Since October 30, 2021, Canada has forced anyone on board a flight, train or cruise ship within the country to present proof of immunization.
This requirement will be lifted for planes and trains starting June 20, 2022, which means Canadians will soon be allowed to travel in and out of the country without any COVID-19 vaccine or testing.
Internal travel returns to normal
The Government of Canada has made this announcement June 20, 2022, Passengers no longer have to show proof of vaccination before their flight, train or cruise.
Currently, all travelers to Canada must provide proof of immunization to the airline or travel operator before departure, except for excluded private and medical evacuation flights.
In addition, this requirement currently applies to international flights originating in Canada, effectively meaning that you must be fully vaccinated before leaving the country.
Vaccine requirements Upcoming lifting means that non-vaccinated passengers will now be able to board flights and other modes of transport as usual, while those of us who have been vaccinated all the time will also enjoy a smoother ride by checking fewer documents along the way.
The only exception is cruise ships – due to the nature of close communication and the extended duration of the cruise, proof of vaccination will still be required to board a cruise departing from a Canadian port of call.
The removal of the vaccine requirement for planes and trains has been described as a “suspension” of the policy, with the government warning that COVID-19 could be withdrawn if the situation worsens.
What’s left of Canada’s travel ban?
Canada’s once-strict travel bans have largely been lifted, with only a few entry policies at the border remaining to be considered:
- Foreigners must be fully vaccinated to enter the country
- Returning Canadian citizens must be fully vaccinated prior to arrival for testing, day 1 and 8 day testing and mandatory 14-day quarantine bypass
In terms of domestic travel within Canada, things have practically returned to how they were pre-epidemic, with the only exception being the need for masks on planes and trains for the time being.
It’s tempting to think that the heavy-handed travel restrictions of the epidemic era are really over, and I sincerely hope that stability will be maintained between the autumn and winter of 2022, when we see new forms. Pop up over the years.
Random airport tests temporarily suspended
Regarding COVID-19 policies, it is also worth noting that random testing for fully vaccinated travelers upon arrival at a Canadian airport will be suspended until June 30, 2022, after which it will be removed from the airport grounds.
Of course, it’s no secret that traffic congestion at Canadian airports (as well as at airports around the world, rightly so) has risen to record levels, so postponing random checks on arrival should make congestion a little easier.
After June 30, random testing on arrival and compulsory testing for non-vaccinated travelers will continue in an off-site location.
There are some unanswered questions about where the test will be conducted and whether the burden of travel costs will be borne by the traveler, but regardless, it promises to be a less chaotic solution than temporary test booths at Canadian airports. Space and arrival process delayed.
Conclusion
As June 20, 2022, Evidence of vaccination will no longer be mandatory for all domestic air and rail travel within the country, as well as for flights departing from Canada.
This latest change marks the end of the COVID-19 travel ban for domestic travel, which makes Canada compatible with most parts of the world in terms of ease of travel within our own borders.
With less document checks required on our journeys and random testing on arrival, the traffic congestion at Canadian airports is expected to be somewhat less before the much-anticipated summer travel season.
