09.09.2021 | Travel information for Canada
Effective September 7, foreign nationals who qualify for the fully vaccinated traveller exemption can enter Canada for discretionary travel.
Who can come to Canada
Canadian citizens (including dual citizens), people registered under the Indian Act, permanent residents of Canada, or protected persons (refugee status) are allowed to enter Canada.
Fully vaccinated foreign nationals will be allowed to enter Canada for discretionary travel on specific dates:
- August 9, 2021: American citizens and permanent residents of the United States, currently residing in and arriving from the United States, and who qualify for the fully vaccinated traveller exemption
- August 9, 2021: French citizens who currently reside in Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon and who qualify for the fully vaccinated traveller exemption
- September 7, 2021: All other foreign nationals who qualify for the fully vaccinated traveller exemption
Exemptions for fully vaccinated travellers
If you qualify for the fully vaccinated traveller exemption you are exempt from:
- quarantine
- Day-8 testing requirement
If you provide essential services or already qualify for other exemptions from quarantine and Day-8 testing, you don’t need the fully vaccinated traveller exemption. If you think you qualify for other exemptions: find out if your travel is exempt.
Check if you qualify for the exemption
To qualify for the fully vaccinated traveller exemption, you must:
- be eligible to enter Canada on the specific date you enter
- have no signs or symptoms of COVID-19
- have received the full series of an accepted COVID-19 vaccine or a combination of accepted vaccines
- have received your last dose at least 14 days prior to the day you enter Canada
- Example: if your last dose was anytime on Thursday July 1st, then Friday July 16th would be the first day that you meet the 14 day condition
- upload your proof of vaccination in ArriveCAN
- meet all other entry requirements (for example, pre-entry test)
Accepted COVID-19 vaccines in Canada
- Pfizer-BioNTech (Comirnaty, tozinameran, BNT162b2)
- Moderna (mRNA-1273)
- AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD (ChAdOx1-S, Vaxzevria, AZD1222)
- Janssen/Johnson & Johnson (Ad26.COV2.S)
- Bharat Biotech (Covaxin, BBV152 A, B, C)
- Cansino (Convidecia, Ad5-nCoV)
- Gamalaya (Sputnik V, Gam-Covid-Vac)
- Sinopharm (BBIBP-CorV, Sinopharm-Wuhan)
- Sinovac (CoronaVac, PiCoVacc)
- Vector Institute (EpiVacCorona)
- Other
The list of accepted vaccines may expand in the future.
Certified translations
If you received your vaccines outside Canada, it’s still accepted but proof of vaccination must be uploaded digitally in ArriveCAN and must only be in French or English, or certified translation into French or English.
Recovered from COVID-19 with one dose
If you have recovered from COVID-19, you still need a full series of an accepted COVID-19 vaccine or combination of accepted vaccines. If you’ve only had one dose of an accepted vaccine other than Janssen (Johnson & Johnson), you don’t qualify for the fully vaccinated traveller exemption.
No exceptions for partially-vaccinated travellers
At this time, there are no exemptions from testing or quarantine for travellers who haven't received the full series of a vaccine or a combination of vaccines accepted by the Government of Canada.
Testing positive or possible exposure within 14 days of your entry to Canada
Monitor for symptoms for at least 14 days after your arrival. If you start having COVID-19 symptoms you must immediately:
- contact the local public health authority and follow their directions, including isolation
- report symptoms to PHAC by calling 1-833-641-0343
You must provide proof of your test results, if asked, to any federal, provincial, territorial or municipal government official.