Canada's Travel Rules Are Changing On Monday & Here's What You Need To Know

From July 5 onwards, Canada's travel restrictions will change for fully vaccinated Canadian citizens and permanent residents.

Starting Monday, eligible Canadians will be permitted to skip the two-week quarantine period after arriving in Canada. They will also be allowed to miss the hotel stopover and the day-eight COVID-19 test.

If you plan to travel, here's what you need to know:

Who is eligible to skip the restrictions?

Canadian citizens or permanent residents who've received the full course of a Health Canada-approved COVID-19 vaccine will be eligible to skip some travel measures.

The last dose must have been received at least 14 days prior to entering the country.

While these travellers are permitted to skip some restrictions, they are still required to submit all of their details and a backup quarantine plan via the ArriveCAN app. Proof of vaccination must also be provided.

They must adhere to the rest of Canada's travel requirements too, including pre-arrival and post-arrival COVID-19 testing.

Which COVID-19 vaccines are accepted?

To be able to enter Canada without quarantining, travellers must have been vaccinated with one of the COVID-19 vaccines approved by Health Canada.

As of July 4, the federal government has approved the following COVID-19 vaccines: Pfizer-BioNtech, Moderna, AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD and Janssen (Johnson & Johnson).

Travellers who've been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 with vaccines not yet approved in Canada are not permitted to skip the restrictions.

That said, the government notes that "the list of accepted vaccines may expand in the future."

What is actually going to change?

In the short term, not too much. This is because the updated rules will only apply to Canadians and not international travellers.

For now, Canada's borders remain closed to tourists (even those who are fully vaccinated) until at least July 21, 2021.

The Canada Border Services Agency is reminding visitors, including Americans, that if they were not eligible to enter the country on July 4, this will not change as of July 5.

Will fully vaccinated Canadians be able to go abroad?

From July 5, it will be a little easier for fully vaccinated Canadians to go overseas.

That's because it will be simpler for them to return home after travelling, as there will be fewer restrictions in place.

While some countries have now opened their borders to fully vaccinated Canadian travellers, many still have a lot of restrictions in place.

It's also worth noting that the Government of Canada continues to "strongly advise" against all non-essential travel abroad, regardless of vaccination status.

Before you get going, check out our Responsible Travel Guide so you can be informed, be safe, be smart, and most of all, be respectful on your adventure.