What do US travelers need to know before coming to Canada at the age of COVID-19?

What do US travelers need to know before coming to Canada at the age of COVID-19?

Fully vaccinated US citizens and US permanent residents are permitted to come to Canada for non-essential travel, including leisure or vacation.

"The August 9 early start date for fully vaccinated American citizens is recognition of our shared borders and our close relationship with the United States," Bill Blair, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, said in a newspaper. 

"It will allow testing our operations and ensuring that they are effective in keeping Canadians healthy and safe."

Who is considered a fully qualified traveler?

Travelers are considered fully vaccinated if they receive the full of COVID-19 vaccines, currently authorized by the government, at least 14 days before entering Canada.

Vaccines from the following manufacturers are accepted: Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca / COVISHIELD, and Janssen (Johnson & Johnson).

Travelers from the United States who have been fully vaccinated must submit a negative COVID-19 molecular test result, with testing done in the United States 72 hours before arrival in Canada.

Instead, a previous positive COVID-19 test result taken between 14 and 180 days before departure for Canada is accepted.

Travelers must be asymptomatic to visit Canada.

How do you provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 to enter Canada?

Each traveler's proof of COVID-19 vaccination must be submitted through the ArriveCAN system within 72 hours of arriving at the border.

For travelers from the US who plan to come to Canada once the rules change, ArriveCAN will update at 12:01 a.m. ET on August 9, and travelers can submit their information after that time.

Passengers who cannot show their arrival receipt on their phone or in paper form will not be allowed to travel to Canada.

They also need to keep a copy (paper or electronic) of proof of vaccination, along with the originals of any certified translations, for 14 days after they enter Canada.

Do fully vaccinated US travelers need to be quarantined in Canada?

On August 9, Canada scrapped the government-mandated hotel quarantine requirement. Travelers who are not immunized or have only been partially vaccinated need to go directly to the 14-day quarantine site.

Will American travelers be tested at the Canadian border?

The Canadian government uses a randomized testing strategy at the border, starting August 9, for fully vaccinated travelers.

These individuals may be selected at random upon arrival to complete a COVID-19 test.

What are the rules for fully vaccinated Americans traveling to Canada with unvaccinated children?

Children under 12 years of age traveling to Canada with vaccinated parents/guardians will be fully exempted from the quarantine requirements.

Unvaccinated children over the age of 12, including dependent children over 18 due to a mental or physical condition, can come to Canada with their parents/guardians but must quarantine for 14 days.

Kids over 5 years old are still being tested for COVID-19 in Canada's Day 1 and Day 8 testing requirements.