received all the required vaccinations are welcome to enter Canada.
Permanent residents and citizens without vaccinations are now allowed to enter the country, but they must self-quarantine for 14 days.
“This means that as of October 1 travelers will no longer be required to undergo health checks for travel on air and rail or wear masks on planes and trains,” said Omar Alghabra, Minister of Transport.
“Airlines will no longer need to review the vaccination status of foreign nationals, confirm travelers have submitted their required information in ArriveCAN, or ensure compliance with the pre-entry testing requirements.”
Travelers must enter their health information, including their vaccination status, into the ArriveCAN mobile app, which was created by the government.
From October 1, submitting customs declaration forms beforehand will no longer be required for those who might want to save time at the airport.
Similar modifications would also be made for guests taking cruises, Alghabra continued.
Before boarding a ship, there would no longer be vaccination requirements or testing for crew members and passengers, he said.
Although wearing a mask would no longer be required on trains and airplanes, Alghabra said officials still strongly recommend it.
The immunization rate was praised by both ministers as a key factor in the possibility of relaxing the limitations.
According to them, the number of patients hospitalised because of the virus has been slowly declining even while mortality are on the down and ICU levels are still low.
However, they credit high vaccination rates — over 85% of Canadians have received two doses of the vaccine — for giving the nation a distinct “scorecard” to navigate the virus. Officials predict a seasonal spike due to more time spent indoors.
Mahnur is MS(development Studies)Student at NUST University, completed BS Hons in Eng Literature. Content Writer, Policy analyst, Climate Change specialist, Teacher, HR Recruiter.
