Top Travel News for Canadians Traveling During COVID
Canadian Border and Airport travel
The Government of Canada website confirmed that Canada plans to reopen its border to international travel as a two-step process. Starting August 9, 2021, Canada plans to allow entry to American citizens and permanent residents currently residing in the United States and have been fully vaccinated for at least 14 days before entering Canada for non-essential travel. As part of the second step, the government plans to open the borders to all foreign travelers who are vaccinated at least 14 days before entering Canada.
Effective August 9, 2021, international flights will be permitted to land at the following five additional Canadian airports:
- Halifax Stanfield International Airport
- Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport
- Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport
- Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport
- Edmonton International Airport.
Canada will expand flights to the following Canadian airports:
- Montréal-Trudeau International Airport
- Toronto Pearson International Airport
- Calgary International Airport
- Vancouver International Airport.
Places to Travel for Canadians Going to the USA
According to CBC News, the U.S. border will remain closed to Canadians until August 21, 2021. Vaccine passports for foreign travel are being introduced in the fall.
The Canadian government is still advising against travel for touristic purposes. You can board the flight back to Canada only with a negative COVID-19 test no older than 72 hours at the time of the departure.
Even though the land border is closed, many USA States remain open to Canadian travelers flying by air. You can find updated information on the Center for Disease Control website. To enter the USA by air, you must be tested for COVID 19 no more than three days prior. Air Canada currently offers daily flights to California, Washington, Ohio, New York, and Texas. As well as weekly flights to Las Vegas, Hawaii, Florida, and Arizona.
Hawaii wants a negative COVID-19 test result from a State of Hawaii-approved testing entity taken within 72 hours of your final departure. They will exempt you from a 10-day quarantine on arrival. Proof of vaccination does not currently exempt you from the mandatory quarantine.
Other Destinations Open to Canadians
The website Get Your Guide has kept an updated list of places Canadians can travel internationally. Many of these destinations require COVID-19 travel insurance. Some of these destinations are the following:
Aruba
Require no quarantine if you provide a Negative COVID-19 PCR test within 72 hours.
Belarus
You are not required to take a COVID-19 PCR test, and self-quarantine is not mandatory for Canadian citizens in Belarus.
Belgium
There is no quarantine, and a COVID-19 PCR test is not required.
Belize
Those who do not have a negative test need to take another test on arrival to Belize, at their own expense.
Quarantine is mandatory only for travelers who test positive for COVID-19. The quarantine will be in a state-designated facility. It would help if you got tested up to 72 hours before you board your aircraft.
The Dominican Republic
When you visit the Dominican Republic, random COVID-19 tests are administered upon entry into the country. You do not need to get tested before you enter. There is no quarantine unless you test positive.
France
Canadians may visit France if they are fully vaccinated. Vaccinated travelers who also present a negative PCR test do not need to quarantine.
Greece
Canadians can now visit Greece. PCR tests are noncompulsory for Canadians entering Greece, and there is no mandatory quarantine.
The Greek government will cover the expenses of hospitalization of travelers who get infected with COVID-19. Many Hotels are offering travels who get infected with COVID-19 a refund.
Grenada
When visiting Grenada, you must book your accommodations in advance, and PCR tests are required.
There is a mandatory four-day quarantine at your hotel. To stop the monitoring, they need to test again on the 5th day of their stay. You must do a PCR test maximum
seven days before entering Grenada.
Jamaica
To enter Jamaica, you must have proof of a negative PCR test and a travel authorization. You are required to self-isolate for up to fourteen days at your location of arrival.
Traveling around the island is restricted, as there is a curfew in place. Transportation is operating at a limited capacity.
Spain
Vaccinated Canadians can now visit Spain. Two weeks must have passed since your second dose vaccination. You will need to show the Q.R. code that you can obtain from the Spain Travel Health portal. Quarantine is not mandatory for Canadians.
Please remember that all the information above is subject to change. Travel restrictions change as the COV-ID virus evolves. It is always a good idea to check the official website of the authorities in the country that you are planning to visit.
