Assistance with COVID-19 travel restrictions and requirements
All travellers entering Canada, regardless of citizenship, must follow testing and quarantine requirements to keep Canadians safe, particularly given the new COVID-19 variants in Canada and around the world.
Final determination regarding entry is made by a government representative at the border crossing based on the information presented to them at the time of entry into Canada.
Answers to top questions
If you think you may be exempt from testing, hotel stopover or quarantine
You may be exempt from requirements for testing and quarantine if you’re entering Canada for the purpose of performing cross-border work, essential services, medical care or trade, or transport.
At this time, proof of vaccination for COVID-19 does not exempt you from testing or quarantine.
If you think you may be exempt from requirements, check the details for:
Testing and home test kits
Testing requirements and testing providers differ based on how and where you entered Canada. Find help and contacts based on your method of entry:
- Flying to Canada: COVID-19 testing for travellers
- Driving to Canada: COVID-19 testing for travellers
- Day-10 home test kits - how-to video, troubleshooting and contacts for Switch Health (test kit and test results provider)
Entering Canada to care for others, for funerals and for compassionate support
You may qualify for compassionate entry and limited release from quarantine if you are entering Canada to care for others, for funerals and for compassionate support.
- Non-Canadians: Apply for compassionate entry and/or limited (temporary) release from quarantine for compassionate reasons
- Canadians, Indigenous peoples, and permanent residents: Apply for limited (temporary) release from quarantine for compassionate reasons
At this time, there are no exemptions from testing or quarantine (including the 3-night hotel stopover), for people returning to Canada after compassionate travel.
Canada is not permitting entry to foreign nationals to provide childcare for relatives. You may still be able to enter Canada to reunite with family.
Vaccinated travellers
At this time, all travellers, regardless of vaccination status, must follow entry restrictions, testing and quarantine requirements (including the 3-night hotel stopover).
Travelling for medical care
If you’re travelling for medical care or providing health care services, you may be exempt from mandatory quarantine. Being exempt from quarantine does not mean you’re exempt from testing or other requirements. Check all of the exemptions before you travel.
Provincial and territorial requirements
If you entered Canada from another country, you are subject to the federal requirements and possible additional provincial or territorial requirements.
If you are travelling within Canada, check the restrictions for the provinces and territories where you plan to visit or stay.
Always verify with the province or territory before travelling there.
Driving versus flying to Canada
The checklists help you to keep track of all of the requirements and when to meet them. Use the checklist for your method of entry to Canada:
Options to try before calling
- Find out if you can enter Canada
- Alaska: Driving through Canada
- Transit: Flying through Canada to another country
- Quarantine, testing and borders
Contacts
- Book a hotel stopover for air travellers
- ArriveCAN help, troubleshooting and contacts
- Contacts for foreign workers, students and visitors (visa, eTA)
Contacts for help with quarantine, testing, exemptions and borders
Assistance for Canadians abroad
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