What you need to know about Canada’s plan to ease COVID-19 testing and quarantine/self-quarantine requirements for fully vaccinated travellers

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What you need to know about Canada’s plan to ease COVID-19 testing and quarantine/self-quarantine requirements for fully vaccinated travellers

What you need to know about Canada’s plan to ease COVID-19 testing and quarantine/self-quarantine requirements for fully vaccinated travellers

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June 30, 2021

On June 21, 2021, the Government of Canada announced that it will begin the first phase of its approach to easing the COVID-19 travel measures. Beginning on July 5, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. EDT, travellers deemed to be fully vaccinated, and who are permitted to enter Canada, will be exempt from several of these measures. Further details published by the Government of Canada here.

Canada’s COVID-19 travel measures, as well as the new provisions easing these measures for fully vaccinated travellers, are set out in the current version of the Minimizing the Risk of Exposure to COVID-19 in Canada Order (Quarantine, Isolation and Other Obligations) (the Quarantine Order).

The meaning of “fully-vaccinated”

This relaxed application of Canada’s COVID-19 travel measures will only apply to a “fully vaccinated person.” According to the Quarantine Order, such a person must have completed a COVID-19 vaccine dosage regimen (the Regimen), at least 14 days prior to entering Canada, which complies with the following requirements:

If the Regimen uses a COVID-19 vaccine authorized for sale only in Canada, the vaccine must have been administered in accordance with its labelling, or, the alternative Regimen must have been determined suitable by the Minister of Health on the recommendation of the Chief Public Health Officer; or
In all other cases, if the Regimen uses a COVID-19 vaccine authorized for sale in Canada or in another jurisdiction, the vaccines and the Regimen must have been determined suitable by the Minister of Health on the recommendation of the Chief Public Health Officer

The Quarantine Order also states that a vaccine authorized for sale in Canada does not refer to a similar vaccine sold by the same manufacturer that has been authorized for sale in another jurisdiction. For the purposes of qualifying as a fully-vaccinated person under the above definition, such a similar vaccine would not be sufficient.

The Government of Canada’s announcement clarifies that currently-accepted vaccines include:

The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine
The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine
The AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD COVID-19 vaccine
The Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) COVID-19 vaccine

Only one dose of the Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) COVID-19 vaccine is required in order to be considered fully vaccinated. Two doses are required for the remaining vaccines.

Current requirements imposed by the Quarantine Order

At the present time, the Quarantine Order requires all international travellers (at least five years of age or older) who are entering Canada (unless exempt) to adhere to the following COVID-19 travel measures (among others):

Prior to boarding their flight to Canada (if travelling by air) or prior to their arrival in Canada (if travelling by land), they must provide evidence of a COVID-19 molecular test, indicating that they received either:
- A negative result for a COVID-19 molecular test that was performed on a specimen collected no more than 72 hours before entering Canada (if travelling by land, this test must have been performed in the United States); or
- A positive result for a COVID-19 molecular test that was performed on a specimen collected at least 14 days and no more than 90 days before entering Canada (the Pre-Departure/Pre-Arrival Test Requirement). A list of acceptable COVID-19 molecular tests appears here
They must undergo a COVID-19 molecular test, or comply with a conforming alternative testing protocol, when entering Canada and after entering Canada (the in-Canada Test Requirement). As mentioned above, a list of acceptable COVID-19 molecular tests appears here.
If entering Canada by land, they must self-quarantine at a suitable location for a period of 14 days (the Self-Quarantine Requirement).
If entering Canada by air, they must:

Quarantine at a prepaid government-authorized hotel (at their own expense), and remain in quarantine until they receive the results of the COVID-19 molecular test that was performed when they entered Canada (the Mandatory Hotel Quarantine Requirement); and
Following a negative result, they must quarantine at another suitable location for the remainder of the 14 day period imposed under the Self-Quarantine Requirement

Non-application of certain COVID-19 travel measures to fully vaccinated persons

As of July 5, 2021, at 11:59 p.m. EDT, an asymptomatic, fully vaccinated person will not be subject to the Mandatory Hotel Quarantine Requirement, the Self-Quarantine Requirement, or the second COVID-19 test imposed by the In-Canada Testing Requirement (performed on the eighth day following the person’s initial entry to Canada). However, fully vaccinated persons must comply with the following requirements:

They must they must provide evidence of a COVID-19 molecular test in accordance with the Pre-Departure/Pre-Arrival Test Requirement
They must provide to the Minister of Health, screening officer, or quarantine officer information related to their COVID-19 vaccination, including:

Whether they received a vaccine
The brand name or any other identifying information about the vaccine administered
The dates on which the vaccine was administered
The doses received

They must provide documentary evidence of COVID-19 vaccination (discussed below)
They must undergo the first COVID-19 molecular test when entering Canada, but not the second in-Canada COVID-19 molecular test (which is currently performed on the 8th date following the person’s initial entry to Canada), imposed by the In-Canada Test Requirement
They must monitor for signs and symptoms of COVID-19, and undergo any type of COVID-19 test required by the Minister of Health during the 14-day period beginning on the day following their entry to Canada (they may be randomly selected to take such a test)
They must report any signs and symptoms or a positive result for any type of COVID-19 test to the Minister of Health, screening officer, or quarantine officer, before the expiry of the 14-day period beginning on the day following their entry to Canada

Fully vaccinated persons must also comply with the following requirements during the 14-day period beginning on the day on which they enter Canada:

They must wear a mask deemed suitable by a screening officer or quarantine officer when in public settings, including when entering Canada
They must maintain a list of names and contact information for each person with whom the full-vaccinated person comes into close contact, and the locations visited, during the above 14-day period

Non-vaccinated individuals travelling with fully-vaccinated persons

According to the online guidance, non-vaccinated children under 18 years of age or dependent adults travelling with fully vaccinated persons will also be exempt from the Mandatory Hotel Quarantine Requirement. This is particularly significant for non-vaccinated children under 12 years of age, who are not currently eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccinations. However, these non-vaccinated individuals will still be subject to the Self-Quarantine Requirement and the second in-Canada COVID-19 molecular test (currently performed on the eighth date following the person’s initial entry to Canada), which is imposed by the In-Canada Test Requirement.

Persons who are in self-quarantine normally may not have contact with other people with whom they did not travel. However, in the case of a minor child, they may have contact with other people who are providing care and support to them, and who reside with the minor child, during the 14-day self-quarantine period.

Evidence of COVID-19 vaccination

According to the Quarantine Order, evidence of COVID-19 vaccination must be a document issued by the government or the non-government entity that administered the COVID-19 vaccine. This document must contain:

The name of the person who received the vaccine
The name of the government, or the name and civic address of the non-governmental entity that administered the vaccine
The brand name or any other identifying information about the vaccine administered
The dates on which the vaccine was administered

If the documentation evidencing the COVID-19 vaccination is not in English or French, it must be accompanied by a certified English or French translation.

Evidence of COVID-19 vaccination must be provided at the following times:

If entering by aircraft, before or when entering Canada
If entering by land, before entering Canada

The fully vaccinated person must also submit their vaccination information and vaccination documentation electronically, when completing their ArriveCAN questionnaire.

Every person must also retain the above evidence during the 14-day period beginning on the day on which the person enters Canada. They must also be prepared to provide this evidence, upon request, to any official of the Government of Canada, including a public health official, or of the government of a province or to the local public health authority of the place where the person is located.

Canada’s COVID-19 travel restrictions unaffected by easing of travel measures

Canada’s travel restrictions, which prohibit the entry of foreign nationals who wish to enter Canada for optional or discretionary (i.e., non-essential) purposes, will remain in place for the time being, and have been extended until at least July 21, 2021. Consequently, only members of the following groups will be eligible to benefit from the easing of Canada’s COVID-19 travel requirements: