Canada will ease entry requirements for travelers fully vaccinated against Covid-19 on Feb. 28, including ending the requirement of molecular tests taken with 72 hours of departure.
Fully vaccinated travelers—those who have received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine or both doses of an accepted two-dose vaccine— still will need to test upon arrival, but they will have the option of using a rapid antigen test taken a day prior to arrival. Those tests in general are cheaper and more readily available. The test must be administered by a laboratory, healthcare entity or telehealth service.
Canada also is resuming a randomized testing program for arrivals, but selected travelers will not be required to quarantine while awaiting results.
"Today’s announcements are a reflection of the progress we have made against this current omicron variant," Canada Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos said in a statement. "The return to mandatory random testing of all vaccinated travelers will facilitate travel for Canadians all while helping our public health authorities to detect future changes in Covid-19 importation rates and variants of concern."
Unvaccinated foreign nationals still are not allowed to enter Canada except in certain circumstances, and arriving unvaccinated travelers will be required to quarantine for 14 days.
Additionally, Canada announced it is lowering its Travel Health Notice to Level 2 from Level 3, meaning it no longer is advising Canadians to avoid nonessential travel. International flights, which currently are allowed to land only at 18 Canadian airports, will be allowed at all airports that normally receive such flights as of Feb. 28 as well, according to Transport Minister Omar Alghabra.
Global Business Travel Association Canada regional president Nancy Tudorache in a statement said the announcement was "positive news" and "brings us closer to normal than ever before."
"It is important however, that the government also commits to align any future travel restrictions due to possible future variants with international best practices so that Canadians that want to do business abroad, and those that want to come and do business in Canada can do so in a predictable manner that supports our overall economic recovery," she said.
Duclos said border measures "will remain flexible and adaptable for potential future scenarios."