In recent weeks while multiple countries globally have eased travel restrictions, Canada has bucked the trend and is adding more travel restrictions. These new restrictions will be added to their already strict border regulations which are in place.
Canada allows for fully immunized individuals to enter without pre-departure testing or quarantine, but they still have a random testing policy in place. As such that means that all travelers are subject to mandatory random Covid test on arrival which takes place at off-site testing booths.
While this practice was paused at the peak of travel season, Canada quickly reinstated these procedures after only a month. This caused backlash from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and other government opponents.
The IATA was quoted that the government is now ‘out of step’ with the global trend and partially culpable for the struggles plaguing Canada’s aviation sector. While other countries are ‘rolling back restrictions, Ottawa is stubbornly reinstating them and becoming an outlier compared to the rest of the world.
As such, the IATA are calling for the changes below to allow for Canada’s aviation sector to recover sooner:
- Random testing to be removed
- The vaccination requirement for inbound international travel to be lifted
- All in-flight and airport mask mandates to be lifted now they are not needed in most indoor settings
- The ArriveCAN app to be repurposed
Canadian citizens are also displeased with the news as the latest Ipsos poll, released on July 15, gathered that a vast majority (63 percent) of Canadians, state that the Federal Government is not ‘doing enough’ to tackle the delays and cancellations.
As of July 2022, in order to enter Canada, travelers must:
- Be fully vaccinated against Covid
- Download the ArriveCAN app
- Consent to random testing if selected upon arrival