Starting today, November 30, 2021, the following COVID-19 vaccines are accepted by the Government of Canada for international travel in addition to the vaccines that have been recognized earlier this year:
- Bharat Biotech (Covaxin, BBV152 A, B, C);
- Sinopharm (Beijing) BBIBP-CorV (Vero Cells);
- Sinovac (CoronaVac, PiCoVacc).
Previously recognized COVID-19 vaccines are:
- Pfizer-BioNTech (Comirnaty, tozinameran, BNT162b2);
- Moderna (Spikevax, mRNA-1273);
- AstraZeneca (Vaxzevria, COVISHIELD, ChAdOx1-S, AZD1222);
- Janssen/Johnson & Johnson (Ad26.COV2.S).
As advised by the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), to qualify as a fully vaccinated traveller, the traveller must have received at least 2 doses of an accepted vaccine or a mix of 2 accepted vaccines, or 1 dose of the Janssen/Johnson & Johnson vaccine. For someone to qualify as a fully vaccinated traveller, the traveller must have received the second vaccine dose (or the single dose of the Janssen/Johnson & Johnson vaccine) at least 14 full days prior to the day of travel.
If you have only had one dose of an accepted vaccine other than Janssen (Johnson & Johnson), you do not qualify for the fully vaccinated traveller exemption. If you have recovered from COVID-19, you still need a full series of an accepted COVID-19 vaccine or mix of 2 accepted vaccines.
All travellers 5 years of age or older, regardless of citizenship or vaccination status, must provide proof of a COVID-19 negative molecular test result taken within 72 hours of your scheduled flight, or arrival at a land border crossing to enter Canada or proof of a previous positive test result taken between 14 and 180 days. Rapid antigen tests are not accepted. There are additional specific COVID-19 pre-entry test requirements for individuals travelling from India or Morocco.
Canadian citizens, people registered under the Indian Act, permanent residents and protected persons travelling to the United States are allowed to undergo their COVID-19 pre-entry molecular test before they leave Canada if they re-enter Canada within 72 hours from the departure time from Canada.
It is important to note that the government of Canada requires a traveller to take several steps to qualify for quarantine exemption. Simply having proof of vaccination records is not sufficient to meet quarantine exemption.
Contact Siskinds’ Immigration Law Group for border-crossing assistance to Canada. We assist business travellers and individuals daily who travel to Canada to visit their immediate and extended family members.