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More COVID-19 restrictions are removed for visitors to Canada

April 23, 2022
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3 min read
Trudeau Imposes Vaccine Requirement On Air And Rail Travelers
More COVID-19 restrictions are removed for visitors to Canada
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Canada will remove some additional COVID-19 restrictions as the new week gets underway. Starting Monday, April 25, the Canadian government is relaxing testing requirements for unvaccinated children between the ages of 5 and 11, and removing requirements for fully vaccinated travelers to provide a quarantine plan upon entry. Canada is also easing some of its health protocols for visitors once they're in the country.

Monday's changes represent just the latest removal of restrictions for travelers arriving in Canada, as part of what the government called a “risk-based and measured approach” when it made the announcement on Friday.

The changes follow a much more significant lifting of restrictions at the start of April. That’s when the Canadian government first allowed fully vaccinated travelers to enter the country without getting tested. The test requirements remain in place for unvaccinated travelers.

View of Montreal, Canada, from Mount Royal. (Photo by Caroline Tanner/The Points Guy)

Under the new changes, unvaccinated children between the ages of 5-11 can also skip the pre-entry COVID-19 test previously required, provided that they are accompanied by a fully vaccinated parent or guardian. Children under the age of five do not face any of these requirements. All unvaccinated travelers over the age of 12 must submit a negative test result.

One requirement that remains in place for all travelers, regardless of vaccination status, is use of the ArriveCAN app, where travelers can enter personal information and travel plans. This is also where vaccinated travelers enter their vaccination data.

Canada will also lessen some of its federal COVID-19 health restrictions for those in the country as well starting on Monday. The government is dropping its mask-wearing requirement for fully vaccinated people in public spaces, and eliminating the requirement for fully vaccinated visitors to quarantine if another traveler in their group shows COVID-19 symptoms. Those visitors also no longer face a requirement to keep a list of close contacts and places visited.

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Travelers and residents alike could still face masking or other requirements from individual localities or provinces.

Related: My experience crossing the Canadian border

As Canada has lessened COVID-19 requirements, one caveat that’s continued to exist is the possibility you could get randomly tested as part of health officials’ effort to monitor case trends. Canada is now "re-focusing" these randomized tests to four Canadian airports: Vancouver (YVR), Calgary (YYC), Montreal (YUL) and Toronto (YYZ). Ostensibly, this means travelers crossing at Canada’s many land borders would not be subject to potential random testing, with the program centered solely on those flying into the country.

Travelers at Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) in Canada. (Photo by Yu Ruidong/China News Service via Getty Images)

Canada is currently listed at Level 3: High on the CDC’s COVID-19 Travel Health Notices page. The United States is also listed at Level 3. However, Canadian health officials are tracking a decrease in COVID-19 cases. The government’s latest weekly report showed a 13% drop in new cases between April 10-16, compared to the previous week.

Featured image by Bloomberg via Getty Images
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

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  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
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  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
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  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
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