COVID-19: Information for Canadians in the U.S.

UPDATED – April 1, 2022

BORDER CHANGES

As of April 1, 2022 at 12:01 a.m. EDT:

Fully vaccinated travellers will no longer need to provide a pre-entry COVID-19 test result to enter Canada by air, land or water.

As a reminder, travellers arriving to Canada from any country, who qualify as fully vaccinated, may need to take a COVID-19 molecular test on arrival if selected for mandatory random testing. Travellers selected for mandatory random testing are not required to quarantine while awaiting their test result.

For partially or unvaccinated travelers who are currently allowed to travel to Canada, pre-entry testing requirements are not changing. Unless otherwise exempt, all travellers 5 years of age or older who do not qualify as fully vaccinated must continue to provide proof of an accepted type of pre-entry COVID-19 test result:

a valid, negative antigen test, administered or observed by an accredited lab or testing provider, taken outside of Canada no more than one day before their initially scheduled flight departure time or their arrival at the land border or marine port of entry; or
a valid negative molecular test taken no more than 72 hours before their initially scheduled flight departure time or their arrival at the land border or marine port of entry; or
a previous positive molecular test taken at least 10 calendar days and no more than 180 calendar days before their initially scheduled flight departure time or their arrival at the land border or marine port of entry. It is important to note that positive antigen test results will not be accepted.

All travellers continue to be required to submit their mandatory information in ArriveCAN (free mobile app or website) before their arrival in Canada. Travellers who arrive without completing their ArriveCAN submission may have to test on arrival and quarantine for 14 days, regardless of their vaccination status. Travellers taking a cruise or a plane must submit their information in ArriveCAN within 72 hours before boarding.

TRAVELLING TO CANADA

Travellers should check if they are eligible to enter Canada and meet all entry requirements before heading to the border. In addition, some provinces and territories may have their own entry restrictions in place. Check and follow both the federal and any provincial or territorial restrictions and requirements before travelling to Canada.

Foreign nationals, including United States (US) citizens, can travel to Canada as visitors only if they’re eligible. Restrictions vary depending on where you’re coming from.

Travellers who previously tested positive for COVID-19

To prove a previous COVID-19 infection, the Government of Canada will continue to only accept molecular test results, taken at least 10 calendar days and no more than 180 calendar days before entering Canada.

For travellers entering Canada: While Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and persons registered under the Indian Act will still be able to enter Canada if they are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated, they will not be permitted to travel beyond their point of entry within Canada on a connecting flight or by rail. These travellers should plan their return accordingly by selecting a Canadian airport that is closest to their final destination, and expect to be subject to testing and quarantine.

You must use ArriveCAN to enter Canada!

All travellers, regardless of how long they were away from Canada, continue to be required to submit their mandatory information via ArriveCAN (free mobile app or website), including proof of vaccination in English or French and a quarantine plan prior to arriving in Canada.

If you’re using the ArriveCAN App, make sure you have the most up-to-date version in the Google Play Store and the App Store for iPhone.
Travellers without a smartphone or without mobile data can submit their information by signing in online at canada.ca/arrivecan.

If you are a foreign national travelling for discretionary purposes and don’t submit your information through ArriveCAN, you may be denied entry into Canada.

Canadian citizens, permanent residents or persons registered under the Indian Act won’t be denied entry, but you:

won’t be eligible for the fully vaccinated traveller exemption
may face additional delays at the border for public health questioning
may be subject to fines or enforcement action

Full details on the current measures in place for travellers entering or returning to Canada are available online: https://travel.gc.ca.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

Learning institutions whose COVID-19 readiness plans have been approved by their provincial or territorial government will soon be able to welcome more international students back to their schools. Amended travel restrictions took effect on October 20, allowing international students to enter Canada if their designated learning institution (DLI) has an approved COVID-19 readiness plan in place.

The list of DLIs with an approved COVID-19 readiness plan in place will be posted on IRCC’s web page for international students affected by COVID-19 restrictions and updated regularly as provinces and territories identify additional schools.

WHILE IN THE U.S.

The Embassy of Canada and our Consulates are currently operating with very reduced on-site presence in line with U.S. and Canadian government guidance. We are facing high demands for support and advise against visiting in person. If you require consular assistance, please contact us by phone at 1-844-880-6519 or email at ccs.scc@international.gc.ca.

For emergency assistance, please contact: 1-800-387-3124 / sos@international.gc.ca. You can also follow our social media channels (Twitter, Facebook and Instagram) for ongoing guidance and check this page regularly for updates. Please also visit www.travel.gc.ca and register yourselves as Canadian citizens abroad to receive updates from the Embassy.

While in the U.S., you should monitor local media and follow instructions from local authorities. Be sure to use credible sources for information about COVID-19.

Social media accounts to monitor:

Twitter

Travel advice from the Government of Canada @TravelGoC
Health Canada and PHAC @GovCanHealth
Chief Public Health Officer of Canada, Dr. Theresa Tam @CPHO_Canada
Canada Border Services Agency @CanBorder
Centers for Disease Control & Prevention @CDCgov
World Health Organization @WHO

Facebook

You can also find much reliable, up-to-date information on the following sites:

Updates from the Public Health Agency of Canada are available at: http://canada.ca/coronavirus
For the latest advice from the U.S. Government, please visit: http://coronavirus.gov/

STAY CONNECTED

Please share this important information with other Canadian citizens in your area. Encourage them to register with ROCA (https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/registration) to enable them to receive important safety updates from the Government of Canada.

Additional resources and information: