All travelers, regardless of vaccination status, should prepare for accidental testing for COVID-19. The new rules take effect next week. However, testing will now take place outside airports.
Random testing will resume on July 19 for fully vaccinated passengers arriving at four airports: Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ), Vancouver International Airport (YVR), Montreal Pierre Elliot Trudeau International Airport (YUL), and Calgary International Airport (YYC).
Tests will be conducted either in person at selected testing locations, including pharmacies, or remotely when travelers self-test. In addition, random checks will continue at land border entry points.
According to the Canadian government, within 15 minutes of completing a customs declaration, travelers will be notified via email if they have been selected for a random test. The email should contain detailed instructions. Although candidates for testing are selected at random, it is mandatory for all those selected.
“If you test positive on arrival, you must isolate and follow the federal isolation requirement for 10 days from the date you received your test result,” — according to a press release issued by Canadian officials on July 14. “Your 10-day isolation is required, even if your province or territory has a shorter isolation period.”
Although Canada has eliminated vaccination requirements for domestic and outbound travelers, all incoming foreign tourists must show proof of vaccination against COVID-19. The partially vaccinated and unvaccinated remain banned from entering the country.
Aliens arriving in Canada are considered fully vaccinated if at least 14 days have passed since their last dose of an approved vaccine, including from Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson. Travelers aged 5 to 11 are exempt from vaccination and testing requirements if accompanied by a fully vaccinated adult, and those under 5 years of age are not subject to entry requirements.
Proof of vaccination must be uploaded before traveling to Canada and additional itinerary information in the ArriveCan app.
Face masks remain mandatory for all passengers traveling by train and air to Canada
Canada has already conducted random testing from November 28, 2021 to February 27, 2022. 194,730 tests were done for those who arrived by air. Of these, 6.06% were positive, i.e. more than 11,000 people over a three-month period.