Maple News reports that Canada’s federal government has revised its COVID-19 travel protocols, allowing Canadian citizens and permanent residents returning from South Africa to bypass the previous requirement of obtaining a COVID-19 test from a third country prior to re-entry.
The temporary adjustment permits travellers to present either a negative molecular COVID-19 test taken within 48 hours of their departure from South Africa or proof of a previous positive test dated between 14 and 180 days before departure. The test must be conducted in an accredited South African laboratory.
Eligible individuals must also travel on a Lufthansa flight departing from either Johannesburg or Cape Town to Frankfurt, Germany, on or before December 13, 2021. They are then required to take a direct connecting flight from Frankfurt to Canada via Lufthansa or Air Canada.
This policy revision comes after mounting criticism from Canadians abroad who said the previous measures made it nearly impossible to return home. Many voiced concerns about the difficulty and cost involved in traveling to a third country just to undergo a COVID-19 test.
The stricter travel restrictions were originally implemented in late November in response to the emergence of the Omicron variant. Canada has temporarily barred foreign nationals from 10 countries: South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, and Zimbabwe.
Transport Minister Omar Alghabra emphasized on social media that the health and safety of Canadians remains a top priority, tweeting visual instructions to help travellers understand the new border requirements.
Regardless of vaccination status, Canadians arriving from the listed countries are required to quarantine upon arrival and undergo testing at the airport and again on day 8 of their isolation period.
For all other countries (excluding the United States), vaccinated travellers must take a COVID-19 test upon arrival and isolate until a negative result is received. If they test positive, they are required to complete a 10-day isolation. Unvaccinated travellers permitted to enter Canada must quarantine at home for 14 days.
Maple News will continue to monitor developments and provide updates as Canada’s travel and border measures evolve in response to the global health situation.