Travel to Canada: Requirements for COVID-19 vaccinated travellers

Vaccines accepted by the Government of Canada for the purpose of travel to and within Canada:

• AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD (ChAdOx1-S, Vaxzevria, AZD1222)
• Bharat Biotech (Covaxin, BBV152 A, B, C)
• Janssen/Johnson & Johnson
• Moderna (Spikevax, mRNA-1273) including for children aged 6 to 11 years
• Novavax (NVX-COV2373, Nuvaxovid, Covovax)
• Pfizer-BioNTech (Comirnaty, tozinameran, BNT162b2) including for children aged 5 to 11 years
• Sinopharm BIBP (BBIBP-CorV)
• Sinovac (CoronaVac, PiCoVacc)

To qualify as a fully vaccinated traveller, you must have received, at least 14 calendar days by the day you travel:

• at least 2 doses of a vaccine accepted by the Government of Canada for the purpose of travel
• or a mix of 2 accepted vaccines
• or at least 1 dose of the Janssen/Johnson & Johnson vaccine

If your proof of vaccination is not in English or French, you need a certified translation in English or French.

Your certified translation must include the stamp or membership number of a professional translation association.

Translation of documents

Keep both the original proof of vaccination and the certified translation with you while you travel.

If your proof of vaccination doesn't meet all of the requirements, it will be considered invalid. You will not qualify as a fully vaccinated traveller.

If you do not qualify for the fully vaccinated traveller exemption, you may still be able to enter Canada.
Find out if you can enter Canada

1. Locate the proof you'll need to upload

Use your Canadian COVID-19 proof of vaccination
Use your Canadian COVID-19 proof of vaccination PDF with QR code to smooth your journey.
The Canadian proof is a bilingual file that shows the country of issuance as Canada, the issuing province or territory, your name, and birthdate above a QR code, followed by doses received
• If you don't already have it, download a PDF file of your Canadian COVID-19 proof of vaccination from your province or territory

Others without Canadian proof of vaccination
The proof you use:
• must be official certificates, passes, cards, receipts, or confirmations that show any first and second doses of COVID-19 vaccine you received
• can't show only a QR code
• must show as text:
• your name
• the name of the government or organization who administered the vaccine
• the brand name or any other information that identifies the vaccine(s)
• the date(s) you received the vaccine(s)
• must be in English, French, or a certified translation into English or French
Use the original file you received, or take a clear well-lit photo of your paper proof
• file formats accepted: PDF, PNG, JPEG or JPG
• maximum file size for upload: each image upload has a 2 MB size limit

2. Save or move your proof of vaccination file(s) to have ready to upload

• if you'll be using the ArriveCAN mobile app, save the file(s) onto your phone or you can take a picture of your paper proof of vaccination
• or if you'll be signing into ArriveCAN online, save onto your computer
• you can also send your proof to someone who'll complete your ArriveCAN form for you

To be ready for your trip, create your free ArriveCAN account

3. Upload your proof in ArriveCAN in the traveller profile

Upload your proof of vaccination and your travel documents before any planned travel:

• Sign in to ArriveCAN from a computer or use the mobile app
• Select 'Travellers' and '+ Add traveller' to set up your profile and the profile of other travellers who are likely to accompany you
• Enter your travel documents and vaccination information
• When asked to upload your proof of vaccination, click the button labelled 'Add file/photo' and select the PDF file or photo you saved in Step 2 or use the camera to take a picture of your proof
• If proofs of vaccination for your first and second dose are in separate files or photos, click the on Add file/photo button again to upload the second proof
• A screen will show that your traveller profile is being saved
• You can add, delete or save travellers at any time by clicking on the ‘travellers’ tab at the bottom of the screen
• Within 72 hours before your entry, click on ‘start’ on the home screen to start your ArriveCAN submission. You’ll need to answer questions about your travel plan. To qualify as a fully vaccinated traveller, your ArriveCAN receipt must show an A, I, or V next to your name

Final determination of your vaccination status will be made at the border. You must bring a digital or paper copy of your proof(s) of vaccination with you and keep it for 14 days after entry.

Complete your ArriveCAN form to get your receipt within 72 hours before your return to Canada.

People entering by land who were unaware of the mandatory use of ArriveCAN will be informed by a Border Services Officer of the mandatory requirements to submit their information through ArriveCAN and will be allowed to:

• return to the U.S. to take the time to complete ArriveCAN and re-enter Canada after submitting it or
• complete their ArriveCAN submission at the border crossing, if it is operationally feasible

People arriving by boat (including ferry) may use ArriveCAN to submit your proof of vaccination within 72 hours of arriving or when you enter Canada. Travellers arriving by boat must still provide a pre-entry test within 72 hours of their planned entry into Canada.

You must be prepared to quarantine when entering Canada as you could be required to quarantine for 14 days if you don’t meet the requirements of a fully vaccinated traveller.

A suitable quarantine plan must be entered into ArriveCAN. You may be asked to explain your quarantine plan at the border.

• If you’ve installed the free ArriveCAN mobile app, update it first (if you don’t have auto update on).
• If you don't have a smartphone, sign in to ArriveCAN online
• You clicked to the next page without scrolling down after answering all the vaccination questions.
• The vaccine you received is not an accepted vaccine in Canada.
• Your last dose was less than 14 days before entering Canada.

If you’ve already submitted your information and have an ArriveCAN receipt without your vaccination information (i.e., without an I or a V next to your name), start over in ArriveCAN before you cross the border. ArriveCAN will clear your previous submission.

Use ArriveCAN – It’s free, download the mobile app or sign in online

If ArriveCAN didn’t ask you to upload proof of vaccination, or showed a message that you are not eligible to enter Canada, there are several possible reasons:

• You haven’t updated your free ArriveCAN mobile app. Update it first (if you don’t have auto update on).
• The vaccine you received is not an accepted vaccine.
• Your last dose was less than 14 days before entering Canada.

If you’ve already submitted your information and have an ArriveCAN receipt without your vaccination information (for example, without an I or a V next to your name), start over in ArriveCAN before you cross the border. ArriveCAN will clear your previous submission.

If you uploaded your proof of vaccination into ArriveCAN and qualified as a fully vaccinated traveller at the border (meaning that you have an A, I, or V next to your name on your ArriveCAN receipt), you should not receive further emails or notifications from ArriveCAN.

If your submission included travellers who are not exempt from the requirement to quarantine (e.g., unvaccinated 12- to 17-year-olds or unvaccinated dependent adults), you will receive ArriveCAN notifications and will be asked to complete daily reporting for the unvaccinated travellers. If you did not have an A, I, or V next to your name on your ArriveCAN receipt, you did not qualify as fully vaccinated and will get post-border notifications.

If you are receiving notifications that don't reflect your situation, use the ArriveCAN contact form so that your situation can be resolved:

Contact ArriveCAN form

You may see one or more letters beside your name on your receipt. This means that you may have to discuss one of the following with a Government official at the border:

• (Q) your quarantine plan
• (S) your symptom self-assessment
• (V) or (I) your vaccination status (ensure you have evidence of your proof of vaccination when you travel and be prepared to show it on arrival)

If there’s no letter I, V, or A next to your name

• you aren’t fully vaccinated according to Canada’s requirements, or
• you didn’t upload proof of vaccination (1 image for your one-dose vaccine, 2 images for your two-dose vaccine, or 1 image that includes details of both of your doses)
• you’re travelling for exempt essential travel

If you’ve already submitted your information and have an ArriveCAN receipt without your vaccination information (for example, without an I, V or A next to your name), start over in ArriveCAN before you cross the border. ArriveCAN will clear your previous submission.

Fully vaccinated travellers are not exempt from mandatory randomized arrival testing.

Requirements for children aged 5 to 11 accompanying fully vaccinated parents (and other eligible adults):

• unvaccinated or partially vaccinated children must be tested if their accompanying parent is selected for mandatory randomized testing
• children who qualify as fully vaccinated are not required to be tested if their accompanying parent is selected for mandatory randomized testing
• children who qualify as fully vaccinated must be tested if they are selected for mandatory randomized testing

Who is exempt from arrival testing

• Already recovered: Travellers who provide a positive COVID-19 molecular test result, conducted at least 10 calendar days and no more than 180 calendar days before entering Canada. Counting starts the day after the test is taken.
  • for example, if your positive COVID-19 molecular test was taken on January 1, then January 11 would be the first day you could use it
  • January 11 would be the earliest scheduled departure date of your flight to Canada, or the first day you could use it to enter Canada by land or water
  • if your positive proof is accepted you won’t have to take arrival or Day-8 tests
• Travellers arriving by boat
• Children under the age of 5
• Crew and essential service providers already exempt from arrival testing continue to be exempt

Find out if your travel is exempt from arrival testing

You are exempt from arrival testing if you:

• provide a positive COVID-19 molecular test result, conducted at least 10 calendar days and no more than 180 calendar days before entering Canada. A positive antigen test is not accepted.

Counting starts the day after your test.

• for example, if your positive COVID-19 molecular test was taken on January 1, then January 11 would be the first day you could use it
• January 11 would be the earliest scheduled departure date of your flight to Canada, or the first day you could use it to enter Canada by land or water
• if your positive proof is accepted you won’t have to take arrival or Day-8 tests

• Abbotsford (YXX) - LifeLabs
• Calgary (YYC) – Switch Health
• Edmonton (YEG) – Switch Health
• Halifax (YHZ) – Switch Health
• Hamilton (YHM) – Switch Health
• Kelowna (YLW) - LifeLabs
• Montreal (YUL) – Biron (no pre-registration required)
• Ottawa (YOW) – Switch Health
• Quebec City (YQB) – Biron (no pre-registration required)
• Regina (YQR) – LifeLabs
• Saskatoon (YXE) - LifeLabs
• St. John’s (YYT) – Switch Health
• Toronto (YTZ) - Switch Health
• Toronto (YYZ) – Switch Health
• Vancouver (YVR) – LifeLabs
• Victoria (YYJ) - LifeLabs
• Waterloo (YKF) – Switch Health
• Winnipeg (YWG) - Dynacare

Starting October 29, 2021, the swab stations located at 17 land points of entry stopped operations.

When you arrive at a land border crossing, you’ll be given a self-swab kit to complete. You’ll need to follow the instructions in your self-swab kit to complete the test at your destination.

Follow the directions you receive on arrival to complete your test:

• if you were directed to a testing service at the airport, you’re required to register with the testing service provider, and the provider will collect your sample; most travellers will be notified of their test result within 72 hours
• if you are provided with a self-swab kit, use the instructions in the kit to complete it within 24 hours of entering Canada, and arrange for it to be picked up as directed in the kit. Most travellers will be notified of their test result within 4 to 7 days.

If you haven’t received your test result in these time frames, you should contact your test provider.

You may not receive your test result if:

• you provided incorrect contact information
• information is missing
• the test is still being processed
• there’s an inconclusive result

You are under a legal obligation to take the arrival test within the required timeframe. If you don't comply, you may not be exempted from quarantine. You may also be required to go to a quarantine facility, face fines, or other enforcement measures.

You must take another test.

• If you completed your test using a kit: another kit should be automatically couriered to you by your testing provider but it is recommended that you contact the provider to ensure a kit is on its way.
• If you were tested on-site at the airport: contact your testing provider to find out how to complete a re-test.

LifeLabs manages all COVID-19 testing for travellers arriving at these provinces.

Contact LifeLabs

Phone

• Toll-free: 1-877-313-4982

Email

• servicetravel.west@lifelabs.com

Switch Health manages all COVID-19 testing.

Contact Switch Health

Phone

• 1-647-977-1030
• Toll-free: 1-888-966-6531

Email

• contact@switchhealth.ca

Dynacare manages all COVID-19 testing for travellers arriving in Manitoba.

Contact Dynacare

Phone

• 1-855-497-1071

Website: Dynacare border testing

Biron manages all COVID-19 testing for travellers arriving in Quebec.

Biron:

Phone

• 1-866-382-0287

Email

• info@biron.com

Children under 5 are exempt from vaccination requirements. They are also exempt from pre-entry testing, arrival testing and quarantine, without any limitations on their activities.

These exemptions apply only to the child, not to the parents, guardians or family members travelling together. Children who are 5 on the day of their travel are not exempt from testing requirements.

Some federal rules for children entering Canada may be different from the provincial or territorial rules. In this case, you must follow the stricter rules.

Fully vaccinated children

Adults travelling with fully vaccinated children should upload their children’s proof of vaccination into ArriveCAN. As fully vaccinated travellers, they aren't required to provide proof of a pre-entry test result. They are also exempt from quarantine, without any limitations on their activities.

Arrival testing for children who qualify as fully vaccinated:

• must be tested if they are selected for mandatory randomized testing are not required to be tested if their accompanying parent is selected for mandatory randomized testing

Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated children 5 through 11 years old

Your accompanying unvaccinated or partially vaccinated children aged 5 and older must provide a valid pre-entry test result.

Options for providing proof of a valid pre-entry test

They will be exempt from quarantine, without any limitations on their activities. This means, for example, they don't need to wait 14 days before attending school, camp or daycare. However they will need to wear a mask in public settings for 14 days after arrival to Canada.

Arrival testing for unvaccinated or partially vaccinated children 5 through 11 years old:

• must be tested if their accompanying parent is selected for mandatory randomized testing

Unvaccinated and partially vaccinated youth 12 to 17 years of age must complete the 14-day quarantine, and all testing requirements for pre-entry, arrival and Day-8 tests, even when they are accompanied by travellers who qualify as a fully vaccinated traveller.

Follow the checklist of testing and quarantine requirements

Dependents, 18 years of age or over who are unvaccinated because of mental or physical limitation may enter Canada but must follow all testing and quarantine requirements, even when their accompanying parent or guardian qualifies as a fully vaccinated traveller.

Follow the checklist of testing and quarantine requirements