Rules changed today for travellers entering Canada.
Tim Johns is Director of the Southern Manitoba District for Canada Border Services Agency. He notes beginning April 1st, fully vaccinated travellers no longer need to provide a pre-entry COVID-19 test result to enter Canada. They do not need to take a COVID-19 test on arrival in Canada unless randomly selected. If they are randomly selected, they are not required to isolate, unless their result comes back positive. In that case, they would be notified by their public health authority and they would be required to quarantine for 10 days. These changes are for those arriving either by land or air.
Vaccinated travellers need to have a copy of their vaccination documentation available at the border, which will be submitted through the ArriveCAN app.
According to Johns, there really are no changes to the ArriveCAN app as of April 1st. All travellers are still required to submit their mandatory information and proof of vaccination in the ArriveCAN app. The information must be submitted within 72 hours before arriving in Canada. This applies to all travellers entering Canada, regardless of the length of their trip. If fully vaccinated travellers do not use the ArriveCAN app, they may not be exempt from quarantine and testing requirements.
Johns stresses that travellers should print or take a screenshot of their ArriveCAN receipt and bring it with them when they travel. They should also make sure they are using the most up to date version.
Meanwhile, Johns says the rules really do not change for those not fully vaccinated. Foreign nationals that are not fully vaccinated are still prohibited entry. For those that enter by right, who are not fully vaccinated, they still need to quarantine for 14 days and meet all the testing requirements. That means pre-entry, on-arrival and day-8 testing requirements.
Johns says they are now anticipating increased volumes at land border crossings and he notes the more that people are aware of the requirements, the quicker they can be processed. He urges travellers to have their passport ready, ArriveCAN app receipt ready and proof of vaccination at your fingertips when pulling up to the border. Also, mask use is still required when crossing the border or entering offices. He suggests people plan their travels during non-peak crossing hours, including early in the morning or in the evening.