Driving to Canada: COVID-19 testing for travellers

Persons who have recovered from COVID-19 can continue to test positive long after they have recovered and are no longer infectious.

Travellers who have previously tested positive for COVID-19 must provide proof of a positive COVID-19 molecular test conducted between 14 and 90 days prior to your entry into Canada.

These tests are considered acceptable molecular tests:

• PCR - Polymerase chain reaction
• RT-PCR – reverse transcription real time PCR
• Quantitative PCR (qPCR)
• Nucleic acid test (NAT) or Nucleic acid amplification test (NAATs)
• Reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP)
• Isothermal amplification
• Droplet digital PCR or digital droplet PCR (ddPCR)
• Transcription-mediated amplification (TMA)
• RNA (Ribonucleic acid)
• Ct (cycle threshold)
• CRISPR
• Sequencing
• Next generational sequencing (NGS) or whole genome sequencing (WGS)
• Oxford Nanopore sequencing (LamPORE)
• Detection of the N gene
• Detection of Orf1a/b
• Detection of the S gene
• Detection of the E gene
• Detection of the RdRp gene

These tests use methods such as a nasopharyngeal (NP) swab, nose swab, or saliva sample. At this time, proof of having a vaccine will not replace a negative test result.

Learn more about COVID-19 diagnostic tests

The Government of Canada will notify travellers should it become mandatory to obtain COVID-19 molecular tests from specific accredited laboratories or facilities.

There are only a limited number of exceptions where an individual is not required to show proof of a valid test result:

General:

• persons who have molecular test proof to show they had a positive COVID-19 test taken between 14-90 days before travel
• children who are four years of age or younger (children who are five on the day of their travel must have proof of a negative COVID-19 test)

Medical and health care

• Medical treatments - persons who must leave and return to Canada to receive essential medical services in another country. This is not intended for individuals who want to get vaccinated for COVID-19. It’s intended for Canadians who require essential medical treatment (for example, life-saving treatment) outside of Canada. One person may accompany them. They must have:
  • written evidence from a licensed health care practitioner in Canada indicating services or treatments outside Canada are essential; and
  • written evidence from a licensed health care practitioner in the foreign country indicating services or treatments were provided in that country

Essential work considered exempt under the Emergency Orders

• Essential service provider as determined by the Chief Public Health Officer
• Trade and Transportation
  • persons in the trade or transportation sector who are important for the movement of goods or people, including truck drivers and crew members on any aircraft, shipping vessel or train, and that cross the border while performing their duties or for the purpose of performing their duties
• Emergency services
  • including firefighters, peace officers, and paramedics, who return from providing such services in another country and are required to provide their services within 14 days of their return to Canada
  • a person permitted to work in Canada under paragraph 186(t) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations who enters for the purpose of providing those services
• Government Officials – employees of the Government of Canada or a foreign government, including border services officers, immigration enforcement officers, law enforcement and correctional officers, who are escorting individuals travelling to Canada or from Canada pursuant to a legal process such as deportation, extradition or international transfer of offenders.
• Law enforcement officer, border enforcement officer, or immigration enforcement officer - Officials of the Government of Canada, a provincial or a foreign government, including law enforcement, border enforcement, and immigration enforcement officers, who enter Canada for the purposes of law, border or immigration enforcement, or national security activities that support active investigations, ensure continuity of enforcement operations or activities, or transfer information or evidence pursuant to, or in support, of a legal process, and who are required to provide their services within 14 days of entry and have reasonable rationales for the immediacy of the work and the inability to plan for a 14 day quarantine;
• Canadian Armed Forces - A member of the Canadian Armed Forces who enters Canada for the purpose of performing their duties
• Visiting forces - Visiting force air crew entering Canada for the purpose of performing mission-essential duties as a member of that force

Cross-border workers and transborder communities

• Frequent cross border workers – persons who must cross the border regularly to go to their normal place of employment, including critical infrastructure workers (Energy and Utilities, Information and Communication Technologies, Finance, Health, Food, Water, Transportation, Safety, Government and Manufacturing), provided they do not directly care for persons 65 years of age or older within the first 14 days after their entry to Canada.
• A person who enters Canada within the boundaries of an integrated transborder community that exists on both sides of the Canada-United States border and who is a habitual resident of that community, if entering Canada is necessary for carrying out an everyday function within that community; such as buying groceries or gas when the community access is in Canada, such as the Akwesasne community.
• A person who enters Canada if the entry is necessary to return to their habitual place of residence in Canada after carrying out an everyday function (such as getting groceries, going to work, or seeing a doctor) that, due to geographical constraints, must involve entering the United States.

Border communities

A habitual resident of the remote communities:

• Northwest Angle, Minnesota:
  • only to access necessities of life or to transit through from the closest Canadian community where such necessities of life are available
  • to transit through to the mainland United States or return to their place of residence as long as they remain in their vehicles while passing through Canada
• a place in Alaska who enters Canada via Yukon to access another place in Alaska, or to return to their place of residence as long as they remain in their vehicle while passing through Canada
• Hyder, Alaska who enters Canada only to access necessities of life from the closest Canadian community where such necessities of life are available
• Campobello Island, New Brunswick or Stewart, British Columbia who enters Canada after having entered the United States only to access necessities of life from the closest American community where such necessities of life are available
• Point Roberts, Washington transiting through Canada to return to their habitual residence or to access the mainland United States

Cross-border students and people driving them

These exemptions are not intended to exempt a traveller who crosses the border at the beginning and end of a semester. They are for people who attend school in the other country regularly, and do not stay overnight on the other side of the border.

Studying in Canada

• A student who:
  • is enrolled at an approved designated learning institution in Canada
  • travels to that institution regularly (one or more days a week)
  • is not staying overnight in Canada
  • is only entering Canada to go to that institution
• A driver who:
  • is picking up a student who is exempt from testing requirements
  • enters Canada only to drop off or pick up a student who is attending an approved designated learning institution in Canada
  • only leaves the vehicle to escort the student to or from the institution while in Canada
  • wears a well constructed, well fitted mask while outside the vehicle in Canada
  • is not staying overnight in Canada

Studying in the United States

• A student who:
  • is enrolled at an educational institution in the United States
  • travels to that educational institution regularly (one or more days a week)
  • is entering Canada to return to their place of residence after attending that educational institution
  • is not staying overnight in the United States
  • will not directly care for persons 65 years of age or older within the 14-day period beginning on the day they enter Canada
• A driver who:
  • is picking up a student who is exempt from testing requirements
  • enters Canada after dropping off or picking up a student at the educational institution in the United States where the student is enrolled
  • enters Canada to return to their place of residence
  • only leaves the vehicle while outside Canada to escort the student to or from the institution
  • wears a well constructed, well fitted mask while outside the vehicle
  • is not staying overnight in the United States

Some examples include:

• You live in Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, Canada and cross daily to attend school in Sault Ste Marie, Michigan, U.S. Your parent drives you to school and picks you up every day. You are both exempt from pre-arrival testing, quarantine and arrival testing.
• You attend school in British Columbia and stay in residence during the school week. You went home to the U.S. for the weekend and your parent drives you back to school. You and your parent are not exempt from testing or quarantine because you are not crossing the border regularly to attend school.
• You attend school in Montreal, Quebec, Canada for the year. Your parent enters Canada at the beginning of May to bring you home to the U.S. for the summer. Your parent is not exempt from testing or quarantine because you are not crossing the border regularly to attend school. The driver is only exempt if the student is exempt.

Cross-border custody arrangements

• A dependent child who enters Canada under the terms of a written agreement or court order regarding custody, access or parenting.
• A driver of a vehicle who enters Canada to drop off or pick up a dependent child under the terms of a written agreement or court order regarding custody, access or parenting, as long as the driver only leaves the vehicle while in Canada, if at all, to escort the dependent child to or from the vehicle and they wear a well constructed, well fitted mask while outside the vehicle.
• A driver of a vehicle who enters Canada after dropping off or picking up a dependent child under the terms of a written agreement or court order regarding custody, access or parenting, as long as the driver only left the vehicle while outside Canada, if at all, to escort the dependent child to or from the vehicle and they wore a well constructed, well fitted mask while outside the vehicle.

Other special circumstances

• National interest - A person or member of a group whose presence in Canada, as determined by the Minister of Health, is in the national interest.
• Land border crossing - A person who enters Canada in a vehicle at a land border crossing in the following circumstances:
  • was denied entry to the United States, or
  • entered the territory of the United States but did not seek legal entry to the United States
• Refugee Protection -Persons who enter Canada from the United States for the purpose of making a claim for refugee protection
• Extraordinary and unforeseen circumstances
• Exigent hardship consular cases for Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or persons with status under the Indian Act, as determined by the Minister of Foreign Affairs
• Disaster response support as determined by the Minister of Transport or Minister of Public Safety
• Exigent cases as determined by a Quarantine Officer

For more information, go to the List of Acts and Regulations and look for information on the Quarantine Act, the Emergency Orders, and the Chief Public Health Officer (CPHO) Group Exemptions that may apply.

Canadian government offices abroad do not provide medical attention (including administering COVID-19 testing) or cover medical expenses for Canadian citizens abroad. At any time, you may also contact the Emergency Watch and Response Centre in Ottawa.

• Embassy and consulates in the United States
• Emergency Watch and Response Centre

• Foreign nationals without a valid molecular test or with symptoms of COVID-19 will not be allowed into Canada.
• If a Canadian citizen, person registered under the Indian Act, or permanent resident does not provide proof of a valid molecular test result they:
  • will be allowed entry, but may be subject to a fine of up to $3,000 per day or face criminal prosecution
  • may also be required to go to a designated quarantine facility if they are symptomatic on arrival at the border, or do not have a suitable quarantine plan

Keep your pre-entry test results for 14 days. In addition, you will be required to isolate and keep your test results for 14 more days if you:

• develop signs and symptoms of COVID-19
• are exposed to another person who exhibits signs and symptoms of COVID-19
• test positive for COVID-19

You must provide proof of your test results, if asked, to any federal, provincial, territorial or municipal government official.

All travellers arriving in Canada are obligated by Canadian law to respond truthfully to all questions. Providing false information to a Government of Canada official upon entry to Canada is a serious offence and may result in penalties and/or criminal charges. Foreign nationals who provide false information could also be denied entry to the country and/or be barred from returning to Canada.

Making a false declaration when entering Canada at the land border, including the presentation of a fraudulent test result, carries the potential of a fine of $3000 under the Quarantine Act for individuals.

Violating any instructions provided when you enter Canada or putting others at risk of a serious communicable disease are offences under the Quarantine Act and could lead to up to three years in prison and/or up to $1 million in fines.

• St. Bernard de Lacolle (Highway 15), QC
• Queenston-Lewiston Bridge, ON
• Douglas, BC
• Coutts, AB
• St Stephen 3rd Bridge, NB
• Ambassador Bridge, ON
• Fort Erie (Peace Bridge), ON
• Windsor-Detroit Tunnel, ON
• Sarnia (Blue Water Bridge), ON
• Pacific Highway, BC
• Niagara Falls Rainbow Bridge, ON
• Lansdowne (Thousand Islands Bridge), ON
• St-Armand/Philipsburg, QC
• Huntingdon, BC
• Emerson, MB
• Stanstead, QC

Contact Switch Health and a customer service representative will be able to create an account for you, and add you to a call-back time slot.

During your call-back, a nurse will guide you through the home test process over the phone. This includes:

• taking a nasal swab
• packaging the sample
• arranging a courier to pick up the sample for delivery to the laboratory

Contact Switch Health to receive your test results.

All travellers will receive calls from a live agent or automated system and you may also be visited at your place of quarantine by a Screening screening officer to verify your compliance. You are under a legal obligation to take the arrival and Day-8 tests. Failure to comply with the requirements of the Quarantine Act and emergency orders made under this Act is an offence and could lead to fines of up to $750,000 or imprisonment. If you do not take the tests, you may also be transferred to a designated quarantine facility.

You must remain in your place of quarantine and complete your Day-8 test. You can only leave your place of quarantine if you receive a negative result on your Day-8 test AND have completed your mandatory 14-day quarantine.

A negative test result usually means you don’t have COVID-19, but it is possible to receive a negative test result when you have already been infected with COVID-19, for example, prior to the development of symptoms.

You are still required to complete a test on Day-8 of your quarantine.

You must isolate yourself from others immediately for a period of 14 days beginning on the day you tested positive for COVID-19, which is the day you took the test. A government representative will call you to provide additional details and instructions.

You must take another test. Collect another specimen using your Day-8 kit with the instructions provided. Switch Health should courier you a replacement kit, to use on Day-8 of your quarantine.

Contact Switch Health to make sure the new test kit has been sent.

There are only a limited number of exceptions where an individual is not required to take an arrival test:

• Resolved COVID-19 infection - persons who have molecular test proof to show they had a positive COVID-19 test taken between 14-90 days before travel
• Children - children who are four years of age or younger (children who are five on the day of their travel must take an arrival test)
• Persons who were exempt from quarantine requirements
• Diplomatic or consular couriers
• Extraordinary and unforeseen circumstances –
  • Exigent hardship consular cases for Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or persons with status under the Indian Act, as determined by the Minister of Foreign Affairs
  • Significant national transportation disruptions (respond to, investigate or prevent) as determined by the Minister of Transport
  • National security risks (respond to, investigate or prevent) as determined by the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
  • Exigent cases as determined by a Quarantine Officer

Border communities

A habitual resident of:

• Northwest Angle, Minnesota:
  • only to access necessities of life or to transit through from the closest Canadian community where such necessities of life are available
  • to transit through to the mainland United States or return to their place of residence as long as they remain in their vehicles while passing through Canada
• a place in Alaska who enters Canada via Yukon to access another place in Alaska, or to return to their place of residence as long as they remain in their vehicle while passing through Canada
• Hyder, Alaska who enters Canada only to access necessities of life from the closest Canadian community where such necessities of life are available
• Campobello Island, New Brunswick or Stewart, British Columbia, who enters Canada after having entered the United States only to access necessities of life from the closest American community where such necessities of life are available

Some circumstances allow for alternative testing protocols upon arrival.

A government representative will provide further instruction on arrival testing:

• Unaccompanied minors - a person who is less than 18 years of age and is not accompanied by a person who is 18 years of age or older
• Compassionate Reasons - A person that has explicit approval from PHAC to be temporarily released from quarantine for the following purposes:
  1. To attend to the death of or provide support to a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, temporary resident, protected person or a person registered under the Indian Act who is residing in Canada and who is deemed to be critically ill by a licensed health care professional
  2. To provide care for a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, temporary resident, protected person or a person registered as an Indian under the Indian Act who is residing in Canada and who is deemed by a licensed health care professional to have a medical reason that they require support
  3. To attend a funeral or end of life ceremony
• Persons or class of persons as determined by the Chief Public Health Officer

Contact Switch Health and a customer service representative will be able to create an account for you, and add you to a call-back time slot.

During your call-back, a nurse will guide you through the home test process over the phone. This includes:

• taking a nasal swab
• packaging the sample
• arranging a courier to pick up the sample for delivery to the laboratory

Contact Switch Health to receive your test results.

Your Day-8 test must be completed using the Switch Health kit provided. You must stay in quarantine until you have received a negative test result using the kit provided AND your 14-day quarantine period is complete.

All travellers will receive calls from a live agent or automated system and you may also be visited at your place of quarantine by a screening officer to verify your compliance.

You are under a legal obligation to take the arrival and Day-8 tests. Failure to comply with the requirements of the Quarantine Act and emergency orders made under this Act is an offence and could lead to fines of up to $750,000 or imprisonment. If you do not take the tests, you may also be transferred to a designated quarantine facility.

You can only leave your place of quarantine if you receive a negative result from your Day-8 test AND you have completed your mandatory 14-day quarantine.

You must isolate yourself from others immediately for a period of 14 days that begins from the time you took the test with positive results (i.e. date/time of specimen collection). A government representative will call you to provide you with additional instructions.

If you receive an indeterminate result on your Day-8 test, you must complete another test.

Switch Health should automatically courier another test kit to you. Contact Switch Health to ensure a kit has been sent.

You must stay in quarantine until you receive a negative result from your repeat test and you have completed your mandatory 14-day quarantine.

If you have not received your Day-8 test result, contact Switch Health.

You must stay in your place of quarantine until you receive a negative result on your Day-8 test and you have completed your mandatory 14-day quarantine.