As widely anticipated, it is now being reported that Canada will allow current COVID-related travel requirements to lapse at the end of September, meaning that effective October 1, travel to Canada will essentially be as it was prior to COVID. Though we await formal government pronouncements/web site updates, this information appears to be reliable and current. Notably therefore:
- There will be no restriction on unvaccinated travellers,
- Random on-arrival testing and possible quarantine based thereupon will terminate, and
- Use of ArriveCAN will not be required (though it may still be used on a voluntary basis)
(This is separate from the issue of whether masks must be worn on airplanes or trains – about which further information is awaited – but this issue of course does not impede the ability to enter Canada.)
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Just to note, separately, that there are still beneficial inland COVID-related policies that remain in place, such as:
- the ability to apply for a work permit inside Canada that previously needed to be sought abroad (in effect until February 28, 2023), and
- the ability to change employers in Canada before work permit processing is complete (in effect until revoked). [As an aside, the processing for these matters seems to have slowed considerably recently.]
The information in this article is for general purposes only, and not intended as legal advice for any particular situation.