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2021
7
November
Where Canadians Can Travel (and what they have to go through to get there, and back)
7
November
Last updated: December 28, 2022
- Every region of the world can now be considered back open for tourism, except perhaps for East Asia (South Korea is open, but we're all still waiting on Japan who is finally making some progress towards reopening).
- 176 countries (88% of countries) no longer require a test result for a Canadian tourist to enter, assuming you meet that country's definition of fully vaccinated. Including, *finally*, the United States by air.
- 13 countries (7% of countries) do still require a test result for a vaccinated Canadian tourist to enter.
- 151 countries (75% of countries) have removed *all* covid related entry requirements, for everyone, regardless of vaccination status. Meaning even proof of vaccination isn't required, nor is a test result. Entering these countries is essentially the same as it was in 2019...
North America: Canada, Mexico
Caribbean: Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Curacao, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Jamaica, Martinique, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Bart's, St Kitts and Nevis, St. Maarten, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos
Central America: Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Panama
Europe: Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Denmark, England, Estonia, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Jersey, Kosovo, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey
South America: Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay
The Middle East: Afghanistan, Bahrain, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates, Yemen
East Asia: Japan (May 8), South Korea, Taiwan
Central Asia: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Uzbekistan
South Asia: India, Maldives, Sri Lanka
Southeast Asia: Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
Australasia & Oceania: American Samoa, Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, New Zealand, French Polynesia, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Vanuatu
Africa: Algeria, Benin, Cape Verde, Congo, Gabon, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Mauritius, Morocco, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tunisia
43 countries (~21% of countries) still have covid related entry restrictions
North America: United States
Caribbean: British Virgin Islands, Dominican Republic
Central America: Nicaragua
South America: Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Venezuela
The Middle East: Iran
East Asia: China, Japan (until May)
Central Asia: Russia, Tajikistan
South Asia: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan
Southeast Asia: Indonesia, Myanmar, Philippines
Australasia & Oceania: Palau
Africa: Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic Of The Congo, Djibouti, East Timor, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Libya, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, South Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Zimbabwe
- As of October 1st, 2022 Canada has dropped all covid related entry requirements, for everyone, regardless of vaccination status.
- October 2022 Canadian airport passenger numbers were 90% of normal (pre-pandemic) levels. This is 2% higher than September 2022.
- November 2022 Canadian airport passenger numbers are on pace to end up at 91% of normal (pre-pandemic) levels, which would be 1% higher than October 2022.
Index Of Questions
What restrictions are there for Canadians flying from Canadian airports?
What are the steps for Canadians returning home to Canada by air? What are the steps for Canadians returning home to Canada by land?
Can I use a positive test result to enter Canada? How does that work?
Which countries are Canadian tourists currently allowed to visit?
Index of Destinations That Are Open For Canadian Tourists
Index of Destinations That Are Closed For Canadian Tourists
What are the entry requirements or restrictions for the country I want to visit?
Are there any direct flights from Canada to the country I want to visit?
How well vaccinated is the country I want to visit?
What are the easiest places to travel to right now?
Where are my travel plans least likely to be disrupted by covid?
Are there any great flight deals for travel within Canada these days?
Are there any restrictions for flying within Canada?
Are there any great international flight deals from Canada these days?
Is there any travel insurance for Canadians with COVID-19 medical coverage?
Who should I be looking at for travel insurance? Coverage for quarantine expenses? Valid during advisories?
Proof of Vaccination for Travel
Will I need a vaccine certificate / passport to travel? Where do I get it?
What about children? If I have proof of vaccination but they don't, what happens?
Do other countries care which vaccine I get? What if it's 2 different vaccines?
How do I register my vaccination that was given to me outside of my province or Canada?
How does a Canadian sign up for Europe's 'EU Digital Covid Certificate'?
PCR or Antigen Testing for Travel
Where can I find the cheapest PCR or antigen testing for travel (if required)?
Is it true that rental cars are really expensive right now?
Have the airlines started offering refunds for airfares and packages yet?
Tip: Don't forget to renew your passport (before everyone else does)
What restrictions are there for Canadians flying from Canadian airports?
Trudeau has announced that as of October 30th, 2021 anyone 12 or older will need to be fully vaccinated in order to board an airplane in Canada.
Travellers are strongly encouraged to use the new Canadian proof of vaccination, but provincial proof of vaccination will still be accepted if their province has not yet issued it (about half the provinces have). Or travellers can use their original paper copies of their proof of vaccination.
Between October 30th and November 30th, a person who is 'in the process' of being fully vaccinated will be able to show a negative test result instead. (72 hour test, must be a type that Canada accepts, such as PCR, NAAT, or LAMP. Canada does not accept antigen.)
After November 30th a test result will no longer be an option.
Transport Canada has confirmed that no additional checks related to showing proof of being “in the process” of getting vaccinated will take place at Canadian airports. Only that a negative 72-hour test will be required.
jump to: Index Of Questions
What are the steps for Canadians that are fully vaccinated when returning home to Canada by *air* as of April 1, 2022? What about children?
Fully vaccinated Canadians no longer need to provide a test result for entry into Canada.
- To be considered fully vaccinated, you need to have had both doses, for at least 14 days.
- If your vaccination took place in another country, that's OK, as long it's one of the four vaccines approved by Health Canada: Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, and Astra Zeneca.
(The following vaccines are also acceptable: Sinopharm, Sinovac and COVAXIN.)
- Mixed vaccinations are perfectly fine.
STEP 1: Submit your info into ArriveCAN
Yes, you still need to fill out ArriveCAN, even though you no longer need a test result to enter Canada.
Sometime up to 72 hours before your flight lands in Canada, you need to submit your COVID-19 related info, and your proof of vaccination, into the federal government’s ArriveCAN app. (There is also a web version)
- Travellers will also be required to have either a paper or digital copy of their vaccination documentation (the same as what you submitted into ArriveCAN above).
- Fully vaccinated travellers will need to be asymptomatic, and still need to have an adequate quarantine plan in place, just in case your arrival test comes back positive.
STEP 2: As of February 28, 2022 there is no longer mandatory testing upon arrival in Canada.
A certain percentage of travellers will be randomly selected to take a test (it's free, well, your 1.2 billion tax dollars at work), but they will not be required to self-isolate while waiting for results.
You may be able to save time by pre-registering for the arrival testing in the province that you're flying into: British Columbia - Alberta - Ontario - Quebec
What about unvaccinated children flying with fully vaccinated parents?
Unvaccinated and partially vaccinated children 5 years of age or older must provide a valid pre-entry test result, even if they are accompanying a fully vaccinated adult.
For test result options, go to this page on the Canadian government website and scroll down to 'Options for providing proof of a valid pre-entry test'.
UPDATE: Starting April 25th, unvaccinated children under the age of 12 who are accompanied by a fully vaccinated guardian will no longer require a test result for entry.
Children who are less than 5 years old are not required to have a test result, regardless of their vaccination status.
Children under 12 years old, travelling with fully vaccinated adults, will continue to be exempt from quarantine, without any prescribed conditions limiting their activities. This means, for example, they no longer need to wait 14 days before attending school, camp or daycare.
Further details of requirements for entry into Canada
Listed above is my condensed summary of the entry requirements, to the best of my knowledge. You should always keep an eye on the following government page for the latest info on detailed entry requirements: https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/covid-vaccinated-travellers-entering-canada
Further reading: April 1, 2022 Rule Changes - February 28, 2022 Rule Changes - Transport Canada Guidance Material
What are the steps for Canadians that are *not* fully vaccinated, returning home to Canada by *air* as of April 1, 2022?
STEP 1: Provide a recent negative test result.
You have a choice of providing...
A) a negative antigen result. The test needs to have been conducted/performed within '1 day' of the scheduled departure time of the flight that actually brings you into Canada.
Note that with antigen test results Canada is allowing it to be within '1 day' as opposed to '24 hours'. This means your test can be taken any time the day before your flight (or on the same day).
OR
B) a negative molecular result from a PCR, NAAT, or LAMP test. The test needs to have been conducted/performed within 72 hours of the scheduled departure time of the flight that actually brings you into Canada..
Note that with molecular test results Canada wants it to be within '72 hours' and they are strict about it.
Things to note no matter which test type you go with:
- Canada wants the test to be administered somewhere supervised with an address (lab, pharmacy, clinic, etc). In other words, it can't be an unsupervised self-test taken at home.
However, Canada does accept certain self-tests that are supervised online (aka telehealth), such as the Switch Health antigen or LAMP tests. Or the Azova LAMP tests.
- Children under 5 years of age do not need to have a test result.
Does Canada require a test result for short trips under 72 hours?
Yes, as of Dec 21st, 2021 you do still require a test result, even if you were away from Canada for less than 72 hours.
It was thought that short trips might become exempt from testing with the February 28 rule changes, but this didn't happen.
Health Minister Duclos hinted that the short trip exemption could be reinstated soon (along with further drops to testing requirements) if things continue to improve.
Can I use a previous positive result instead of a recent negative result?
Yes, but Canada has stated that they will only accept positive results from molecular tests (PCR, NAAT, LAMP) and not from antigen tests.
For the details on using a positive result to enter Canada see: "Can I use a previous positive test result to enter Canada instead of providing a recent negative test result? How does that work?"
STEP 2: Submit your info into ArriveCAN
Sometime up to 72 hours before your flight to Canada, you need to submit your COVID-19 related info, and your proof of vaccination, into the federal government’s ArriveCAN app. (There is also a web version)
- Travellers will also be required to have either a paper or digital copy of their vaccination documentation (the same as what you submitted into ArriveCAN above).
- To be considered fully vaccinated, you need to have had both doses, for at least 14 days.
- If your vaccination took place in another country, that's OK, as long it's one of the four vaccines approved by Health Canada: Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, and Astra Zeneca.
(As of Nov 30th, 2021 the following vaccines are also acceptable: Sinopharm, Sinovac and COVAXIN.)
- Mixed vaccinations are perfectly fine.
- Fully vaccinated travellers will need to be asymptomatic, and still need to have an adequate quarantine plan in place, just in case your arrival test comes back positive.
STEP 3: Arrival test, Day-8 test, and quarantine.
If you don’t qualify as fully vaccinated you must take an arrival test, a Day-8 test and quarantine for 14 days. There are limited exceptions to these requirements.
You may be able to save time by pre-registering for the arrival testing in the province that you're flying into: British Columbia - Alberta - Ontario - Quebec
If you receive a negative result from your Day-8 test before the end of your 14-day quarantine, you must still complete your mandatory 14-day quarantine. You may leave your place of quarantine once your 14-day quarantine is completed.
The info above is my translation of the official rules posted at https://travel.gc.ca/ - you should always check there for the latest requirements.
jump to: Index Of Questions
What are the steps for Canadians that are fully vaccinated when entering Canada by *land* as of April 1, 2022? What about children?
Fully vaccinated Canadians no longer need to provide a test result for entry into Canada.
- To be considered fully vaccinated, you need to have had both doses, for at least 14 days.
- If your vaccination took place in another country, that's OK, as long it's one of the four vaccines approved by Health Canada: Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, and Astra Zeneca.
(The following vaccines are also acceptable: Sinopharm, Sinovac and COVAXIN.)
- Mixed vaccinations are perfectly fine.
STEP 1: Submit your info into ArriveCAN
Yes, you still need to fill out ArriveCAN, even though you no longer need a test result to enter Canada.
Sometime up to 72 hours before showing up at the border, you need to submit your COVID-19 related info, and your proof of vaccination, into the federal government’s ArriveCAN app. (There is also a web version)
- Travellers will also be required to have either a paper or digital copy of their vaccination documentation (the same as what you submitted into ArriveCAN above).
STEP 2: As of February 28, 2022 there is no longer mandatory testing upon arrival in Canada.
A certain percentage of travellers will be randomly selected to take a test or given a test kit to take with them (it's free, well, your 1.2 billion tax dollars at work), but they will not be required to self-isolate while waiting for results.
What about unvaccinated children travelling with fully vaccinated parents?
Unvaccinated children under the age of 12 who are accompanied by a fully vaccinated guardian no longer require a test result for entry.
Unvaccinated children over the age of 12 do require a test result. For test result options, go to this page on the Canadian government website and scroll down to 'Options for providing proof of a valid pre-entry test'.
Children who are less than 5 years old are not required to have a test result, regardless of their vaccination status.
Children under 12 years old, travelling with fully vaccinated adults, will continue to be exempt from quarantine, without any prescribed conditions limiting their activities. This means, for example, they no longer need to wait 14 days before attending school, camp or daycare.
Further details of requirements for entry into Canada
Listed above is my condensed summary of the entry requirements, to the best of my knowledge. You should always keep an eye on the following government page for the latest info on detailed entry requirements: https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/covid-vaccinated-travellers-entering-canada
Further reading: April 1, 2022 Rule Changes - February 28, 2022 Rule Changes
What are the steps for Canadians that are *not* fully vaccinated, returning home to Canada by *land*?
STEP 1: Provide a recent negative test result.
You have a choice of providing...
A) a negative antigen result. The test needs to have been conducted/performed within '1 day' of your arrival at the border.
Note that with antigen test results Canada is allowing it to be within '1 day' as opposed to '24 hours'. This means your test can be taken any time the day before you show up at the border (or on the same day).
OR
B) a negative molecular result from a PCR, NAAT, or LAMP test. The test needs to have been conducted/performed within 72 hours of your arrival at the border.
Note that with molecular test results Canada wants it to be within '72 hours' and they are strict about it.
Things to note no matter which test type you go with:
- Canada wants the test to be administered somewhere supervised with an address (lab, pharmacy, clinic, etc). In other words, it can't be an unsupervised self-test taken at home.
Technically, Canada does accept certain self-tests that are supervised online (aka telehealth), such as the Switch Health antigen or LAMP tests. Or the Azova LAMP tests.
However, the land border has been known to have issues with these online tests if the 'lab' is listed as being in Canada, as the land border wants your test to be taken in the United States.
- Children under 5 years of age do not need to have a test result.
Does Canada require a test result for short trips under 72 hours?
Yes, as of Dec 21st, 2021 you do still require a test result, even if you were away from Canada for less than 72 hours.
It was thought that short trips might become exempt from testing with the February 28 rule changes, but this didn't happen.
Health Minister Duclos hinted that the short trip exemption could be reinstated soon (along with further drops to testing requirements) if things continue to improve.
Can I use a previous positive result instead of a recent negative result?
Yes, but Canada has stated that they will only accept positive results from molecular tests (PCR, NAAT, LAMP) and not from antigen tests.
For the details on using a positive result to enter Canada see: "Can I use a previous positive test result to enter Canada instead of providing a recent negative test result? How does that work?"
STEP 2: Submit your info into ArriveCAN
Sometime up to 72 hours before showing up at the border, you need to submit your COVID-19 related info, and your proof of vaccination, into the federal government’s ArriveCAN app. (There is also a web version)
- Travellers will also be required to have either a paper or digital copy of their vaccination documentation (the same as what you submitted into ArriveCAN above).
- To be considered fully vaccinated, you need to have had both doses, for at least 14 days.
- If your vaccination took place in another country, that's OK, as long it's one of the four vaccines approved by Health Canada: Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, and Astra Zeneca.
(As of Nov 30th, 2021 the following vaccines are also acceptable: Sinopharm, Sinovac and COVAXIN.)
- Mixed vaccinations are perfectly fine.
- Fully vaccinated travellers will need to be asymptomatic, and still need to have an adequate quarantine plan in place, just in case your arrival test comes back positive.
STEP 3: As of February 28, 2022 there is no longer mandatory testing upon arrival in Canada.
A certain percentage of travellers will be randomly selected to take a test or given a test kit to take with them (it's free, well, your 1.2 billion tax dollars at work), but they will not be required to self-isolate while waiting for results.
You may be able to save time by pre-registering for the arrival testing in the province that you're flying into: British Columbia - Alberta - Ontario - Quebec
If results have not been received after 4 days, a person can leave quarantine to take another test with another provider.
STEP 4: Unvaccinated Canadians need to self-isolate for 14 days after they return
Another test is required on Day 8 of isolation using a test kit.
jump to: Index Of Questions
Can I use a previous positive test result to enter Canada instead of providing a recent negative test result? How does this work?
Yes. If you are now symptom-free, you can provide proof of a positive COVID-19 molecular test to enter Canada, instead of a negative one.
You need a positive molecular test result from a test taken at least 10 and no more than 180 days before.
The proof of the positive result must be from a molecular test type that Canada accepts (PCR, NAAT, or LAMP being the most common).
Important: Even though Canada now accepts negative antigen tests for entry, Canada is *not* accepting positive antigen tests for entry. It must be a molecular test type (PCR, NAAT, LAMP).
The positive test needs to show:
Traveller name and date of birth
Name and address of the laboratory/clinic/facility that administered the test
The date on which the test was taken
The type of test taken
The test result
If your proof of a positive result is accepted you won’t have to take an arrival test.
You can find the official rules about this on the Government of Canada website.
How do I count '10 days' when using a positive test result ?
Day 0 is the day your test was taken/performed.
Day 1 is the day after your test was taken/performed.
Day 10 is the earliest day you can use the positive test result to fly or drive into Canada.
"For example, if your positive molecular test was taken on January 1, the first day you could use it for entry into Canada by land or water would be January 11. If you’re flying, the earliest scheduled departure date of your flight to Canada would be January 11."
Is it 10 days from when I received the result, or 10 days from when the test was taken/performed?
It's 10 days from when the test was taken/performed.
I've seen a lot of people that think it's from when they received the result. And I'm betting until it becomes really common to use a positive result there will even be a lot of airline employees that think this too.
If you run across someone that does think this, you can politely point them to Section 3 of Transport Canada's Guidance for Air Carriers which states:
"Example: a traveller who *takes a test* on February 1 will be eligible to fly on February 11."
Wait, didn't the Government website show '11 days' at one point?
At one point the Government of Canada website stated that it would be changing to '10 days' starting on January 15th.
But on January 12th, they changed the website to show '11 days'. And it was like that for a while.
And now, as of February, it's showing '10 days' again.
Confused yet?
And if I use a positive test result, I don't need the typical 72 hour *negative* molecular test that Canada wants for entry?
That is correct. But you'd really want to make sure your positive result qualifies for entry, or risk a fine.
Do I also need a doctor's note stating that I've recovered from covid to do this?
The official Canadian Government website does not mention anything about requiring a doctor's note or letter from a public health authority. However, it seems like a lot of Canadians are under the impression you need one to enter Canada with a positive result.
I think this might be due to the fact that for entering the U.S. under a similar method, the CDC website mentions requiring a positive result *and* a 'letter from from a licensed healthcare provider or a public health official stating that you were cleared to travel.'
So a lot of Canadians probably also think you need a doctor's note to enter Canada with a positive result, but this is not the case.
But you *would* need one if you were flying to the U.S. (or connecting through the U.S.) using a positive result instead of a recent negative result.
The rules for entering the U.S. with a positive result are different than Canada's.
See: "Can I use a previous positive test result to enter the U.S. instead of providing a recent negative test result? How does this work?"
I previously tested positive for covid, but the test result from my province doesn't show my full name or test type!
In some provinces, your doctor can access the same test result, but it will show more details including your full name and test type.
You can have them print out a copy of the more detailed test results.
In Ontario: "I called Peel Public Health about this yesterday and they told me that family doctors can send you the full lab results, they can search for it in 'Connecting Ontario'"
In Alberta: If you were tested by AHS you can pay $25 to have them send you printed copy of your detailed test results. Follow the instructions in this Word document.
I might have had covid recently and I might test positive for a while, but I didn't get a PCR test, and now I'm worried I won't be able to get a negative result while I'm away.
It is certainly a valid concern for travel right now. Many who recently contracted covid while here in Canada are now paying for a private PCR test while it might still be detectable.
If it comes back negative, there's some peace of mind.
If it comes back positive they now have a documented positive test result that can be used to enter Canada for the next 180 days.
Considering a significant number of Canadians will be testing positive during the Omicron wave, and most people are no longer able to get a PCR test from their province, and some of those people will test positive well after 14 days, one would *think* Omicron will force the government to make some changes in regards to testing requirements for travel.
Does Canada accept a positive result from those Switch Health / Azova LAMP self-test kits?
The LAMP self-test kits have been used by many Canadians as their negative result for entering Canada.
The criteria for what a positive result should contain is identical to the criteria for a negative result, so there's no reason a positive result from the self-test kits should be an issue.
I haven't heard of any issues using the self-test kits when flying to Canada. However, when *driving* to Canada across the land border there have been issues with the self-test kits.
The reason for this is that when entering Canada by land they want your test to have been taken in the U.S., not Canada. The LAMP self-testing is performed over the Internet, although the 'lab' address is Canada. So even if you really did take your test in the U.S. (over the Internet) the land border might still have a problem with it.
One other thing to note is that Canada accepts PCR, LAMP, and NAAT test results for entry. Other countries you're trying to travel to with a positive result may only accept PCR (you need to check). So a positive result from a LAMP test may not qualify.
jump to: Index Of Questions
Who exactly qualifies for the rules about being able to bypass quarantine if fully vaccinated? Is it just Canadian citizens?
The 'fully vaccinated' entry rules applies to...
- Canadian citizens
- foreign tourists
- permanent residents
- essential workers
- foreign students
- someone who is 'eligible to enter Canada'
source: https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/covid-vaccinated-travellers-entering-canada
So who else is 'eligible to enter Canada' ? I think the 'Find out if you are eligible to enter Canada' wizard tool from the Government website is the best place to look.
In addition, that person would also need to meet the other requirements mentioned in the first link. (No symptoms, vaccinated with one of the approved vaccines, pre entry test, and quarantine plan submitted through ArriveCAN).
jump to: Index Of Questions
What's this about a Federal Advisory Panel recommending that Canada end the hotel quarantine and 14 day quarantine?
On May 27th, 2021 a Federal Advisory Panel (comprised of federally-appointed epidemiology and virology experts) recommended the following to the Canadian government:
- Removal of the mandatory hotel quarantine
- If a person is fully vaccinated: no pre-departure test and no quarantine, but a test on arrival out of an abundance of caution
- If a person is partially vaccinated, a pre-departure test and arrival test are required. They are able to leave quarantine after a negative result on their arrival test.
- If a person is not vaccinated, a pre-departure test, arrival test and test on day 7 are required. They are able to leave quarantine after the negative day 7 test.
The Canadian government takes these recommendations under consideration when deciding on future policies. Although if decisions like these were 100% based on science and the best medical research, there wouldn't have been a hotel quarantine policy in the first place.
These policy decisions are based on a combination of science and the prevailing public sentiment, with Ottawa tending to weigh the latter more heavily than the former.
As Canada becomes more and more well vaccinated, public sentiment is shifting, which should influence Ottawa to shift policy.
Also see: Will I need a vaccine certificate / passport to travel?
jump to: Index Of Questions
What are the entry requirements of the country I want to visit?
Go to the Index of Destinations That Are Open For Canadian Tourists and click on the Country or Region that you are interested in.
Are there any direct flights from Canada to the country I want to visit?
Go to the Index of Destinations That Are Open For Canadian Tourists and click on the Country or Region that you are interested in.
How well vaccinated is the country I want to visit?
Go to the Index of Destinations That Are Open For Canadian Tourists and click on the Region that you are interested in.
Don't click on the Country, click on the Region (Caribbean, Europe, Asia, etc).
You will find links to the latest vaccination rates for each Country within that Region.
jump to: Index Of Questions
Which countries are Canadian tourists currently allowed to visit?
There are currently 190 countries that your average, Canadian tourist is allowed to visit for leisure travel purposes. The record of 190 countries was set on May 30, 2022.
On May 19th, 2021 the European Commission officially recommended to it's 27 member countries that they open back up for non-European travellers, including Canadians, who have been fully vaccinated (both doses) for at least 2 weeks.
As of July 2021, most countries in Europe and Central America have opened back up to Canadians.
As of October 2021, most countries in The Caribbean, South America and The Middle East have opened back up to Canadians. A few are starting to open back up in Southeast Asia.
As of November 2021, South Asia is back open. Most countries in Southeast Asia are back open or opening soon (except for Indonesia).
As of February 2022, Australia is back open and New Zealand has announced their 5 stage reopening plan.
The only region of the world that can still be considered closed for tourism is now East Asia (Update: On April 1, 2022 South Korea will become the first country in East Asia to open back up for tourism).
See below for the full list of countries and destinations around the world that Canadian tourists are currently allowed to visit.
Index of Destinations That Are Open For Canadian Tourists
Click on a destination to jump to the entry requirements and info about direct flights from Canada.
Destinations in bold
^^^ direct flights are actually operating (not just scheduled) from Canada
North America:
no restrictions: Canada, Mexico, The United States, Hawaii
Caribbean:
no restrictions: Anguilla, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Curacao, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Haiti, Guadeloupe, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, St. Barths, Saint Lucia, Saint Maarten, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos, U.S. Virgin Islands
negative test required: Antigua & Barbuda, Bermuda, Martinique, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines
The United Kingdom / England / Scotland
no restrictions: The United Kingdom / England, Scotland
Europe
no restrictions: Albania, Armenia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Serbia, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine
Central America
no restrictions: Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama
South America
no restrictions: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
negative test required: Paraguay
The Middle East
no restrictions: Bahrain, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (Dubai), Yemen,
negative test required: Qatar
no restrictions: South Korea
Southeast Asia
no restrictions: Cambodia, Indonesia / Bali, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
South & Central Asia
no restrictions: Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, The Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka
no restrictions: Botswana, Cape Verde, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe
negative test required: Mauritius, Rwanda,
no restrictions: Australia, New Zealand
no restrictions: Fiji, French Polynesia / Tahiti
Index of Destinations That Are Closed For Canadian Tourists
Destinations in bold
^^^ direct flights are actually operating (not just scheduled) from Canada
closed: China, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan
jump to: Index Of Questions
What are the easiest places to travel to right now?
When it comes to 'easy travel', I won't bother mentioning the testing and hotel quarantine requirements on Canada's side when you return, as they apply to anywhere you travel outside of Canada. Travelling won't be considered easy until we reduce these restrictions, or allow the vaccinated to bypass them, as we're already starting to see in Europe, Central America, and the Caribbean.
So that leaves the entry restrictions for the country we want to visit. You can find the current entry restrictions for each country if you go to the Index Of Open Destinations and click on a country name.
Right now it mainly boils down to whether you need a recent negative test result to enter the country (true for nearly everywhere), and whether or not the country is allowing you to bypass having that test result if you're vaccinated (starting to become the case).
NOTE: At this point in time, for flights outside of Canada, I would always work under the assumption that you do need a recent test result to board the airplane, even if the country you're connecting through, and the country you're visiting, both do not require one. I would work under that assumption unless you've verified with the airline that you definitely don't need one.
The reason being, even though some countries have loosened restrictions, and in some cases are not requiring test results for entry, or for connecting flights, I think the airlines will have a tough time keeping up, and it will take them a while to adjust.
The airlines have been checking for test results on behalf of the country you're trying to visit, or connecting through. If that country suddenly changes their rules and regulations, it'll take the airline a while to adapt, and they'll likely want to continue seeing a test result anyways.
There's also the fact that things can get complicated, if say, the country you're connecting through doesn't require a test result, but the country you're entering does. Or vice versa. Half the plane might technically need a test result, but the other half doesn't.
Or the fact that some people might no longer require a test result for entry because they're fully vaccinated, but someone who is not fully vaccinated would still require one.
The airlines might just throw their hands up in the air and continue to ask for a test result from everyone, until procedures become more efficient (which involves having *real* digital proof of vaccination).
If I'm just connecting through the U.S. or Europe, but the country I'm visiting doesn't require a recent test result, do I still need one?
Connecting through the U.S. still requires having a negative test result before boarding in Canada.
Connecting through most countries in Europe no longer requires a test result, including France, Germany, The Netherlands (Amsterdam), Spain, or Turkey.
But if your final destination requires a negative test result for entry, you'll still need the test result to board anyways.
If it's a direct flight, do you need a negative test result to fly there?
Increasingly, we are starting to see countries open up for the fully vaccinated, and allowing them to skip having a recent test result for entry. Which means we are now seeing flights where the vaccinated do not need to have a negative test result when they board here in Canada.
As direct flights have resumed from Canada to Mexico, The Caribbean, and cities in Europe, there are now destinations where you can take a direct flight to from Canada without needing a test result.
To find these destinations, go to the Index of Destinations That Are Open For Canadian Tourists and look for the countries listed beside 'no restrictions' that are in bold.
Where are my travel plans least likely to be disrupted?
It's reasonable to assume that going forward, the destinations with the highest vaccination rates will be the ones where travel plans and flight schedules are the least likely to be disrupted by covid in the future. That's all we can really go by.
If you go to the Index of Destinations That Are Open For Canadian Tourists and click on the Region that you are interested in, you will find links to the latest vaccination rates for each Country within that Region.
Don't click on the Country, click on the Region (Caribbean, Europe, Asia, etc).
At the moment, the destinations around the world that can be considered to be fairly well vaccinated, or will be soon, are:
Canada
jump to: Index Of Questions
Are there any great domestic flight deals in Canada right now?
Domestic (within Canada) Flight Deals
For many months now, a lot of routes between Canadian airports have had *very* low prices. They have been approximately 50-75% cheaper than they've ever been historically, even for summer travel.
The low demand for flights due to the pandemic was the primary reason of course, but another key reason is Flair Air. Flair added so many new routes between Canadian cities during the pandemic that I lost count (I believe it was around 12).
This forced Air Canada, Air Transat, and WestJet to match Flair's aggressively low prices.
As of October 2021, there are still very cheap flights available between the following Canadian cities for fall and winter travel...
You can click on the city names below to take you to the blog posts about the latest deals.
Calgary (YYC) to Victoria, Montreal (Aug to Oct dates), Ottawa, Toronto, Hamilton, Kitchener, Vancouver (June to Oct dates)
Edmonton (YEG) to Victoria (Aug to Oct dates), Kitchener (Sep, Oct dates), Toronto, Vancouver, Ottawa, Kelowna (June to Oct dates)
Montreal (YUL) to Vancouver (Aug to Oct, and fall/winter too), Calgary (Aug to Oct dates)
Ottawa (YOW) to Kelowna, Winnipeg (Aug & Sep dates), Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver (June to October dates)
Toronto (YYZ) to Vancouver, Kelowna, Calgary, Edmonton, Fort McMurray, Regina, Saskatoon, Abbotsford (June to October dates)
Kitchener (YKF) to Victoria (mainly Sep dates), Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver (June to October dates)
Vancouver (YVR) to Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Calgary, Edmonton, Regina, Saskatoon
Victoria (YYJ) to Calgary, Edmonton (Aug, Sep, Oct dates)
You can also find cheap domestic summer flights from Kelowna, Saskatoon, Regina, Winnipeg, and Halifax.
Also see: Are there any restrictions for flying within Canada?
jump to: Index Of Questions
Are There Any Great International Flight Deals From Canada These Days?
As the airlines started to add international flights back to their schedule during the summer of 2021, Canada started to see international flight deals again, particularly to The United States, Europe, South America, The Middle East and Hawaii .
There haven't been any exciting deals from Canada to The Caribbean, South Asia, or Australia / New Zealand.
Hopefully this will continue to improve in the months ahead as international flights are added back from Canadian airports.
So which destinations around the world have had international flight deals?
You can click on the destination names below to take you to the blog posts about the latest deals.
Toronto (YYZ) has had deals to Mexico, Europe, Central America, South America, The Middle East, and Northern Africa.
Montreal (YUL) has had deals to Mexico, Europe, Central America, South America, The Middle East, East Asia, and Africa.
Calgary (YYC) has had deals to Central America, South America, The Middle East, and Southeast Asia.
Edmonton (YEG) has had deals to Central America, South America, The Middle East, and Southeast Asia.
Vancouver (YVR) has had deals to Central America, The Middle East, and Southeast Asia.
You can also find international deals (with connecting flights) from Kelowna, Saskatoon, Regina, Winnipeg, Ottawa, and Halifax.
jump to: Index Of Questions
Proof of Vaccination for Travel
Will I need a vaccine certificate / passport to travel? Where do I get it?
Countries that have already lifted restrictions for fully vaccinated travellers are telling unvaccinated travellers, "You can come too, but expect to go through the hassle and expense of testing and/or quarantine restrictions that are already in place." Expect this to be the case for most countries going forward when they implement a 2 track system (one for the vaccinated, one for the unvaccinated).
Many countries around the world currently have test result and/or quarantine requirements for entry, for *all* travellers. They aren't *adding* restrictions for unvaccinated travellers, they are simply allowing vaccinated travellers to bypass these restrictions that are already in place.
In the summer of 2021 what we saw is that virtually every country in the world where a Canadian could use proof of vaccination to bypass restrictions was just fine with the handwritten pieces of paper we received after our vaccinations.
But our true, digital proof of vaccination is coming, allegedly by November 8th, 2021.
Were do I get my Canadian digital proof of vaccination?
You can go to this page on the Government of Canada website.
As of October 21, 2021 there are only 5 provinces and 2 territories that can access the 'Canadian' proof of vaccination. (Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon)
This Canadian proof of vaccination will eventually be used to prove your vaccination status to board flights in Canada. Although I'm guessing that on October 30th, when Canada starts checking for vaccination status to board flights, you'll be able to use whatever you have now for the time being, if your province isn't ready.
As we saw in the summer of 2021, virtually every country in the world is already fine with accepting our current paper copies as proof of vaccination for entry.
So truly you don't *need* this special Canadian digital proof of vaccination to enter a foreign country that is asking for proof of vaccination. You can just use your current provincial proof of vaccination.
But it will be nice when (eventually) we will all have the true digital proof of vaccination for everyone in Canada, with some sort of country-wide standard. Hopefully then we'll be able to do things like tie into Europe's digital covid certificate system, which just makes things easier and more efficient.
Uploading your proof of vaccination into the ArriveCAN app
As of early July 2021, you are able to take a photo or upload a snapshot of your vaccine documentation to the ArriveCAN app, the app that is already used when you return home to Canada from out of the country.
This proof of vaccination through the ArriveCAN app will be used when you return home to Canada, to allow the fully vaccinated to bypass certain restrictions, such as quarantine periods.
(Note: You can also use ArriveCAN through a regular website, if you don't want to install the app).
This helps with proving our vaccination status when returning home, but what about proving our vaccination status to other countries that are already allowing fully vaccinated Canadians to bypass restrictions?
Other countries would like for us to provide some sort of digital signature (such as a QR code) that allows us to easily upload a secure, standardized set of info about our vaccination status into the apps they've developed, such as France's TousAntiCovid app.
These apps are used to prove vaccination status when entering *their* country (just like our ArriveCAN app will be when entering Canada) and sometimes within the foreign country for access to large concerts, etc.
The July 2021 additions to the ArriveCAN app did not provide this digital signature.
The real, fully baked, digital proof of vaccination that we're all waiting for requires the co-operation of each province, which all have a separate health care database that the federal government needs permission to connect to.
Apparently this will be ready 'sometime before the end of 2021'. (At one point it was 'sometime in the fall of 2021').
We've known this was coming, and what would eventually be required, since, I would say, oh, approximately Day 2 of the pandemic.
And it's not exactly the Manhattan Project, we're talking about a QR code that contains some basic, standardized info about your vaccination (where it was administered, batch #, vaccine type).
But I guess from a political perspective it would have been tough to get started on this, and get the provinces on board, until we were all vaccinated and ready for it emotionally as a country.
In the summer of 2021 what we witnessed though is that virtually every country in the world where a Canadian could use proof of vaccination to bypass restrictions was just fine with the handwritten pieces of paper we received after our vaccinations.
But digital proof will be nice to have.
What about children? If I have proof of vaccination but they don't, what happens?
So far, with almost all countries that have implemented a 2 track system (allowing the vaccinated to bypass entry requirements) the majority of them are going with the same rules for unvaccinated children as they are for unvaccinated adults.
Which is to say, with most countries, this usually means an unvaccinated child still requires a recent negative test result for entry.
But every country sets their own rules for entry, and some are making exceptions. For entry into Greece for example, children under 5 are exempt from needing to have a negative test result.
In Croatia, children under 7 are exempt from needing to have a negative test result.
In Iceland, children born 2005 and later are exempt from presenting a negative PCR-test upon arrival. All children need to undergo one screening test at the border.
In Greece, children under 5 are exempt from needing to have a negative test result.
In Spain and Germany, children under 6 are exempt from needing to have a negative test result.
So you really just need to check the entry requirements for the country you plan to visit, and see if they make exceptions for children.
To check the current entry requirements for the country you plan to visit, go to the Index of Destinations That Are Open For Canadian Tourists and click on the country name.
Do other countries care which vaccine I get? What if it's 2 different vaccines?
Around the world, out of all the countries that have setup a 2 track system so far (one set of rules for the vaccinated, one for the unvaccinated), to be considered fully vaccinated, you are fine as long as your vaccine is one of the 'Big 4' vaccines:
1. Pfizer (2 doses to be fully vaccinated)
2. AstraZeneca (2 doses to be fully vaccinated)
3. Moderna (2 doses to be fully vaccinated)
4. Johnson & Johnson a.k.a. Janssen (1 dose to be fully vaccinated)
I have not seen a single country that states one of those manufacturers isn't good enough for entry.
So if you're getting vaccinated in Canada, you really don't need to worry about which one it is, because it's going to be one of the 4 listed above (or more likely, one of the first 3).
What if my second dose is a different vaccine? Will other countries care?
Out of the 104 countries around the world that a Canadian tourist can visit, there are currently *two* where mixed vaccinations are an issue for entry.
Yes, as usual, this is a much bigger deal in the media than it is in real life.
Trinidad & Tobago
The United States had the potential to be the first real major issue for Canadians, but the U.S. finally announced that on November 8th, 2021 when proof of vaccination becomes required for U.S. entry, any combination of the vaccines approved in Canada will be allowed (including AstraZeneca).
Some cruise lines departing from U.S. ports have issues with mixed vaccinations (Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises have changed their policies to allow them). Others have issues with certain combinations. European cruises don't have a problem with mixed vaccinations.
Back in July 2021, countries in Europe seemingly had an issue with 'Covishield', although the issue was mainly bureaucratic, being a different name for the same vaccine (AstraZeneca). Since that time, most of these countries have come out and stated they are fine with Covishield now.
Yeah, but I heard the U.S. doesn't accept AstraZeneca?
All the news about AstraZeneca not being 'accepted' in the U.S. mainly just related to a Bruce Springsteen Broadway show.
As they so often do, the Canadian mainstream media pounced on this tidbit in order to strike fear in the hearts of Canadians and generate a few extra clicks for themselves by suggesting that maybe this would mean AstraZeneca wouldn't be accepted by the U.S. border for proof of vaccination, or for travel to other countries.
So far, all the countries in the world that have set a vaccine related entry policy are accepting AstraZeneca.
When it comes time for the U.S. to actually set a vaccine related entry policy (assuming they do), it would be a pretty major issue if they did not accept AZ (Yes, even more important than 'The Boss' not accepting it!).
The U.S. and the UK are actively working towards ending their travel bans with each other and much of the UK is vaccinated with AstraZeneca, where it was developed. Not to mention that AZ is prevalent in other countries in Europe, as well as Canada, Australia, Japan, Thailand, and South Korea.
Update: Broadway has changed its tune and is now accepting Canadians vaccinated with AstraZeneca.
Update: In November 2021 the U.S. is going to start requiring full vaccination for entry. We now know that AstraZeneca will be allowed, and mixed vaccinations (any combination) will be allowed. br>
I've heard that some countries may not recognize Covishield?
Covishield is chemically identical to AstraZeneca, only it was produced in India.
Back in July 2021, countries in Europe had an issue with this, although it was mainly bureaucratic.
Since that time, most of these countries have come out and stated they are fine with Covishield now.
In Europe, the countries that have stated they are fine with Covishield are:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Netherlands / Holland, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine.
Outside of Europe, the countries that have stated they are fine with Covishield are:
Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Cabo Verde, Canada, Côte d'Ivoire, Dominica, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Grenada, India, Jamaica, Lebanon, Maldives, Morocco, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Seychelles, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Ukraine.
How does a Canadian sign up for Europe's 'EU Digital' Certificate?
Ok, so Europe has this Digital Pass / Certificate system that allows Europeans to easily show their vaccination status on their smartphone and get into various countries in Europe, instead of having to carry around their handwritten proof of vaccination papers.
Individual countries in Europe are allowed to create apps that enable Canadians (and other non-Europeans) to tap into this digital system, because they know at some point down the road they don't want to be bothered checking our handwritten, flimsy looking, handwritten proof of vaccination as we enter their country. They want to just be able to scan your smartphone and off you go.
For example, France has an app they call TousAntiCovid. Spain has one called the SpTH app.
And these countries would *love* to have Canadians be able to upload their proof of vaccination into these apps, to help process us efficiently for entry into their countries, instead of having to manually inspect our handwritten proof of vaccination documents.
But here's the problem. Canada is behind the ball, and we have not yet coordinated all the provincial healthcare systems to be able to produce a digital proof of vaccination signature that we can upload into these apps.
There's likely no way other countries apps are ever going to be able to 'scan in' or accept all the different formats of the paper versions of our proof of vaccination.
They want us to produce some sort of standardized digital signature, like a QR code, that we can use to upload to their apps. A digital signature that simply contains some standard info about our proof of vaccination (where it was administered, what type of vaccine, the batch number, etc).
This type of standardized digital signature can only come after the federal government coordinates with all the the different provincial healthcare systems, who have this info.
This digital signature is allegedly coming 'by the end of 2021' according to the Canadian government.
In the meantime, it's up to each country in Europe as to what they're going to do, in terms of allowing us in with our handwritten proof of vaccination.
If you go to the country listing for France you can find details about how to acquire the digital certificate as a Canadian.
I've also heard that in Germany pharmacists can easily setup Canadians with the EU digital certificate.
Will Canadians travelling to Europe require a vaccine certificate?
On May 19, 2021 the European Commission recommended that their 27 member countries open back up in summer 2021 for *fully* vaccinated (after 2nd dose), non-EU tourists (such as Canadians), without restrictions.
However, European countries set their own rules for entry individually (as we can see already with Iceland or Croatia & a few others who have already gone ahead and implemented their own 2 track rules) . They usually tend to follow the EU recommendations, but do not *have* to.
Europe has now approved their 'Digital Covid Certificate' that Europeans are going to use to prove they've been vaccinated (or recently tested), which will allow them to travel throughout Europe relatively easily starting in July 2021.
Canada is not plugged into this Digital Covid Certificate system, and it's not likely we would be for a while, if ever. It's not clear if the U.S. will be either, and Americans are already back travelling to Europe.
But countries in Europe don't *have* to use this Digital Covid Certificate system. Some of them already have their own independent, vaccine certificate system in place (France, Spain), or will be releasing one soon (Italy).
And individual countries can decide for themselves if your handwritten vaccination card is good enough for proof of vaccination this summer, like certain European countries have already.
It's likely more of them will, now that the European Commision has officially recommended to it's 27 member countries that they open back up for non-European travellers, including Canadians, who have been fully vaccinated (both doses) for at least 2 weeks.
Update June 3, 2021: The EU has announced that non-Europeans will be able to obtain their Digital Covid Certificate. It will be up to each country to decide if they want to issue you one, and what sort of proof will be required to get one (vaccination or recent test).
For detailed info about what each country is requiring for entry, go to the Index Of Open Destinations and click on the country you're interested in.
jump to: Index Of Questions
Is there any travel insurance for Canadians with COVID-19 medical coverage?
- Medical insurance was an issue early in the pandemic, but there are 13 insurance companies that cover covid-19, and certain countries, airlines and vacation package operators now include covid insurance with their flights and packages.
For detailed info jump to the Covid-19 Medical Insurance Section
jump to: Index Of Questions
Destinations That Are Open For Canadian Tourists
NORTH AMERICA
CANADA
Will I need to be vaccinated to fly domestically within Canada?
Trudeau has announced that as of October 30th, 2021 anyone 12 or older will need to be fully vaccinated in order to board an airplane in Canada.
Between October 30th and November 30th, a person who is in the process of being fully vaccinated will be able to show a negative test result instead.
After November 30th a test result will no longer be an option to board.
Provincial restrictions
It's a good idea to Google the name of the province you want to visit, followed by 'government travel restrictions'.
Or just go to: https://travel.gc.ca/covid-19-provinces-territories for links to the restrictions by province.
In Quebec, how does someone from out of province provide proof of vaccination?
Visitors must show proof of vaccination from their respective governments, along with a proof of address.
This usually means visiting your province's health website, and printing out whatever it is they are currently offering as proof of vaccination. And then showing that along with your proof of address.
Googling something like this...
[your province] health services records
Will usually get you to the right place.
jump to: North America Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
THE UNITED STATES
Flying vs Driving to the U.S. : two different sets of rules
I think it would surprise a certain percentage of Canadians to know that the air border between Canada and the U.S has always been open for leisure travel throughout the entire pandemic.
It's the *land* border that was closed for leisure travel, and finally opened back up on November 8th, 2021.
Flying to/from the U.S. and driving to/from the U.S. are separate sets of rules.
Flying to the U.S.
Non-essential travel (aka leisure travel) from Canada to the U.S. is allowed.
Proof of full vaccination: Required to enter the U.S. for anyone 18 and older. 2 doses is considered fully vaccinated. It doesn't matter how long ago they were.
Unvaccinated children under 18 travelling with vaccinated adults do not need to quarantine after arrival.
The U.S. accepts any combination of two doses, including (but not limited to) AstraZeneca / Covishield, Pfizer, or Moderna.
You can find the new official rules for entry by air here on the CDC website.
I'm reading something about unvaccinated children needing to take a test within 3-5 days of arrival into the U.S. and quarantine ?
That is something that is technically mentioned on the CDC website and on the attestation form (if your airline asks for one).
But the reality is that a test after arrival (or quarantine) is something that has never been checked for in the U.S.
At check-in they might want to verify that you filled out the form, but there has never been any kind of enforcement after arrival in the U.S.
Can I use a previous positive test result to enter the U.S. instead of providing a recent negative test result? How does this work?
(NOTE: As of June 12th, 2022 the U.S. no longer requires a test result for entry)
Yes. If you have recovered from covid, you can provide a positive test result instead of a negative one, as long as the test was taken no more than 90 days ago.
Most U.S. airlines are asking for a minimum of 5 days after the date of your positive test result.
The test result type can be antigen, PCR, NAAT, or LAMP.
You also need a letter from a licensed healthcare provider or a public health official stating that you were cleared to travel (most Canadians get a doctor's note stating that they are cleared for travel).
I have heard from Canadians using a doctor's note for U.S. travel that some airlines *really* want your note to contain the following phrase somewhere: "has recovered and is fit for travel".
You can find the official rules about using a positive result for U.S. entry on the CDC website.
Also see: "Can I use a previous positive test result to enter Canada instead of providing a recent negative test result? " (the rules for entering Canada with a positive result are different).
"Where is the cheapest place to get a test that is valid for flying to the U.S. ?"
(NOTE: As of June 12th, 2022 the U.S. no longer requires a test result for entry)
In British Columbia, check this blog post for the current cheapest antigen testing options.
In Alberta or Ontario, most travellers are getting a cheap antigen test at Costco ($17) or Walmart ($20) or Shoppers Drug Mart ($40).
You can also use your own antigen tests at home, with online supervision, which makes them valid for U.S. entry. See this blog post for a list of options.
"As a Canadian, do I need anything special to fly domestic within the U.S. ?"
No, the U.S. has no special requirements (test results or proof of vaccination) for flying domestic within the U.S.
"Is there some new form I need to fill out to enter the U.S. ?"
There is a new form for all flights entering the U.S. It's called an attestation form. It's basically just a form stating your vaccination status.
You can find it here: https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/pdf/Combined-Passenger-Attestation-Amended-Testing-Order-12-02-2021-p.pdf
Some people have been asked to fill out this form, others haven't.
Canada also has one, but again, it really seems to vary as to which flights get asked to fill it out.
"Where can I find a cheap (or free) PCR, NAAT, or LAMP test in the U.S. for my flight back to Canada?"
Check this blog post and click on your destination.
The fully vaccinated no longer require a test result for entry into Canada.
Can I use the $20-$40 rapid antigen tests from Walmart, Costco, or Shoppers Drug Mart to enter the U.S. (flying) ?
(NOTE: As of June 12th, 2022 the U.S. no longer requires a test result for entry)
Yes, the rapid tests at Walmart, Costco, and Shoppers Drug Mart are all fine for U.S. entry.
Don't worry about the fact that Shoppers Drug Mart calls their test a 'screening' (this confuses people). It's fine.
While in the U.S., where can I get a cheaper (or free) PCR test that is accepted by Canada for my flight home?
(The fully vaccinated no longer require a test result for entry into Canada)
Remember that Canada wants your test to be PCR or NAAT based. Unlike the U.S., Canada does not accept antigen tests for entry.
Some Canadians have found that in certain U.S. states PCR tests have been available to them free of charge (most notably in Arizona, Washington State, Texas, and Florida).
Walgreens locations are where Canadians are having the most success with getting a free test. Some have suggested using your passport as your ID when you show up for the test (not something with an address on it).
Walgreens
Curative Labs
CVS
Also see: What are the steps for Canadians returning home to Canada by air?
Driving to the U.S.
As of November 8th, 2021 fully vaccinated Canadians can now enter the U.S. by land or ferry, for leisure travel purposes.
By land, a test result is *not* required for entry to the U.S. (and no longer required by air either).
The U.S. accepts any combination of two doses, including (but not limited to) AstraZeneca / Covishield, Pfizer, or Moderna.
Proof of full vaccination: Required to enter the U.S. by land for anyone 18 and older. 2 doses is considered fully vaccinated (no booster required). It doesn't matter how long ago they were.
Children under 18 are exempt from needing to show proof of vaccination.
You can find the official rules for entry into the U.S. by land on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) website. Click on 'Entering the U.S. through a land port of entry'.
Also see: What are the steps for Canadians returning home to Canada by land?
Can a child use a birth certificate instead of a passport when we drive to the U.S.?
Yes, children under the age of 16 arriving by land or sea may present an original or copy of his or her birth certificate, or a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, or a Naturalization Certificate, or a Canadian Citizenship Card, instead of a passport.
This does not apply to U.S. entry by air.
For more info see this article on the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol website.
"As a Canadian, do I need anything special to fly domestic within the U.S. after driving down there?"
No, the U.S. has no special requirements (test results or proof of vaccination) for flying domestic within the U.S.
Can Americans drive across the border into Canada ?
As of August 9th, 2021 Americans citizens and permanent residents of the U.S. are allowed to travel to Canada for leisure travel if they’ve received a full course of one of the four COVID-19 vaccines approved for use in Canada at least 14 days prior to arrival.
Unvaccinated American children under the age of 12 and unvaccinated dependent children will be able to accompany a fully vaccinated parent, step-parent, or legal guardian and forgo the 14-day quarantine.
On September 7th, 2021 Canada reopened its borders to fully vaccinated travellers from any country, for leisure travel.
"Where can I find a cheap (or free) PCR, NAAT, or LAMP test in the U.S. for entry back to Canada?"
(Note: The fully vaccinated no longer require a test result for entry into Canada)
Check this blog post and click on your destination.
Vaccination progress in the U.S. Percentage of U.S. residents that have received at least one dose
78% of the United States has had one dose, and 66% have had at least 2 doses (approximately 16% less than Canada).
Very few states have notable statewide restrictions anymore (other than Hawaii), but you can check this CNN article for the latest updates.
Medical Insurance for the U.S.
Covid-19 medical insurance that specifically covers the U.S. is a little more difficult to find than for other countries (as U.S. healthcare is so expensive), although there are a few providers. (Update: Air Canada and Westjet have announced that their covid-19 insurance, which is now included with every international flight, will also include U.S. destinations.)
Also see: Is there any travel insurance for Canadians with COVID-19 medical coverage?
jump to: North America Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
HAWAII
Do I still need a test to fly to Hawaii, even after March 26th?
On March 26th, 2022 Hawaii is removing their 'Safe Travels' program which only applied to those flying from, or through, the U.S. to Hawaii.
So if a Canadian is already in the U.S., and is flying to Hawaii, as of March 26th when Safe Travels ends, they would no longer need a test to fly there.
But someone that is in Canada, and flying to Hawaii connecting through a U.S. city, would still need a test to satisfy the general entry requirement for Canada to the U.S. by air.
And if a Canadian is flying directly from Canada to Hawaii, they continue to follow the current U.S. entry rules (even after March 26th), which still requires a test.
New entry rules for Hawaii as of November 8th, 2021
As of November 8th if a Canadian is flying directly from Canada to Hawaii (without connecting through the U.S.) there is going to be a new set of entry rules in place (that are pretty much the same as the rules for flying to the mainland U.S.).
A person will need to have proof of full vaccination *and* a negative covid test result (from within the last 1 day).
The key difference is that now the test result can be PCR, NAAT, or antigen and it no longer needs to be from one of Hawaii's 'trusted lab partners'. These travellers also do not need to do anything involving the Safe Travels program (but see my note below).
I've added a spreadsheet that breaks down the requirements for every age.
more info: www.mauinow.com
Where can I find a PCR, NAAT or LAMP test in Hawaii for my flight back to Canada?
Check this blog post and click on Hawaii.
Many Canadians are now also bringing their own antigen tests and paying for online observation to make them valid for entry back into Canada. (Info about this can be found in the same blog post above).
Can I use a previous positive test result to enter Hawaii instead of providing a recent negative test result? How does this work?
There have been a number of Canadians that have e-mailed the government of Hawaii through the e-mail address at the bottom of this website:
https://ag.hawaii.gov/travelexemption/
They have been told that if you are flying directly to Hawaii from Canada (not through the U.S.) that you fall under the CDC guidelines for using a positive result.
This would mean that you can follow the same rules for using a positive result as there are for entering everywhere else in the U.S.
Therefore you just need a doctor's note clearing you for travel, and your positive test result can be a typical antigen test, from anywhere (it does not need to be from a certified lab).
It would be nice if Hawaii would update all of their official websites to make this more clear.
If you are not flying directly from Canada to Hawaii, but are connecting through the U.S., you need to follow Hawaii's special rules for using a positive test result (see the link above). This means a molecular test (PCR, NAAT) from a CLIA or CLIP certified laboratory, with a CLIA number on your test result. This test result must be 'no more than 90 days and no less than 11 days from your departure date for Hawaii.'
From what I can tell, a test result with a CLIA number is impossible to find in Canada (it's a U.S. standard).
Do I need to have my booster to be considered fully vaccinated by Hawaii?
Update: Hawaii has decided a booster shot will not be necessary for entry after all.
Maui has also dropped their booster requirement for entry into restaurants, bars, etc.
Direct flights from Canada to Hawaii
Direct flights from Canada to Hawaii have resumed from Vancouver.
WestJet has *scheduled* direct flights to Hawaii to resume from Calgary in November (Maui) and December (Honolulu, Kona, Kauai).
And from Edmonton in December (Honolulu and Maui).
Air Canada has *scheduled* direct flights to Hawaii to resume from Calgary, Toronto, and Montreal in December 2021 or January 2022.
Honolulu (HNL) : Air Canada and WestJet have resumed direct flights from Vancouver. They have not yet resumed from Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Montreal.
Maui (OGG) : Air Canada and WestJet have resumed direct flights from Vancouver. They have not yet resumed from Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto.
Kauai (LIH) : WestJet has resumed direct flights from Vancouver. WestJet plans to offer direct flights from Calgary for the first time, starting December 19th, 2021.
Kona (KOA) : WestJet has resumed direct flights from Vancouver. WestJet plans to offer direct flights from Calgary for the first time, starting December 19th, 2021.
Vaccination progress in Hawaii Percentage of Hawaiian residents that have received at least one dose
As of May 2021 Hawaii is already quite well vaccinated, even more so than the mainland U.S. Over 63% of Hawaii have had at least one dose, and over 45% are fully vaccinated.
Epidemiologists in Hawaii feel they are getting close to herd immunity, and that they could achieve it by July 2021.
jump to: North America Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
MEXICO
Mexico is one country that has never closed it's borders to Canadians throughout the pandemic. No test results or quarantines have ever been required for entry.
Besides a passport, you'll also need to complete a 'Migratory Form' (FMM), sometimes referred to as a 'Tourist Card'. They'll usually give it out on the plane, or at the airport when you land, but if you want you can also fill it out online at: https://www.inm.gob.mx/fmme/publico/en/solicitud.html
You can fill it out ahead of time up to 30 days before your trip. After completing it print it and bring it with you. There have apparently been reports that the form may not be accepted unless the page has both sides of the form printed on the same page (front & back).
(It might be easier to just fill it out when you get there).
When you go through immigration, they tear it in half, and return half of the FMM card. Keep it with your passport so you don't lose it, or you'll have to pay when you leave the country.
NOTE: There are a lot of websites out there that claim to be the official one for the Migratory Form (aka 'Tourist Card'). They range from outright scams to charging you for something that is actually free. Many people get tricked into using these websites or recommending them, even travel agents and airline websites. The website listed above is the official one, and it's free.
What about a Health Form?
Sometimes you might also be asked to also present a Health Form for entry, or upon leaving. It seems to vary by airport, and the requirement for the health form seems to come and go.
Similar to the FMM form, a paper version is very likely available at the airport.
But if you want to fill it out ahead of time, go to: https://www.vuelaseguro.com/login
It needs to be completed within 12 hours of your departure time.
Update: As of January 1, 2022 Mexico has dropped the Health Form requirement.
Spreadsheet of rules for entry into Mexico, by age
Entry rules can get a little more complicated, especially if you're connecting through the U.S. or travelling with children.
I've added a spreadsheet that lists what you need, by age. Click on the 'Connecting through the U.S.' tab at the bottom if your flight to Mexico connects through the U.S.
What happens if I test positive while in Mexico?
Nearly every hotel in popular destinations around Mexico will give you the option to isolate in your room for 5-10 days or until you test negative again, either for free, or at a reduced rate.
They will bring you meals, water, etc (not likely to be alcohol available).
On the rare occasion that a hotel does not offer this, you would need to make arrangements at a different hotel that offers rooms for self-isolation, or book an Airbnb.
Starting on January 15, 2022 Canada will allow you to enter with a positive test result that is a minimum of 10 days old (currently 14 days).
So an extra 10 days would be the worst case scenario, if you are unlucky enough to continue to test positive.
But if you test negative on say, day 5, you could use that negative result to return home at that time.
Where can I find a PCR test in Mexico for my flight back to Canada?
Check this blog post and click on your destination in Mexico.
Direct flights from Canada to Mexico
Cancun (CUN) : Air Canada, WestJet and Sunwing have resumed direct flights from Calgary, Vancouver, and Toronto. Air Canada, Air Transat, and Sunwing have resumed direct flights from Montreal. Sunwing, Swoop, and WestJet have resumed direct flights from Edmonton.
Mexico City (MEX) : Aeromexico and Air Canada have resumed direct flights from Vancouver. Air Canada has resumed direct flights from Toronto and Montreal.
Puerto Vallarta (PVR): Air Canada, Sunwing, and WestJet have resumed direct flights from Calgary and Toronto. Swoop, Sunwing, and WestJet have resumed direct flights from Edmonton. Air Canada and WestJet have resumed direct flights from Vancouver.
San Jose del Cabo (SJD): WestJet has resumed direct flights from Calgary and Vancouver. Air Canada has resumed direct flights from Vancouver. Sunwing has resumed direct flights from Calgary, Vancouver, and Toronto.
Mazatlan (MZT): Swoop has resumed direct flights from Edmonton.
Cozumel (CZM): WestJet has resumed direct flights from Toronto. Air Canada has resumed direct flights from Montreal.
Ixtapa / Zihuatanejo (ZIH) : WestJet has resumed direct flights from Calgary, but not Vancouver.
Huatulco (HUX) : WestJet has resumed direct flights from Calgary.
Vaccination progress in Mexico
Percentage of Mexico's residents that have received at least one dose
With under 15% of citizens vaccinated, there is some concern that Mexico may not truly be ready for American and Canadian tourists.
On a per capita basis, case numbers have been quite low in Mexico (8 times lower than Canada's, as of May 2021), although some question the accuracy of Mexico's reported numbers.
jump to: North America Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
CARIBBEAN
Being island nations, most countries in the Caribbean have been relatively safe from covid throughout the pandemic. Many of them have been allowing tourists to visit safely, as long as they bring a recent negative PCR test result, and a few countries require quarantine.
In the near future, it appears likely that countries in the Caribbean will start to convert to 2 track systems (like European countries are) that allows fully vaccinated tourists to visit without a recent negative test result or quarantine. The Bahamas have already done this.
Unvaccinated tourists will likely need to continue to bring a recent negative test result, and/or quarantine.
Vaccination progress in the Caribbean:
Percentage of Caribbean residents that have received at least one dose, by country
Aruba, Anguilla, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, Curacao, and Turks and Caicos are all at least as well vaccinated as Canada.
Antigua, Barbados, Dominica, and Saint Kitts are fairly close to as vaccinated as Canada.
Most countries in the Caribbean have less cases per capita than Canada.
Cuba is still struggling with cases.
Direct flights from Canada to the Caribbean:
All direct flights from Canada to the Caribbean were halted in January 2021 at the request of the Canadian government. Before that, most direct flights to the Caribbean during the pandemic were through Toronto on Air Canada.
When flights to the Caribbean start back up again, look for these flights through Toronto to be the first to resume.
Currently, the only realistic way to fly to the Caribbean is through the U.S.
Antigua & Barbuda
Latest entry requirements: Click here
Antigua (ANU) : Air Canada's flights from Toronto have not resumed.
jump to: Caribbean Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Aruba
Latest entry requirements: Click here
Cheapest PCR tests in Aruba?
Check this blog post and click on Aruba.
Using a positive result to enter Aruba
You can use a positive result that is between 10 and 84 days old.
more info: www.aruba.com
Direct flights from Canada to Aruba
Oranjestad, Aruba (AUA) : Air Canada and Sunwing have resumed flights from Toronto.
jump to: Caribbean Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Bahamas
Latest entry requirements: Click here
Nassau (NAS) : Air Canada has resumed direct flights from Toronto, but not Montreal.
George Town / Exuma (GGT) : Air Canada has resumed direct flights from Toronto.
jump to: Caribbean Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Barbados
Latest entry requirements: Click here
At one point Barbados wasn't recognizing mixed vaccinations, but they changed their entry policy to allow mixed vaccinations starting July 16th, 2021.
Cheapest PCR tests in Barbados?
Check this blog post and click on Barbados.
Direct flights to Barbados
Bridgetown (BGI) : Air Canada's flights have resumed from Toronto.
jump to: Caribbean Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Bermuda
Latest entry requirements: Click here
Direct flights from Canada to Bermuda
Bermuda (BDA) : Air Canada has resumed flights from Toronto.
jump to: Caribbean Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Cayman Islands
Latest entry requirements: Click here
PCR testing in the Cayman Islands
Canadians looking for a PCR test in the Cayman Islands are advised to go to https://hsa.ky/Appointment/.
George Town (GCM) : Air Canada Rouge and WestJet have resumed direct flights from Toronto.
jump to: Caribbean Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Cuba
Latest entry requirements: Click here
Cuba has implemented a new online form for visitors to enter their info prior to entering (within 72 hours) and exiting Cuba. Once the information is provided, travellers will receive a QR code by email.
Cuban tourism authorities have announced the opening of the local tourism market and the cancelling of quarantine for passengers staying in private rental homes (B&B).
Locals can also now stay at tourist facilities shared by international visitors.
There are now very few restrictions on movement around the island.
Cuba is starting to require a 72 hour PCR test for travellers from most countries. But I've heard Canadians are exempt?
Yes, according to Cuba's Ministry of Tourism Facebook page Canadians are exempt from the new PCR test requirement being implemented on January 5th, 2022 for travellers from other countries.
Here is a screenshot of the announcement.
Cheapest PCR tests in Cuba?
Check this blog post and click on Cuba.
Direct flights from Canada to Cuba
Cayo Coco (CCC) : Air Canada has resumed direct flights from Toronto and Montreal. Air Transat, WestJet, and OWG have not resumed direct flights from Toronto and Montreal. Sunwing is scheduled to resume direct flights from Toronto on Oct 9, 2021 and from Montreal on Oct 16th. PCR tests are available at participating hotels for $30 USD.
Holguin (HOG) : Air Transat has resumed direct flights from Toronto and Montreal. PCR tests are available at participating hotels for $30 USD.
Havana (HAV) : Air Canada has not resumed direct flights via Toronto.
Santa Clara (SNU) : Air Transat has resumed direct flights via Toronto.
Varadero (VRA) : Air Canada and Sunwing have resumed direct flights from Toronto and Montreal. PCR tests are available at participating hotels for $30 USD.
jump to: Caribbean Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Curacao
Latest entry requirements: Click here
Cheapest PCR tests in Curacao?
Check this blog post and click on Curacao.
Direct flights from Canada to Curacao
Willemstad (CUR) : Air Canada has resumed flights from Toronto.
jump to: Caribbean Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Dominican Republic
Latest entry requirements: Click here
Cheapest PCR tests in the Dominican Republic?
Check this blog post and click on Dominican Republic.
Direct flights from Canada to The Dominican Republic
Punta Cana (PUJ) : Air Canada and Sunwing have resumed direct flights from Toronto and Montreal. Air Transat has resumed direct flights from Montreal.
Puerto Plata (POP) : WestJet has resumed flights from Toronto. Air Transat has resumed direct flights from Toronto and Montreal.
Samana (AZS) : Air Transat has resumed flights via Montreal.
Santo Domingo (SDQ): Air Canada plans to offer direct flights starting in December 2021.
jump to: Caribbean Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Grenada
Latest entry requirements: Click here
PCR testing in Grenada
Canadians looking for a PCR test in Grenada are advised that PCR testing facilities are located in the parish of St. George in which the tourism belt is also located. Apart from the government testing facility, there are two Ministry of Health designated private clinics.
Direct flights from Canada to Grenada
Grenada (GND) : Air Canada has resumed direct flights from Toronto.
jump to: Caribbean Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Guadeloupe
Latest entry requirements: Click here
Pointe-a-Pitre (PTP) : Air Canada and Air France have resumed flights from Montreal.
jump to: Caribbean Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Haiti
Latest entry requirements: Click here
Port-au-Prince (PAP) : Air Transat has resumed flights from Montreal.
jump to: Caribbean Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Jamaica
Latest entry requirements: Click here
A warning about using an antigen test for entry into Jamaica
Jamaica requires a 'Nasopharyngeal' rapid Antigen test which is different than the typical 'bi-lateral nasal' rapid antigen test.
The cheaper ones offered by Shoppers Drug Mart and many other labs may not be acceptable by Jamaica.
Go to https://www.visitjamaica.com/travelauthorization/test-req/ and scroll down to the heading “Accepted Test Types” - and then read the second bullet under “Note”.
Cheapest PCR tests in Jamaica?
Check this blog post and click on Jamaica.
A list of labs that can offer PCR testing in Jamaica can be found here. Microlabs has built a Canadian Visitor Testing Portal at https://microlabs.limited/canada-visitor-portal for travellers who wish to be tested at their hotel or resort.
Direct flights from Canada to Jamaica
Kingston (KIN) : Air Canada has resumed flights from Toronto. Westjet and Caribbean Airlines have not resumed flights via Toronto.
Montego Bay (MBJ) : Air Canada, WestJet, and Sunwing have resumed direct flights from Toronto. Air Canada and Sunwing have not resumed flights from Montreal.
jump to: Caribbean Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Martinique
Latest entry requirements: Click here
Fort-de-France (FDF) : Air Canada has resumed flights from Montreal.
jump to: Caribbean Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Puerto Rico
Latest entry requirements: Click here
jump to: Caribbean Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Latest entry requirements: Click here
Saint Kitts (SKB) : Air Canada has resumed flights from Toronto.
jump to: Caribbean Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Saint Lucia
Latest entry requirements: Click here
PCR testing in Saint Lucia
Canadians looking for a PCR test in Saint Lucia are advised to check out https://www.stlucia.org/en/covid-19/saint-lucia-testing/. Saint Lucia is currently ramping up testing capabilities across the island, with multiple PCR testing locations.
Hewanorra (UVF) : Air Canada and WestJet have resumed direct flights from Toronto.
jump to: Caribbean Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Saint Maarten
Latest entry requirements: Click here
Sint Maarten (SXM) : Westjet and Sunwing have resumed direct flights from Toronto. Sunwing has resumed direct flights from Montreal.
jump to: Caribbean Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Saint Vincent & the Grenadines
Latest entry requirements: Click here
Saint Vincent (SVD) : Air Canada has resumed direct flights from Toronto.
jump to: Caribbean Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Trinidad & Tobago
Latest entry requirements: Click here
The TTravel Pass website shows that in regards to mixed vaccinations, there are about 6 different combinations that Trinidad & Tobago will accept. Most of the acceptable combinations involve AstraZeneca or Covishield being your first dose.
There was a media report of a Canadian who could not enter Trinidad & Tobago because his mixed vaccination combination was not acceptable.
Port of Spain (POS) : There are not currently any direct flights from Canada.
jump to: Caribbean Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Turks & Caicos
Latest entry requirements: Click here
Cheapest PCR tests in Turks & Caicos?
Check this blog post and click on Turks & Caicos.
Direct flights from Canada to Turks & Caicos
Providenciales (PLS) : Air Canada and WestJet have resumed direct flights from Toronto. Air Canada has resumed direct flights from Montreal.
jump to: Caribbean Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Other countries in the Caribbean that are now open for Canadian tourists (or opening soon), but don't have direct flights from Canada
For the latest entry restrictions click on the country name.
jump to: Caribbean Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
EUROPE
Most European countries are in the range of about 40-45% of their citizens having received their first dose. They appear to be on track to have their lives back to normal sometime by August / September 2021.
But in the meantime, European countries are already starting to gear up and are determined to have a decent summer tourist season in June, July, and August.
Iceland and Greece are already open to non-European tourists. Spain and Italy are planning to be open by June.
On May 19th, 2021 the European Commission officially recommended to it's 27 member countries that they open back up for non-European travellers, including Canadians, who have been fully vaccinated (both doses) for at least 2 weeks.
They also recommended that if a country decides to waive the requirement for vaccinated travellers to bring a recent negative PCR test, they should allow unvaccinated travellers to enter, if they bring a recent negative PCR test.
In the weeks to come, we should start to see more countries in Europe adopt this recommendation.
However, European countries set their own rules for entry individually. They usually tend to follow the EU recommendations, but do not *have* to.
Europe's Digital Covid Certificate (Proof of Vaccination)
Europe has now approved their 'Digital Covid Certificate' that Europeans are going to use to prove they've been fully vaccinated (or recently tested), which will allow them to travel throughout Europe relatively easily, starting in July 2021. Canada is not plugged into this digital system, and it's not likely we would be for a while, if ever. It's not even clear if the U.S. will be either. We have not yet developed or announced plans for a digital vaccine pass/certificate/passport system of our own.
But countries in Europe don't *have* to use this Digital Covid Certificate system. Some of them already have their own independent, vaccine certificate system in place (France, Spain), or will be releasing one soon (Italy).
Each country in Europe sets their own rules, and some will soon likely be allowing Canadians to visit, without restrictions, as long as the Canadian tourist has proof of vaccination. For the time being, European countries will likely just accept our non-digital, piece-of-paper, proof of vaccination.
In most cases, countries in Europe are likely going to want you to be fully vaccinated (both doses) for at least 14 days, to bypass their restrictions.
Without proof of vaccination, Canadians can still visit certain countries in Europe, but you usually need to provide a recent negative PCR test, and/or perhaps abide by quarantine restrictions.
Update June 3, 2021: The EU has announced that non-Europeans will be able to obtain their Digital Covid Certificate. It will be up to each country to decide if they want to issue you one, and what sort of proof will be required to get one (vaccination or recent test).
Direct flights from Canada to Europe:
The number of direct flights from Canada to Europe dropped significantly during the pandemic, especially after October 2020, when things started to close up for the second wave. Only Canada's 4 larger airports (Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary) have direct flights at the moment, to limited major hubs in Europe. Look for the frequency of these flights to pick up as the demand increases, and previously dropped routes will be added back.
Vaccination progress in Europe:
Percentage of European residents that have received at least one dose, by country
Malta
Austria
Latest entry requirements: Click here
Cheapest PCR tests in Austria?
Check this blog post and click on Austria.
Direct flights from Canada to Austria
Vienna (VIE) : Air Canada has resumed direct flights from Toronto. Austrian Airlines has resumed direct flights from Montreal.
jump to: Europe Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Belgium
Latest entry requirements: Click here
Cheapest PCR tests in Belgium?
Check this blog post and click on Belgium.
Direct flights from Canada to Belgium
Brussels (BRU) : Air Canada has resumed direct flights from Montreal, but not from Toronto.
jump to: Europe Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Croatia
Latest entry requirements: Click here
Will Croatia accept my paper proof of vaccination? Reports from Canadians
Report 1: "Flew to Zagreb through Amsterdam, paper copy issued by the pharmacy is all you need." more info
Report 2: "My family traveled to Croatia, Montenegro, and Bosnia. Paper certificates were accepted by all." more info
Direct flights from Canada to Croatia
Air Transat is scheduled to resume direct flights from Toronto in May.
jump to: Europe Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Denmark
Latest entry requirements: Click here
Cheapest PCR tests in Denmark?
Check this blog post and click on Denmark.
Using a positive result to enter Denmark
You can use a positive result that is between 11 and 180 days old.
more info: www.coronasmitte.dk
Direct flights from Canada to Denmark
Copenhagen (CPH) : Air Canada has not resumed flights from Toronto.
jump to: Europe Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
England / United Kingdom / Scotland
Latest entry requirements: Click here
Cheapest PCR tests in England?
Check this blog post and click on England.
What about Scotland?
link: Scotland entry rules, official government site.
Cheapest PCR tests in Scotland?
Check this blog post and click on Scotland.
The UK now recognizes mixed vaccinations and those vaccinated in Canada
As of October 4th, 2021 England started recognizing vaccinations that took place in Canada, as well as recognizing mixed vaccinations.
Direct flights from Canada to the UK
Glasgow (GLA) : Air Transat has resumed flights from Toronto.
London Heathrow (LHR) : Air Canada & British Airways have resumed flights from Toronto. Air Canada has resumed direct flights from Vancouver, Calgary, and Montreal.
London Gatwick (LGW) : Westjet and Air Transat have resumed flights from Toronto.
Manchester (MAN): Air Transat has resumed direct flights from Toronto.
jump to: Europe Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
France
Latest entry requirements: Click here
Will France accept my paper proof of vaccination? Reports from Canadians
Report 1: "French Consulate in Vancouver: We believe the proof of vaccination Canadians currently have are sufficient for entry into France"
Report 2: "I'm in France and my paper receipt was perfectly acceptable at customs." (more info)
Cheapest PCR tests in France?
Check this blog post and click on France.
Direct flights from Canada to France
Paris (CDG) : Air France has resumed direct flights from Toronto and Vancouver. Air Canada and Air France have resumed direct flights from Toronto and Montreal. Air Transat has resumed direct flights from Montreal.
Paris (ORY) : Corsair has not resumed flights from Montreal.
Toulouse (TLS) : Air Transat has not resumed flights via Montreal.
jump to: Europe Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Germany
Latest entry requirements: Click here
Will Germany accept my paper proof of vaccination? Reports from Canadians
Report 1: "BC's paper vaccination record is accepted." more info
Report 2: "I can confirm that Germany is accepting paper copies issued by the pharmacy / province. And everybody is only looking for the date of the second dose." more info
Report 3: "I traveled to Germany from Canada last week and just arrived in Greece yesterday. Both accepted my sad looking pdf print outs with no questions asked." more info
Cheapest PCR tests in Germany?
Check this blog post and click on Germany.
Direct flights from Canada to Germany
Frankfurt (FRA) : Air Canada & Lufthansa have resumed flights via Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver. Air Canada has resumed flights via Calgary.
Munich (MUC) : Air Canada & Lufthansa have resumed flights from Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver.
jump to: Europe Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Greece
Latest entry requirements: Click here
Will Greece accept my paper proof of vaccination? Reports from Canadians
Report 1: "A B.C. woman flew from Vancouver to Athens via Amsterdam with just her immunization card she received from the nurses. No problem at all. " more info
Report 2: "I am in Greece right now, they accepted it, no issues." more info
Report 3: "Flew to Greece on Thursday via Amsterdam and boarded a cruise. No issues, my paper copy was fine." more info
Report 4: "I traveled to Germany from Canada last week and just arrived in Greece yesterday. Both accepted my sad looking pdf print outs with no questions asked." more info
Report 5: "Just spent two weeks in Greece and I used my paper print out." more info
Report 6: "I am in Greece right now. All you need is the vaccination card they gave you as proof." more info
Cheapest PCR tests in Greece?
Check this blog post and click on Greece.
Direct flights from Canada to Greece
Athens (ATH) : Air Canada has resumed direct flights from Toronto and Montreal. Air Transat has not resumed direct flights from Toronto or Montreal.
jump to: Europe Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Iceland
Latest entry requirements: Click here
Cheapest PCR tests in Iceland?
Check this blog post and click on Iceland.
Direct flights from Canada to Iceland
Reykjavik (KEF) : Icelandair has resumed flights from Toronto, but not Vancouver. Air Canada has not resumed flights from Toronto or Montreal. Air Canada has *scheduled* direct flights to resume from Toronto on June 30th, 2021.
jump to: Europe Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Ireland
Latest entry requirements: Click here
The official rules for entry can be found at: www.gov.ie
Ireland now accepts mixed vaccinations
Ireland was one of 2 countries that did not accept mixed vaccinations (the other being Trinidad & Tobago).
As of November 2021 however, Ireland now accepts mixed vaccinations.
more info: www.gov.ie
Will Ireland accept my paper proof of vaccination? Reports from Canadians
Report 1: "I used my paper copy to get into Ireland, no issue." more info
Northern Ireland has different rules for entry and 10 days of self isolation is still required
Go to www.nidirect.go.uk for info.
Cheapest PCR tests in Ireland?
Check this blog post and click on Ireland.
Direct flights from Canada to Ireland
Dublin (DUB) : Air Canada and Aer Lingus have resumed direct flights from Toronto.
jump to: Europe Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Italy
Latest entry requirements: Click here
More details can be found at www.esteri.it
Will Italy accept my paper proof of vaccination? Reports from Canadians
Report 1: "Showed my print out from Health Gateway for vaccine confirmation, no problems." more info
Cheapest PCR tests in Italy?
Check this blog post and click on Italy.
Direct flights from Canada to Italy
Rome (FCO) : Air Canada has resumed direct flights from Toronto and Montreal. Air Transat has not resumed direct flights from Toronto.
jump to: Europe Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Netherlands
Latest entry requirements: Click here
Will the Netherlands accept my paper proof of vaccination? Reports from Canadians
Report 1: "In Holland now. Yes, they accepted both Alberta vaccination papers and the cards BC issues." more info
Cheapest PCR tests in The Netherlands?
Check this blog post and click on Netherlands.
Direct flights from Canada to The Netherlands
Amsterdam (AMS) : KLM has resumed flights via Toronto, but Air Canada has not. KLM has resumed flights via Calgary, Vancouver, and Montreal, but not Edmonton. WestJet has *scheduled* direct flights from Calgary in August.
jump to: Europe Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Poland
Latest entry requirements: Click here
Will Poland accept my paper proof of vaccination? Reports from Canadians
Report 1: "I used my Health Gateway record on my trip to Poland and back. No issues." more info
Cheapest PCR tests in Poland?
Check this blog post and click on Poland.
Direct flights from Canada to Poland
Warsaw (WAW) : LOT has resumed flights via Toronto.
jump to: Europe Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Portugal, The Azores, & Madeira
Latest entry requirements: Click here
Detailed entry info for Portugal
Full details at: https://www.visitportugal.com/en/content/covid-19-measures-implemented-portugal
Cheapest PCR tests in Portugal?
Check this blog post and click on Portugal.
Direct flights from Canada to Portugal
Lisbon (LIS) : TAP and Air Canada have resumed direct flights from Toronto and Montreal. Air Transat has resumed direct flights from Montreal.
Oporto (OPO) : Air Transat has resumed direct flights from Toronto. Azores Airlines has not resumed direct flights from Toronto.
Ponta Delgada (PDL) : Azores Airlines has resumed flights from Toronto.
jump to: Europe Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Spain & The Canary Islands
Latest entry requirements: Click here
Will Spain accept my paper proof of vaccination? Reports from Canadians
Report 1: "Spain accepted my paper card. They recommend bringing your physical copy." more info
Cheapest PCR tests in Spain?
Check this blog post and click on Spain.
Direct flights from Canada to Spain
There are not currently any direct flights from Canada to Spain.
You would need to connect through the EU (such as Amsterdam or Frankfurt).
jump to: Europe Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Sweden
Latest entry requirements: Click here
Full details at: www.polisen.se
There are not currently any direct flights from Canada to Sweden.
You would need to connect through the EU (such as Amsterdam or Frankfurt).
jump to: Europe Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Switzerland
Latest entry requirements: Click here
Will Switzerland accept my paper proof of vaccination? Reports from Canadians
Report 1: "I can confirm that Switzerland is accepting paper copies issued by the pharmacy / province. And everybody is only looking for the date of the second dose." more info
Cheapest PCR tests in Switzerland?
Check this blog post and click on Switzerland.
Direct flights from Canada to Switzerland
Geneva (GVA) : Air Canada has resumed flights from Montreal.
Zurich (ZRH) : Air Canada and SWISS have resumed direct flights from Montreal. Air Canada has resumed direct flights from Toronto.
jump to: Europe Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Turkey
Latest entry requirements: Click here
Cheapest PCR tests in Turkey?
Check this blog post and click on Turkey.
Direct flights from Canada to Turkey?
Istanbul (IST) : Turkish Airlines has resumed flights from Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver.
jump to: Europe Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Other countries in Europe that are now open for Canadian tourists, but also don't have direct flights from Canada
To visit these countries, you would need to connect through Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Paris, etc - as there are not any direct flights (non-stop) scheduled from Canada.
Click on the country name for the latest entry requirements.
Kosovo - opened on September 15th, 2020.
jump to: Europe Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
CENTRAL AMERICA
Similar to countries in the Caribbean, certain countries in Central America started allowing Canadian tourists to visit again back in 2020, as long as they brought a recent negative PCR test result.
And similar to what is developing in Europe now, some countries in Central America have already started allowing vaccinated Canadian tourists to visit without any restrictions, or bringing a recent negative PCR test result.
Vaccination rates are still low in Central America (the most vaccinated countries are El Salvador, Panama, Belize, and Costa Rica, at around 10-15%). At their current pace, El Salvador, Belize and Costa Rica would be somewhat well vaccinated (40-45%) by the start of peak/dry season in November 2021.
On May 2nd, 2021, Panama, with a population of only 3 million people, acquired 5.5 million doses of Pfizer, and will likely be reaching herd immunity well ahead of anyone else in Central America.
Case numbers are still relatively high in Costa Rica.
Direct flights from Canada to Central America:
There weren't many direct flights from Canada to Central America throughout the pandemic, outside of Toronto to Costa Rica, El Salvador, and Panama. Direct flights from Western Canada to Costa Rica and Belize never did resume. For the time being, it's likely going to be a connection through the U.S. for most travellers.
Vaccination progress in Central America:
Percentage of Central American residents that have received at least one dose, by country
Belize
Latest entry requirements: Click here
Cheapest PCR tests in Belize?
Check this blog post and click on Belize.
Direct flights from Canada to Belize
Belize (BZE) : WestJet has resumed direct flights from Toronto.
jump to: Central America Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Costa Rica
Latest entry requirements: Click here
Cheapest PCR tests in Costa Rica?
Check this blog post and click on Costa Rica.
Direct flights from Canada to Costa Rica
San Jose (SJO) : Air Canada has resumed direct flights from Toronto and Montreal. Air Transat has resumed direct flights from Montreal.
Liberia (LIR) : Air Canada, WestJet, and Sunwing have resumed direct flights from Toronto. WestJet has resumed direct flights from Calgary.
jump to: Central America Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
El Salvador
Latest entry requirements: Click here
Cheapest PCR tests in El Salvador?
Check this blog post and click on El Salvador.
Direct flights from Canada to El Salvador
San Salvador (SAL) : Avianca has resumed flights from Toronto.
jump to: Central America Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Honduras
Latest entry requirements: Click here
Cheapest PCR tests in Honduras?
Check this blog post and click on Honduras.
Direct flights from Canada to Honduras
Roatan (RTB) : WestJet and Sunwing have resumed direct flights from Toronto.
jump to: Central America Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Panama
Latest entry requirements: Click here
Panama City (PTY) : COPA has resumed flights from Toronto. Air Canada has not resumed flights from Toronto.
jump to: Central America Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Other countries in Central America that have opened to Canadians but do not currently have direct flights from Canada
Click on the country name for entry restrictions.
jump to: Central America Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
SOUTH AMERICA
About half of South American countries have been allowing Canadian tourists to visit since the fall of 2020, usually requiring a recent negative test result for entry.
In March 2021 Ecuador (including the Galapagos) became the first South American country to allow vaccinated tourists to bypass all restrictions, including eliminating the need to bring a recent negative test result.
In November 2021 Argentina and Chile opened back up for tourists without quarantine requirements.
As of November 2021 most countries in South America are around 50-60% fully vaccinated. Chile is 77% but they're using the less effective Coronavac vaccine.
Direct flights from Canada to South America:
Even during non-pandemic times, the only direct flights from Canada to South America are through Toronto or Montreal.
As of right now, the only direct flights from Canada to South America are Air Canada's flights from Toronto to Bogota, Colombia.
Air Canada suspended their flights from Toronto/Montreal to Brazil and Chile in February 2021 and they have not yet resumed.
Direct flights from Canada to Peru and Ecuador never did resume during the pandemic, and have not yet resumed.
To reach South America, Canadians can connect through Central America via Toronto, or by connecting through the U.S.
Vaccination progress in South America:
Percentage of South American residents that are fully vaccinated, by country
Argentina
Latest entry requirements: Click here
Using a positive result to enter Argentina
Argentina asks for a positive result and a 'medical discharge certificate' issued between 10-90 days before travel.
more info: www.argentina.travel
Direct flights from Canada to Argentina
Buenos Aires (EZE) : Air Canada has not resumed direct flights from Toronto.
jump to: South America Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Brazil
Latest entry requirements: Click here
Sao Paulo (GRU) : Air Canada has resumed direct flights from Toronto and Montreal.
jump to: South America Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Chile
Latest entry requirements: Click here
Santiago (SCL) : Air Canada has resumed direct flights from Toronto.
jump to: South America Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Colombia
Latest entry requirements: Click here
Cheapest PCR tests in Colombia?
Check this blog post and click on Colombia.
Direct flights from Canada to Colombia
Bogota (BOG) : Air Canada has resumed direct flights from Toronto and Montreal.
jump to: South America Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Other countries in South America that have opened for Canadian tourists, but don't have direct flights from Canada
For entry requirements, click on the country name.
jump to: South America Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
THE MIDDLE EAST
Vaccination progress in The Middle East:
Percentage of Middle East residents that have received at least one dose, by country
4 countries in The Middle East are some of the most vaccinated in the world (Qatar, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Israel) at 56%-62%.
The rest of the countries in The Middle East are 10% or less, except for Jordan, which is at 20%.
Direct flights from Canada to The Middle East:
Direct flights from Canada to Jordan and the United Arab Emirates (Dubai, Abu Dhabi) were a reliable mainstay throughout the pandemic.
Air Canada has been operating direct flights from Toronto to Tel Aviv, Israel throughout 2020 and 2021. Fully vaccinated Canadian tourists are likely to be allowed back in by July 2021.
Direct flights from Toronto and Montreal to Doha, Qatar have also been operating on Qatar Airways. Fully vaccinated Canadian tourists are now permitted to visit Qatar.
Israel
Latest entry requirements: Click here
Cheapest PCR tests in Israel?
Check this blog post and click on Israel.
Direct flights from Canada to Israel
Tel Aviv (TLV) - Air Canada has resumed flights from Toronto.
jump to: The Middle East Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Jordan
Latest entry requirements: Click here
Amman (AMM) - Royal Jordanian has resumed flights from Montreal.
jump to: The Middle East Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Qatar
Latest entry requirements: Click here
Cheapest PCR tests in Qatar?
Check this blog post and click on Qatar.
Direct flights from Canada to Qatar
Doha (DOH) - Air Canada has resumed flights from Toronto. Qatar Airways has resumed flights from Montreal.
jump to: The Middle East Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
United Arab Emirates
Latest entry requirements: Click here
Direct flights from Canada to the United Arab Emirates
Dubai (DXB) : Emirates and Air Canada have resumed flights from Toronto.
Abu Dhabi (AUH) : Etihad has resumed flights from Toronto.
jump to: The Middle East Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Other countries in The Middle East that have opened for Canadian tourists, but don't have direct flights from Canada
Click on the country name for entry requirements.
jump to: The Middle East Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
EAST ASIA
Vaccination progress:
Percentage of East Asia residents that have received at least one dose, by country
Most countries in East Asia have done quite well, or extremely well, with handling covid throughout the pandemic. Taiwan and South Korea have had some of the lowest infection rates in the world. Japan has had outbreaks, but after adjusting for population, have fared 3-5 times better than even Canada.
This may be one reason their citizens don't seem to be in a rush to get vaccinated. These are wealthy countries, with plenty of vaccines, but they are moving at a snail's pace. Japan is also known for traditionally having a lot of vaccine hesitancy.
Hong Kong leads the way with 14% of their population vaccinated, South Korea is at 7%, while Japan is only at 3%.
Is East Asia allowing Canadian tourists?
As of right now, East Asia is essentially closed for Canadian tourists.
At one point, it was thought that Japan might open back up in the fall of 2021. Unfortunately with the rate they're going with vaccinations, this feels doubtful.
Hong Kong still has 14-21 day hotel quarantines.
South Korea
Latest entry requirements: Click here
On March 11, 2022 South Korea announced they were going to allow fully vaccinated foreign tourists to visit again, without quarantine, starting on April 1st.
Overseas visitors must enter their vaccine records to Q-CODE prior to arriving in Korea and scan the provided QR code upon immigration.
Seoul (ICN) : Korean Air and Air Canada have resumed flights from Toronto and Vancouver.
jump to: East Asia Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Are there any direct flights from Canada to East Asia?
Beijing, China (PEK): Air China has resumed flights from Vancouver. Hainan has resumed flights from Toronto.
Chengdu, China (CTU): Sichuan Airlines has resumed flights from Vancouver.
Guangzhou, China (CAN): China Southern has resumed flights from Vancouver.
Hong Kong (HKG): Air Canada has resumed flights from Vancouver. Air Canada and Cathay Pacific have resumed flights from Toronto.
Seoul, South Korea (ICN): Air Canada and Korean Air have resumed flights from Vancouver and Toronto.
Taipei, Taiwan (TPE): EVA Air has resumed flights from Vancouver and Toronto.
Tokyo, Japan (HND): ANA has resumed flights from Vancouver.
Tokyo, Japan (NRT): Japan Airlines has resumed flights from Vancouver.
SOUTHEAST ASIA
Vaccination progress:
Percentage of Southeast Asia residents that have received at least one dose, by country
It would probably surprise a fair number of Canadians to know that most countries in Southeast Asia have done quite well, or extremely well, with handling covid throughout the pandemic.
The worst hit country in Southeast Asia has been the Philippines, which peaked at just over 2 deaths per million in April 2021. That's 2 to 2.5 times better than we did here in Canada during the peaks of our first and second wave.
Vietnam, a country with just under 100 million people, has had a total of *35* covid related deaths throughout the entire pandemic, as of May 2021.
Philippines
Latest entry requirements: Click here
After being closed for nearly 2 years, The Philippines opened back up for tourism on February 10, 2022.
The fully vaccinated are no longer required to go through a mandatory quarantine.
They only need a negative RT-PCR test from within 48 hours of their departure.
Thailand
Latest entry requirements: Click here
Cambodia
Latest entry requirements: Click here
Indonesia / Bali
Latest entry requirements: Click here
Malaysia
Latest entry requirements: Click here
Singapore
Latest entry requirements: Click here
Direct flights from Canada to Singapore
Singapore (SIN) : Singapore Airlines has resumed direct flights from Vancouver.
Vietnam
Latest entry requirements: Click here
jump to: The Middle East Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
SOUTH & CENTRAL ASIA
Are any countries in South Asia allowing Canadian tourists?
Flights from Canada to India resumed on September 21, 2021 through a bubble agreement. In October of 2021 India is planning to open back up to foreign tourists for the first time since the pandemic began. Foreign tourists will be allowed to enter India on commercial flights starting on November 15th.
Sri Lanka, an island nation, is technically open for Canadians to visit (with restrictions). Sri Lanka has done quite well during the pandemic, with 800 deaths for a country that has about 2/3rds the population of Canada.
The Maldives, another island nation, are one country in South Asia that has welcomed international visitors throughout the pandemic, and I remember them being one of the first places to require negative test results for entry. And they are now even allowing fully vaccinated tourists to bypass the test result requirement. But the Maldives aren't exactly easy to get to.
Vaccination progress:
Percentage of South Asian residents that have received at least one dose, by country
India is over 40% vaccinated now, and after a 4 month suspension, flights have resumed between Canada and Toronto (Air Canada's flight from Toronto to Delhi).
Sri Lanka is now well vaccinated (66%) and so are The Maldives (71%).
India
Latest entry requirements: Click here
Cheapest PCR tests in India?
Check this blog post and click on India.
Direct flights from Canada to India
Delhi (DEL) - Air Canada has resumed direct flights from Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver.
jump to: South Asia Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Mongolia
Latest entry requirements: Click here
jump to: South Asia Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Nepal
Latest entry requirements: Click here
jump to: South Asia Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Sri Lanka
Latest entry requirements: Click here
jump to: South Asia Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
The Maldives
Latest entry requirements: Click here
jump to: South Asia Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Kyrgyzstan
Latest entry requirements: Click here
jump to: South & Central Asia Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Africa
Vaccination progress:
Percentage of African residents that have received at least one dose, by country
Most countries in Africa have less than 3% of their population vaccinated.
Two exceptions are Morocco with 14%, and The Seychelles, an island nation that is one of the most heavily vaccinated countries in the world (68%).
However, most people in the Seychelles were vaccinated with Sinopharm or Sinovac, and a recent rise in cases in the Seychelles has some wondering about their true efficacy.
It would probably surprise many Canadians to know that most countries in Africa have done quite well against covid. Most of them have actually fared better than Canada.
The science seems to suggest it's largely due to quick action, widespread public support for safety measures, having a very young demographic, and possibly because of warmer weather.
The big exception, as you've no doubt heard, is South Africa, who had a drastic rise in cases in early 2021. They have since come back down to have less cases per capita than Canada.
Are countries in Africa allowing Canadian tourists?
12 countries in Africa re-opened to Canadian tourists in 2020, all of them requiring a recent negative PCR test result for entry.
It wouldn't be surprising to see those same countries start to allow fully vaccinated Canadians to bypass the test result requirement, similar to what we're starting to see in Europe, The Caribbean, and Central America.
Are there any direct flights from Canada to Africa?
Even during non-pandemic times, the only direct flights from Canada to Africa are from Toronto or Montreal to countries in Northern Africa (Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt).
There are currently direct flights flying from Canada to Egypt & Morocco.
Egypt
Latest entry requirements: Click here
Cairo (CAI) : EgyptAir has resumed direct flights from Toronto. Air Canada has resumed direct flights from Montreal.
jump to: Africa Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Ethiopia
Latest entry requirements: Click here
Addis Ababa (ADD): Ethiopian has resumed direct flights from Toronto to Addis Ababa, but they currently have 1 stop in Dublin, Ireland on the way back to Toronto.
jump to: Africa Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Kenya
Latest entry requirements: Click here
jump to: Africa Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Morocco
Latest entry requirements: Click here
More info at: www.visitmorocco.com
Cheapest PCR tests in Morocco?
Check this blog post and click on Morocco.
Direct flights from Canada to Morocco
Casablanca (CMN) : Royal Air Maroc and Air Canada have resumed direct flights from Montreal.
jump to: Africa Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Rwanda
Latest entry requirements: Click here
jump to: Africa Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
South Africa
Latest entry requirements: Click here
jump to: Africa Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Tanzania
Latest entry requirements: Click here
jump to: Africa Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
The Seychelles
Latest entry requirements: Click here
jump to: Africa Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Tunisia
Latest entry requirements: Click here
Tunis (TUN) : Tunisair has resumed direct flights from Montreal.
jump to: Africa Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Uganda
Latest entry requirements: Click here
jump to: Africa Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Other countries in Africa that have re-opened for Canadian tourists
For the latest entry requirements click on the country name.
jump to: Africa Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, AND THE SOUTH PACIFIC
Vaccination progress:
Percentage of residents that have received at least one dose, by country
85% of Australia has had at least one dose (similar to Canada). 79% have had 2 doses (also similar to Canada).
Australia
Australia reopened for international tourists on February 21st, 2022.
To avoid quarantine, visitors must provide proof of full vaccination (2 doses, a booster is not required).
Visitors must also have a recent negative rapid antigen test (up to 24 hours before scheduled departure time), or a PCR test (up to 72 hours before).
Each state in Australia also has their own rules for entry, which may involve a cap on the number of visitors and/or quarantine time.
Info for each state: New South Wales / Sydney - Victoria / Melbourne - Queensland / Brisbane - South Australia / Adelaide - Western Australia / Perth
More info: Australian government: Department of Home Affairs
Direct flights from Canada to Australia
Sydney (SYD) : Direct flights have resumed from Vancouver with Air Canada and Qantas.
jump to: Africa Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Australia reopening - a look back
On October 1, 2021 Qantas announced that their international flights from Sydney to London, UK and Los Angeles will actually resume on November 14th, a month earlier than announced previously.
On October 6, 2021 the Prime Minister of Australia stated that foreign tourists won't be allowed back in until 2022.
On February 2, 2021 the Prime Minister of Australia announced that he hoped all of Australia would be reopened to international tourism by April 2022.
When will New Zealand allow Canadian tourists?
On May 6, 2021 New Zealand's tourism minister announced that they were going to 'reset' tourism in New Zealand by planning for fewer international visitors and diversifying the economies of tourist-dependent towns.
On August 12, 2021 New Zealand's Prime Minister stated that they would be taking a phased approach to reopening their border (similar to Canada). The plan is to start by allowing fully vaccinated travellers from low-risk countries to enter without being required to quarantine. This is expected to begin in early 2022.
On November 24, 2021 New Zealand announced their re-opening plans. Fully vaccinated Canadian tourists will be allowed back in starting at the end of April 2022. Travellers will be required to self-isolate for seven days, and be tested for COVID-19 on arrival.
On February 3, 2022 New Zealand announced their 5 stage plan to reopen. Stage 4, set to begin in July 2022, is the estimate for when Canadian tourists would be allowed to visit, but with a self isolation period. October 2022 is the estimate for Stage 5, with no self isolation.
On March 16, 2022 New Zealand announced they will be reopening earlier than planned. International tourists from Canada will be able to visit starting May 1st.
Fiji
Latest entry requirements: Click here
More info at: www.fiji.travel
jump to: South Pacific Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
French Polynesia (Tahiti, Bora Bora)
Latest entry requirements: Click here
More details can be found at: https://tahititourisme.ca/en-ca/covid-19/
PCR testing options in Tahiti
Go to https://tahititourisme.ca/en-ca/covid-19/ and scroll down to the Frequently Asked Questions.
Direct flights from Canada to Tahiti
There are no direct flights from Canada to Tahiti or Bora Bora. You need to connect through San Francisco or Los Angeles.
jump to: Australia, New Zealand, South Pacific Index Of Open Destinations Index Of Questions
Have the airlines started offering refunds for airfares and packages yet?
As part of the terms for accepting government money or government loans, the Canadian airlines have been required, or will be required, to offer refunds to the original form of payment.
This includes refunds to the original form of payment for vouchers, credits, eCoupons, point conversions, and non-refundable tickets.
Even if they denied your refund previously, they have to refund it now.
IMPORTANT: If you submitted a refund request prior to the airlines striking their deals with the government, you still need to submit your refund request again, using the links below.
Air Canada or Air Transat will not initiate the refund without you submitting the refund request using the links below.
If you booked through a travel agent or travel agency, you need to contact them, and they will initiate the refund on your behalf.
Air Canada
To submit your refund request, go to:
https://www.aircanada.com/refundrequest/?lang=en-CA
The deadline to submit your refund request with Air Canada is August 26th, 2021.
Air Transat
To submit your refund request, go to:
https://www.airtransat.com/en-CA/refunds
The deadline to submit your refund request with Air Transat is August 26th, 2021.
Air Transat has a tool for tracking your refund request.
Porter
Refund eligibility dates: If your flight was originally scheduled for on or after February 1, 2020.
To submit your refund request, go to:
https://www.flyporter.com/en-ca/customer-service/help-contact/covid-19-refunds
The deadline to submit your refund request with Porter is September 3rd, 2021.
Sunwing
On June 25th, 2021 Sunwing finally announced that they will be issuing refunds for hotels, flights and vacation packages for scheduled travel from February 1, 2020 onwards.
Eligible customers and travel agents must submit a request through the online COVID-19 refund request form by August 27, 2021.
Or you can go to https://www.sunwing.ca/en/request-a-refund and find a link to the same refund request form. That page also has a pretty detailed FAQ at the bottom about refunds.
Customers who booked through a travel agent or a third party must contact their travel agent or third party to request a refund.
Those who will not be eligible for a refund under the new policy include: customers who already received a refund, including a refund from an insurance provider; customers who received a refund from initiating a chargeback, or have a chargeback currently in progress; or customers who transferred their travel credit to another person not named on the booking.
WestJet & Swoop
It's hard to say exactly what will happen with refunds from WestJet & Swoop.
Swoop is a subsidiary of WestJet, and in 2019 WestJet became privately owned. They were bought by an entity with very deep pockets ($44 billion in assets).
They may not feel the need to strike exactly the same type of deal with the government as publicly traded Air Canada & Air Transat (financial aid from the government in exchange for what the government wants: refunds for everyone & restoration of domestic routes).
WestJet has already committed to restoring domestic routes.
WestJet and the government are allegedly very close to finishing whatever deal it is they are working on (although this has seemingly been the case for a while now).
One would think that WestJet would need to offer the same type of refunds as Air Canada, if for no other reason, to avoid the fallout from bad publicity.
Update July 20, 2021 - WestJet has announced they are no longer in talks with the Federal government for financial assistance.
jump to: Index Of Questions
Where can I find the cheapest PCR or antigen testing for travel (if required)?
In British Columbia, check out this blog post.
In Ontario, check out this blog post.
Air Canada / Switch Health test kits
Air Canada & Switch Health have introduced an RT-LAMP test kit that can be shipped to you ahead of time and brought with you on your trip.
It is acceptable for getting back into Canada. The result takes about 45 minutes. The price is $149 CAD.
To take the test, you insert the swab about 2 cm into each nostril for 15 seconds and move it in a circular motion. It's not very invasive.
More info at: https://switchhealth.ca/en/partners/aeroplan/#collectionKits
Make sure you are looking at the RT-LAMP test if you're looking for a test that you can bring with you on your trip. The PCR test on the same page above requires sending the results by mail to a lab in Canada. The RT-LAMP test is all performed over the Internet.
They also have a rapid antigen test kit for $79 CAD (For 2 tests. Antigen is not acceptable for entry into Canada, but is acceptable for entry into certain countries).
jump to: Index Of Questions
Are there any travel insurance providers that have COVID-19 medical coverage for Canadians?
Between March and June 2020 it was nearly impossible to find medical coverage for COVD-19. Most insurance companies were telling people 'due to the current travel advisory in place, coverage for covid is not available.'
But then around July 2020 we started to see market forces at work, and a couple of insurance companies started to offer coverage for covid, even while the Canadian government recommendation not to travel was still in place.
That got the ball rolling, and 13 insurance companies started offering medical coverage for covid-19 (see below).
Certain countries (Dominican Republic, Jamaica), airlines (Air Canada, Westjet, Air Transat, Sunwing, Emirates, Etihad, Virgin Atlantic), and vacation package operators (Air Canada Vacations, Westjet Vacations, Sunwing Vacations, Transat Vacations) are also starting to include covid-19 insurance for free.
Then the Government of Canada removed the travel advisory for a while, but put it back into place in December 2021 (thanks to Omicron), leaving many to wonder about their travel insurance options again.
TuGo
You can find some more info about these two options here.
1. Sunlife / Allianz
I've heard from a few people who mentioned their Sunlife group benefits through their workplace have confirmed that they would be covered for out of country medical expenses related to covid.
This June 23rd update on the Sunlife website seems to confirm that. Also see the following 2 PDF documents PDF 1 - PDF 2.
PDF 2 explicitly mentions that out-of-country medical coverage is available to plan members, even while the Government of Canada recommendation to avoid non-essential travel is still in place.
2. Green Shield Canada
Green Shield Canada announced that as of August 15th, 2020 they are offering medical coverage for covid-19 on all standard GSC travel plans.
This additional coverage will apply to all destinations globally – regardless of the COVID-19 travel advisory being in place or the reason for travel.
3. Manulife
Manulife has announced that as of October 2020 they will offer coverage for covid-19, including medical (up to $200,000) and trip interruption insurance.
Manulife has also stated that coverage is available even while the government of Canada has their blanket 'avoid non-essential travel' recommendation applied to every country.
On May 30, 2021 Manulife announced that they will be increasing their covid-19 medical coverage for fully vaccinated travellers up to $5 million. They have also announced that unvaccinated travellers will no longer be able to access the $150/day quarantine benefit (but they can still access $1 million in coverage).
4. HeyMondo
HeyMondo has stated that all insurance plans you see on their website cover medical assistance and expenses, even in the event of infection by coronavirus.
5. SafetyWing's 'Nomad Insurance'
SafetyWing has confirmed that even with the current Government of Canada travel advisory in place, they are offering plans for Canadians that cover covid-19.
Coverage for covid-19 works the same as any other illness as long as it was not contracted before your coverage start date.
Plans start at $40 USD for 4 weeks, or $73 USD if your trip involves travel to the U.S.
Coverage - up to $250,000
Deductible - $250
Trip Interruption – up to $5000
Lost Checked Luggage – up to $3000
Political Evacuation – up to $10,000
NOTE: SafetyWing can only be purchased by Canadians once they are physically outside of Canada (such as when you land at your destination or once the plane leaves Canadian territory.)
6. Ontario Blue Cross & Quebec Blue Cross
Yes, it's true, Blue Cross, as of July 2020, has declared that their emergency medical care benefit will now include coverage for COVID-19 providing the insured person does not show signs or symptoms of COVID-19 prior to departure.
The Emergency Medical Care benefit covers the insured person even if a government notice 'not to travel' is in place.
Trip Cancellation or Interruption related to COVID-19 is not available.
7. Medipac
Medipac is the official insurance provider for the Canadian Snowbird Association. Early on in the pandemic they were one of the first to announce that their 'Early Bird Special' plan would provide coverage for COVID-19 medical claims, and they continue to offer covid medical insurance to this day.
While Medipac's demographic is snowbirds heading to Florida, anyone can apply.
You can find the details in this PDF file. The Medipac website seems pretty terrible, most Google roads lead to snowbirds.org or calling for more info.
8. MSH International - an insurance agency for 'globally mobile citizens' that seems to be based out of France.
On their FAQ page about COVID-19, MSH claims that 'COVID-19 coronavirus treatment costs are covered in the same way as any medical condition, whether for consultations, lab work, medical imaging or hospitalization.'
MSH's home office in the Americas is in Toronto. In North America, they go by the name Ingle International and their website is www.ingleinternational.com
In the Ingle International FAQ about COVID-19, which seems to be old (dated March 26th, 2020) they state that new policies do not cover COVID-19 for Canadian travellers.
9. Trawick International's 'Safe Travels International Cost Saver' plan.
Trawick claims that COVID-19 expenses are covered and treated as any other sickness.
However, Trawick explicitly mentions that travel to the United States is *not* covered.
10. Seven Corners - a U.S. insurance agency that will also insure Canadians and offers medical insurance plans that cover COVID.
Their Liaison Travel Plus plan specifically mentions medical coverage for COVID worldwide.
11. Goose Insurance
On October 1st, 2020 Goose Insurance launched a stand-alone pandemic medical insurance policy in partnership with Lloyd’s of London and MSH International with up to $500,000 of coverage for pandemic-related emergency medical treatment while traveling. The price is $99 (annual, for unlimited trips of 30 days or less).
more info: https://www.gooseinsurance.com/en/travel-insurance/covid-insurance
12. Medjet
Medjet is an insurance company that focuses on arranging medical transfer to the hospital of your choice, in your home country. It's essentially medical evacuation insurance that you can buy in addition to your usual medical insurance.
Travel must be in one of the 48 U.S. states that they cover, or to Canada, Mexico, or the Caribbean Islands. (It does not include other regions).
Medjet announced in September 2020 that they would be covering covid-19 related medical transfers.
more info: https://medjetassist.com/medjet-blog/blog/2020/01/24/medjet-services-alert-coronavirus
13. Tugo
Tugo is now offering covid-19 insurance for emergency medical and related quarantine expenses.
It also includes a trip interruption benefit if the Government of Canada’s travel advisory changes to a Level 4 (avoid all travel) during your trip and you choose to come home early.
It's available for single trips worldwide or to the USA.
more info: https://www.tugo.com/en/travel-insurance/COVID-19/
jump to: Index Of Questions
Who should I be looking at for travel insurance? I need someone that offers coverage while the advisory is in place and will pay for quarantine expenses, if needed.
After the Canadian government announced they were reinstating the advisory, the insurance company I've seen the most Canadians mention going with after researching available options is TuGo.
TuGo has insurance plans available with the following features:
* coverage even if the Canadian government travel advisory is in place before your trip
* coverage if you must cancel or interrupt your trip due to a medical condition related to COVID-19
* Up to $150 per person ($300 per family) per day to maximum of 14 days for meals and accommodation in commercial or medical facility, if quarantine or self-isolation is required as a result of a COVID-19 emergency.
* If the Canadian Government issues a level 4 travel advisory to “avoid all travel” for COVID-19 while the insured traveller is already on their trip, a combined benefit amount of $500 for a one-way economy airfare to return home
* 'cancel for any reason' coverage can be added to your plan (50% reimbursement).
more info: https://www.tugo.com.
Manulife
Manulife has plans that offer $200 CAD/day (up to $2800 CAD per person) for hotel quarantine expenses. Or $400 CAD/day and up to $5600 CAD per family.
jump to: Index Of Questions
Rental Cars
Is it true that rental cars are really expensive right now?
There have definitely been a lot of news stories about the shortage of rental cars out there, most famously in Hawaii.
This shortage was caused by rental car agencies storing, or selling off, their fleets during the pandemic. There's also been a chip shortage making new cars scarce and expensive.
And once domestic travel came roaring back in the U.S. starting in March 2021, it's just a classic case of high demand and low supply meeting to create high prices in certain markets, until the supply of cars can be increased.
Taking a look at current rental car rates on Kayak for the summer here in Canada, on a random Friday to Friday week in July, as of May 18th, 2021 the prices were:
Vancouver (YVR) = $544 or $77/day
Calgary (YYC) = $526 or $75/day
Montreal (YUL) = $348 or $50/day
And in the U.S. ...
Honolulu (HNL) = $2308 or $329/day.
Los Angeles (LAX) = $525 or $75/day.
Orlando (MCO) = $500 or $71/day.
So in the case of Hawaii, the skyrocketing car rental rates are *definitely* real.
Rental rates in the mainland U.S. do seem more expensive than usual, by about 30%.
Here in Canada, where rental cars have always been more expensive than the U.S., we haven't yet experienced the real demand surge that may be headed our way, and our rates still seem relatively close to normal.
Rental cars can be reserved without any risk (free cancellation), so if you're planning a trip, it makes sense to reserve one right away, as soon as you know your dates.
jump to: Index Of Questions
Registering Your Vaccination
Is there a way to register my vaccination that was given to me outside of my province or Canada?
Alberta
Go to this page on the www.albertahealthservices.ca website.
British Columbia
If you have received a COVID-19 vaccine outside of B.C, but would like to register it with B.C., you can go to this page on the BC government website.
Your immunization records will be entered into the Provincial Immunization Registry. This usually takes about 48 hours.
Once entered in the Provincial Immunization Registry you can access your immunization record online through Health Gateway.
Ontario - most regions
- Go to https://tph.icon.ehealthontario.ca/#!/welcome and click on 'Get Started'
- You can also try contacting your local Public Health Unit, using this list.
- Here is a PDF file from the Ministry of Health with 'Guidance for Individuals
Vaccinated outside of Ontario/Canada'
Ontario - Toronto
- Go to this link on www.toronto.ca and click on 'Document your out of province or non-Ontario stock vaccine'
Ontario - Durham region
Call 905-668-2020, and leave a message. They will call you back and take your health card and vaccine info.
Then go to https://durham.ca/vaccinereceipt and send a copy of your vaccine receipt.
Ontario - Halton region
- Go to this link on www.halton.ca and follow the steps.
jump to: Index Of Questions
Passports
Tip: Don't forget to renew your passport (before everyone else does)
As it's been so long since most of have us have travelled internationally, it's likely that many of us haven't realized that our passports have expired, or will be expiring soon. It's not a bad idea to get it out of the drawer and take a look now.
It's also possible that the wait time for passport renewals could increase once Canadians get back to travelling, so the well prepared would be looking at doing this now while very few of us are.
Due to the impact of covid-19, the Government of Canada is allowing most people to renew their passport even if it's been expired for more than 1 year. Go to this link to make sure you are eligible.
Keep in mind that a lot of countries want your passport's expiration date to be more than 6 months down the road from the date you're trying to enter their country.
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Thanks for everything you do, Chris... keep up the great work!
Thank you Chris ! I appreciate every single post you are the absolute BEST !!!
Thank you Chris! It's a great article, although the situation is changing almost daily. Regarding the "lack of any medical insurance options that cover COVID-19", it must be noted that most countries on the list, including Canada, cover COVID-19 treatment for foreigners free of charge. The issue is that standard travel insurance policies, like those from your credit cards, specifically say that they won't cover ANY expenses if the ticket was purchased to a country that had a travel advisory from Government of Canada on that day. So, the coronavirus will be covered, but a broken leg won't.
Great article as always, Chris! But I recommend that you lead off with the Government of Canada's official global travel advisory (https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/advisories) to remind readers that there are still significant risks of traveling outside of Canada.
I would like to go to France in August, I am a permanent resident of Canada, reside in Canada but I am a US Citizen. any idea if that will an issue for entering France?
What about the SouthEast Asian countries like Japan, Taiwan, Chaina, Vietnam and so on?
Actually it's China but an 'a' just slipped in.
Thanks for the info but there is no mention of self-quarantine restrictions? Last time I checked Greece is asking for a 7 day self quarantine period even if you have tested negative. Unless this has changed?
Hi Sparky,
Japan: Just getting to the point where they're allowing 250 visitors/day from Australia, New Zealand, Thailand and Vietnam (focused mainly on business travelers).
Taiwan: Just getting to the point where they're considering certain business travelers and diplomats from Hong Kong and maybe a bubble with South Korea.
Vietnam: Like Taiwan, has done amazingly well (no reported deaths!) and are in no hurry to open the doors back up.
At this point, it appears SE Asian countries are focused on potentially creating a travel bubble within their own region, and don't seem to be in a hurry to allow tourists from other countries before the end of the year.
Hi Nuvi,
Things are definitely changing all the time. As I understand it, from June 1 to June 14, Greece had the 7-14 day quarantine in effect (7 if negative, 14 if positive).
From June 15-30, only passengers arriving from high-infection countries were subject to these quarantine rules.
And then as of July 1st, visitors *may* have to take a random or targeted test. They will have to self isolate for 24 hours at the address of their destination until the test results are out. Those who test positive will be quarantined for 14 days in designated hotels.
What about travel to the US?
Hi Bob,
Contrary to popular belief, Canadians have always been allowed to travel to the U.S. by air (just not by land).
There are still quite a few flights between Canada and the U.S., including...
Seattle, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Houston, Minneapolis, Charlotte, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Baltimore, New York City, Boston
Thank you!
Hi Eli,
I did some digging, and this was the best source of info I could find that might apply to your situation (U.S. citizen, but permanent resident of Canada) ...
link: travel to and from the EU during the pandemic
(Europa.eu is an official website of the European Union)
"While the restrictions on non-essential travel and their lifting depend on the traveller’s place of residence, the visa requirement continues to depend on nationality. If a traveller resides in a country where restrictions have been lifted, but is a national of a visa-required country, he or she must apply at the consulate of the Member State to which he wishes to travel to, in his or her country of residence."
Although U.S. citizens don't require a visa to visit the EU - the language in that document seems to suggest that where you reside is what matters.
"Based on the criteria and conditions set out in the Recommendation, as from 1 July Member States should start lifting the travel restrictions at the external borders for residents of the following 14 countries:" (including Canada)
I didn’t see the answer in the responses, I’m hoping I did t miss it...
Any news on Australia?
Thank you, I really appreciate what you do. I've been itching to travel (forever!) for a while, but some life events got in the way- And, that's not counting Covid! Sometimes I just click on your site for my Wishful thinking that will ensue????????????
Thank you, I really appreciate what you do. I've been itching to travel (forever!) for a while, but some life events got in the way- And, that's not counting Covid! Sometimes I just click on your site for my Wishful thinking that will ensue????????????
Hey Sparky
China does not allow visa holders at this time, citizens returning must quarantine 14 days
Hong Kong is still quarantining visitors in a hotel for 14 days, residents/citizens quarantine at home with a bracelet/app
Thank you Chris, this is so helpful
Hi Chris,
This is also a great website from IATA!
https://www.iatatravelcentre.com/international-travel-document-news/1580226297.htm
and note that some countries require locator forms to be completed before travel, like the UK and Greece.
Thanks for the update with all the information Chris! We appreciate your time and efforts! ????????
My emojis turned into ?? for some reason. Should be a heart with a maple leaf.
Hi Shauna,
Unfortunately travel to Australia doesn't look very promising for a while.
The CEO of Qantas, the largest airline in Australia, has stated publicly that mid-2021 would not be unrealistic for how long it might take for international flights to get back to normal. The Australian Prime Minister has agreed with this statement.
Ultimately though, nobody knows, as a turn of events can change things (vaccine development, etc).
I live in North Florida. Just happened upon your site. According to the news if Floridians travel to New York we will have to quarantine for 14 days. I don’t know how they could enforce this. I don’t plan on traveling until September of 2021 when I will be taking a Canada/New England cruise out of New York if the pandemic is over by then.
France is open but 14 day quarantine. Probably not something travellers or tourists want to deal with. Switzerland is good to go. Italy not open at all to Canadians.
Can people route through the USA to get to other countries ? With just a connection in the us?
Some travel health insurance will cover Covid , however if you go to a country that the Canadian government has a travel advisory, you are not covered by that insurance, eg no non essential travel to Mexico advisory...no coverage
Christine and others, stop worrying about covid19 treatment costs that much as they are almost universally free for all foreigners.
For the UK
https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/nhs-services/visiting-or-moving-to-england/visitors-who-do-not-need-pay-for-nhs-treatment/
Same applies for EU.
I believe Costa Rica is opening to countries with the virus under control on August 1st and that includes Canada. I could be wrong but maybe someone else can confirm this?
What about travel insurance? Are there any companies that will cover? I'm desperate for a vacation but the risk of being in a foreign country without valid insurance seems too great.
Any thoughts or additional insight?
Hi Chris D,
I've also heard that August 1st is the intended date for Costa Rica to re-open to select countries with low cases of COVID, and it's been speculated that Canada will be included on this list, but an official list of approved countries has not been released by Costa Rica yet.
At this time, the closest dates with non-stop flights from Canada to Costa Rica appear to be September 5th. (Toronto to San Jose or Liberia, with Westjet)
Hi Robin,
For possible insurance options that cover COVID, here's what I've seen:
1) Seven Corners (sevencorners.com) - a U.S. insurance agency that will also insure Canadians and offers medical insurance plans that cover COVID.
Their Liaison Travel Plus plan seems to specifically mention medical coverage for COVID worldwide.
2) Trawick International's (trawickinternational.com) 'Safe Travels International Cost Saver' plan
Claims that COVID-19 expenses are covered and treated as any other sickness.
3) Greece is one country that has stated they will cover testing, quarantine, and medical treatment costs for any travellers who test positive during their stay. Cyprus has also stated this.
Chris,
Is Mick correct that France a 14 day quarantine for tourists? I don’t see that requirement online anywhere.
Eli,
https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/coming-to-france/coronavirus-advice-for-foreign-nationals-in-france/
Hi Eli,
France does not have a quarantine for tourists coming from one of the approved countries, which includes Canada.
Like most countries in the EU, they are planning to review their policy every 2 weeks.
Where would we be able to get the covid testing as most testing centres turnaround time is greater than 72 hours?
Thanks Chris for the amazing work!
Denmark also requires 6 nights stay. That changes plan if you don't have that much time.
Any feedback about SafetyWings insurance? They are planning to remove Covid from their exception in August.
Planning to go to Germany, Czech, and Turkey. Any information (cost, how long to get results) about getting a PCR test in any of these countries before heading to Croatia? I can change my itinerary accordingly.
Hi Chris,
If Canada govt has issued travel advisories, does it make the travel insurance invalid even if it offers Covid coverage?
Hi,
Anyone thinking of traveling to Europe in late Aug-Oct?
I'd travel only if I can get a valid travel insurance. I am thinking of going to Iceland, Germany, Czech, Croatia, Turkey and Portugal. That would take me 2 months to travel.
Desperately want to travel, but I am wondering if it is really worth going through all the trouble of making it happen.
On one hand, this is great opportunity when Europe will not be crowded in summer for the first time ever. On the other hand, what if I catch Covid and have to spend 14 days in quarantine. Urgh. Just wondering what are others thinking?
Hi Sujatha,
Thanks for the info on the 6 night stay in Denmark, I added it to the post.
I can't say I've heard too much about SafetyWings. I see they also have a product called RemoteHealth that covers COVID (pretty expensive).
Back in late June, Frankfurt airport announced rapid PCR tests would be available at the airport. I just took a look, and it's 60 euros for a result within 6-8 hours, and 139 Euros for a result within 3 hours.
I believe Prague's airport in Czech has set up something similar. And I just took a look, and Istanbul's international airport has too (results within 2 hours).
Hi Sue,
I believe it would be up to the individual insurance company. You would definitely want to read the fine print of any policy very carefully and make sure they don't mention anything about travel advisories invalidating your coverage.
Hi,
I am scheduled to fly from Montreal to Nice via Lisbon first week of August. Will I have any issues transiting through portugal? Is there a requirement to have a negative COVID test if I am only transiting through portugal?
Thank you!
Hi Eli,
First, there was this announcement ...
"Portuguese authorities have determined that on flights departing from Portuguese-speaking countries and the United States of America, non-Portuguese passengers or non-residents of Portugal, with destination or transit in Portugal, who do not present at the time of departure proof of a COVID-19 test, namely molecular RT-PCR test, a with a negative result, carried out within the last 72 hours before departure, are not allowed to board or permitted entry to Portugal. "
But I heard from someone today who just received this from the consulate:
“ALL TRAVELERS must present proof of a negative COVID-19 test conducted within the last 72 hours – Your airline may refuse to board you without evidence a negative COVID-19 test conducted in the last 72 hours. Passengers arriving to Portugal without these test results are subject to refusal of entry and/or mandatory testing at the cost of the passenger as well as quarantine until the results of the test. Additionally, all passengers arriving are subject to mandatory temperature checks, and may be required to undergo secondary health screening and/or COVID-19 testing.”
Chris,
Below is the response I received from the Portuguese Consulate, seems like Covid results are not required for the mainland:
Canadians and legal residents of Canada, regardless of citizenship, are allowed to enter Portugal as of July 1st, 2020.
No quarantine or Covid test required for mainland Portugal. Azores and Madeira Islands require a Covid test (paper format) issued a maximum of 72 hours prior to arrival.
In Madeira and the Azores, if you are not in possession of a Canadian test, they will conduct it, allow you entry and give you the results at a later time, therefore, if you are visiting the Azores or Madeira, it is highly recommended that you take a Covid test from Canada (paper format) issued a maximum of 72 hours prior to arrival.
Thanks Eli! Portugal seems to be sending mixed signals during the re-opening of the EU, I hope all goes smoothly for everyone trying to get there.
Thanks chris for information.
I checked with Great West Life, my group benefits provider, and they say emergency coverage will be provided COVID is not a pre-existing condition when I travel. Given that our destination requires a negative covid test within 72 hrs of departure, I will have that proof in the event I do need emergency coverage.
Thanks Linda! It looks like The Great-West Life Assurance Company is now known as the Canada Life Assurance Company, for anyone else that might be helped by this info.
Any places in the Edmonton, Alberta area where I can get a real time PCR test for traveling to Costa Rica?
hi chris!
just confirming, if i am looking to travel from Canada (Quebec) to New York City, in mid October, for only 5 days... I would have to 'quarantine' in new york for 14 days?? Basically meaning I would not be able to travel to NY?
Hi Sophie, it does look that way. Last week the governor of New York signed an executive order stating that 'international travelers entering New York from Level 2 and 3 countries' are to quarantine for 14 days.
'Level 2 and 3 countries' applies to nearly everywhere, including Canada.
Pacific Blue Cross (BC) - NOT COVERED
https://service.pac.bluecross.ca/travel/medical
Travel Medical Insurance
For trips that depart on or after March 13, 2020, Coronavirus (COVID-19) related illness will not be covered. You can learn more about how Government travel advisories impact coverage in our Travel Insurance FAQs.
Trip Protection Insurance (Cancellations/Interruptions)
Effective March 12, 2020, we are considering Coronavirus (COVID-19) to be a known event for individually purchased Trip Protection. Travel insurance is intended to cover losses arising from sudden and unforeseeable circumstances. Any claims resulting from events known to a policyholder at time purchasing the trip are not covered.
Thanks for the info Philippe. Yes, it's only Ontario and Quebec Blue Cross that have coverage for covid-19. Ontario Blue Cross Covid-19 info
Where did you get the info saying that after October 31st, Canadians may not enter Portugal? Can you link me to the source? Thank you.
I have spoken to my airline and tirelessly looked through the government and visa websites and I haven't found anything updated saying that Portugal will block Canadians from entry.
Hi there, my partner needs to get a PCR test for travel as he needs to go home from Saskatoon for a family emergency but can’t find anywhere to get the test done that can provide the certificate for him to fly and that the results could be guaranteed within 72 hours.. can you suggest options?
Do you know how connecting flights work with these restrictions? I am looking at booking a flight from the UK to Mexico connecting through either France or the US. My partner is British and I am Canadian. Thanks!
Hi MD,
Generally speaking, airports around the world are allowing people to connect through their country, as long as they stay 'in transit' - meaning they don't leave the airport, their flight doesn't require an overnight stay, etc.
This is true even in situations when visitors from certain countries are not allowed. For example, pretty much everyone is forbidden from actually visiting Japan right now, but you can still connect through Tokyo's airports, to countries that are allowing you to visit. Just as long as you don't need leave the airport.
The same has been true for those connecting through the United Kingdom. As long as you can stay on the transit side and don't need to go through customs for entry, it's ok.
But you do want to make sure that the destination you're trying to enter is OK with you vistiting. Mexico has had no restrictions, for anyone, so if you can get there without having to officially enter any other country, I think you'd be fine.
Thanks for such a detailed list. I am planning on going to Maldives in Jan. Do you whats the best option with respect to getting there? Etihad/Air Canada has flights but not sure if they are flying or not.
Hi Parth,
If you're looking at flying Toronto to Abu Dhabi to Male, Maldives (MLE)...
- Toronto to Abu Dhabi (AUH) with Etihad has been flying since July (flight EY140)
- Abu Dhabi (AUH) to MLE with Etihad has been flying since August.
1 stop flights to the Maldives, on routes that appear to be stable and have been flying for a while. I'd say that's about as good as one could hope for right now.
Thanks Chris for this! I want to book September flights to Asia, with the deal you posted. I'm wondering what your opinion is regarding booking directly with the airline vs booking with a third party (expedia for TD, for points), in light of the situation right now with covid? The price is the same, but I'd like the points. Having said that, it seems more direct in case of a third/fourth/fifth wave to book with the airline? Thoughts?
I am now in México - thank you for your site, it was the best decision I have made this year - but I really find it's a shame Sweden is no longer open for Canadians.
We all need the option to get to Sweden whenever we are tired of the big masquerade.
Hi GD,
When it comes to making changes, it is better if you've booked directly. So it kind of comes down to what you think the value of those points are, versus the hassle of having to deal with a middleman (Expedia for TD) if changes are needed. I would like to think by September 2021 that we'll be back to a travel environment that resembles normal, but for peace of mind it might be worth sacrificing the points.
No problem Philippe, I'm glad it helped!
Just a heads up that Canadians aren't currently able to visit Iceland:
https://www.icelandair.com/blog/iceland-is-open-faq/
https://www.logreglan.is/english/regarding-travel-restrictions-to-iceland-as-a-result-of-covid-19/
I really do appreciate all the work you do to maintaining this site.
Thanks GC ! I have updated the Iceland entry.
What a gem you are Chris! Really appreciate all the hard work here!
No problem Adrianne, I'm glad it helps!
Thank you!!! Eager to get travelling and so incredibly thankful for this resource!
Your Blog is great. Thank you for keeping up with things. I appreciate all the useful information and helpful hints.
Thanks Jill and Doug, for checking it out!
Amazing work. This is super useful. Thank you Chris!
Chris! You rock! Thank you soo much for this amazing article!
Thanks for the great info! When you go on CVS website to try and book testing it won’t allow a Canadian address- any way around that?
I've heard of more success stories with Canadians using Walgreens than CVS.
With Walgreens people have mentioned just using A12345678 if it asks for a License Number, and the address of their hotel in the U.S. if it asks for a U.S. address.
And then on the day of the test, they aren't asked for ID at Walgreens.
This could work for CVS as well, but I would focus on Walgreens first if possible.
Chris, do you have any thoughts on when the government will remove the advice against non-essential travel? Is it possible on September 7th? What will drive their decision? Thank you for collecting all this amazing info!
I just got off the phone with GWL or Canada Life. They cover Covid as a regular claim. As long as you have proof of a negative test before travel. Otherwise ore existing conditions apply.
Since just about all countries require this before entry so should be easy enough to prove.
Infor for entering Ecuador is not current. Firstly, in my daily email from Ecuador I now see no negative test is needed to enter Ecuador, only proof of vaccination:
https://cuencahighlife.com/government-ends-traveler-requirement-for-negative-covid-test-as-cases-continue-to-decline/
Also the best stop is in Panama City - never the USA!! Toronto to Panama or Montreal to Panama using COPA airlines, one of the more pleasant airlines I have taken anywhere.
I enjoy the emails from you - Thank you very much.
Thank you for taking the time to research and share all this info! Just waiting to be “allowed” to leave my country lol
— unvaccinated and in Canada
I need to fly from YYZ to Thailand in a couple of weeks. The AC flight connection is in Seoul (second leg is with Asiana).
Is transit in Seoul a problem? (I'm fully vaxxed)
Thanks!
Is it possible to get info on which countries and airports are allowing transfers? And what is involved?
I would like to go back across the Pacific. But hard to figure out the connecton.
Thanks!