As of April 1, 2022, Canada is easing its entry restrictions for international travelers. the federal government will get rid of pre-arrival testing requirements for vaccinated travelers, ending two years of some of the strictest entry rules worldwide.
Over the past two years, travelers who wanted to enter Canada needed to show proof of a negative antigen or PCR test within a day of their flight or their arrival. This is no longer the case but some travelers may still be subjected to random PCR testing at the airport.
Following April 1, fully vaccinated travelers will have no other barriers as they will just have to show their proof of vaccination. They will no longer need to show proof of a negative antigen or PCR test prior to boarding their flight.
At the press conference today, the ministers of health, transport and tourism announced the measures following the lessening of restrictions involving vaccine passports, gatherings and masks.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, the Canadian government has spent over a billion dollars testing arrivals at their airports and there is a growing concern of costs among taxpayers. Travelers have also complained of costs as PCR tests can range between $80-$250 and antigen tests as high as $100.
Furthermore, the tourism industry has argued that testing of asymptomatic travelers was wasteful while shortages have caused some provinces to restrict testing to those with symptoms.
Canada joins the list of over 10 countries removing all covid-related rules just in the last two weeks.