Maple News reports that, as of September 7, 2021, Canada has officially reopened its borders to fully vaccinated tourists worldwide. This marks a significant step in the country’s phased reopening plan following border closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
To be eligible for entry, travelers must have completed a full vaccination regimen using one of the vaccines authorized by Health Canada. This includes two doses of Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, or AstraZeneca, or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) vaccine. Additionally, visitors must have received their final dose at least 14 days before arriving in Canada.
Travelers are also required to use ArriveCAN, the Canadian government’s mobile or web application, to submit personal and trip information prior to entry. A recent molecular COVID-19 test result must be provided before arrival, regardless of vaccination status. Some travelers may be randomly selected for on-arrival testing.
To qualify for quarantine exemption, travelers must be asymptomatic and provide acceptable proof of vaccination. However, all visitors must still prepare a detailed quarantine plan in the event they do not meet the official health requirements upon arrival.
Children under the age of 12 who are not vaccinated are permitted to enter Canada without quarantining, provided they are accompanied by a fully vaccinated parent or guardian.
Canada had earlier opened its borders to vaccinated U.S. citizens and permanent residents on August 9, 2021—a move designed to test and refine new entry protocols before expanding them to global visitors.
Unvaccinated foreign nationals remain barred from entry unless they fall under specific exempted categories, including temporary foreign workers, international students, and diplomats. Those permitted entry under these categories must observe a mandatory 14-day quarantine if unvaccinated.
Inbound international flights are currently limited to the following nine Canadian airports: Toronto Pearson, Montreal-Trudeau, Vancouver, Calgary, Halifax Stanfield, Quebec City Jean Lesage, Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier, Winnipeg Richardson, and Edmonton International Airports.
As part of ongoing travel restrictions, direct flights from India and Morocco remain suspended until at least September 21 and 29, respectively. Travelers from these countries must transit through a third country and obtain a negative COVID-19 test result within 72 hours before their final flight to Canada.
Maple News will continue to monitor developments as Canada adjusts its border policies in response to global health conditions.