The existing requirement for pre-travel negative PCR test certificates for international visitors to Canada, is to be abolished from April 1.
Canada’s Minister of Transport, Omar Alghabra said: “Decreasing COVID-19 case counts, coupled with Canada's high vaccination rates and strict vaccination requirements for travel, have set the stage for the next steps in our government's cautious and calibrated approach to safely easing the measures at our border. Lifting the pre-entry testing requirements for travellers to Canada will make it easier for Canadians to safely take advantage of emerging opportunities for personal and business travel, as Canada's transportation system recovers from the pandemic.”
A list of who qualifies as fully vaccinated can be seen here.
However, the requirements for partially or unvaccinated travellers remain unchanged. And random testing will take place on arrival, regardless of the entrant’s vaccination status.
Air Canada has welcomed the announcement, saying it will be a massive boost to the airline’s recovery in the post-pandemic world. Air Canada’s VP for Government and Community Relations, David Rheault, said the announcement was excellent news for the travel and tourism industry, important contributors to the Canadian economy. “People are eager to travel and reconnect with their loved ones, and the end of pre-departure testing will provide travellers with more certainty, allowing them to plan their next trip with more confidence and without the worry of incurring additional costs. The removal of pre-departure testing requirements will continue to accelerate and stimulate the recovery of Canada's travel and tourism industry, which we are committed to help rebuild through the restoration of our global network.”
Canada will become one of a growing number of countries around the globe that have removed expensive and inconvenient pre-travel testing for vaxxed passengers, which is widely acknowledged to be an unnecessary barrier to travel.
