Covid Tests for Traveling Canadians
With borders opening up and the world
slowly starting to ease back to normal, it’s no surprise that eager travelers
have a lot of questions. After over a year of restricted movement, we’re all
feeling ready to hop on a plane and explore again.
But first things first—you need to know the
new rules and regulations. In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to
know about getting Covid tests for travel for eligible fully vaccinated Canadian
travelers.
Covid
Tests for Travel from Canada
The requirements for Covid testing for
travel depend on your destination. At the time of publishing this article, each
country has different requirements. These requirements vary widely, and can
include testing prior to departure or upon landing, or in some instances both.
For example, Mexico does not currently require any proof of testing for entry,
while Antigua requires proof of a negative RT-PCR test within 7 days of your
flight.
As the traveler, you are responsible for
checking the entry requirements of your destination. Thankfully, Air Canada has
set up a helpful portal here where you can find the
requirements.
Covid-19
Tests for Re-entry to Canada
In order to re-enter Canada, all travelers
5 years of age and older must provide proof of Covid test results before
entering the country. This rule applies to travelers who are vaccinated, as
proof of vaccination does not replace proof of a negative test.
As of August 17, 2021, the Government of
Canada has deemed the following tests acceptable as proof:
·
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
Currently, an antigen test is not
sufficient proof for re-entry to Canada.
The test must be conducted within 72 hours
of your scheduled departure time. Unfortunately, this can be a bit complicated
for travelers who have layovers. If you have a connecting flight, the test must
be done within 72 hours of the departure time of your final direct flight to
Canada. This means it may be necessary to schedule a test in the city where you
are boarding your connecting flight.
Travelers may also be subject to randomized
testing at the airport upon arrival in Canada.
What
Counts as Proof of a Covid Test for Re-entry
You must provide a paper or electronic copy
of your test result when you arrive at the airport. Your proof of a negative
Covid test must include:
·
Your name
·
Your date of birth
·
Name and address of the
facility that performed the test
·
Date the test was conducted
·
Type of test
·
Test result
The Government of Canada is advising
travelers to keep the proof of your test results for 14 days after your arrival
in Canada, beginning on the day of arrival.
Where
to Get Covid-19 Tests for Travel
It’s important to note that Canadians will
have to pay out of pocket for their Covid-19 tests while traveling. In Canada,
many pharmacies such as Shoppers Drug Mart, as well as labs like LifeLabs offer
Covid testing.
Toronto Pearson Airport, Edmonton International
Airport, Calgary International Airport, Vancouver International Airport, and
Montreal-Trudeau International Airport all also offer rapid antigen testing.
However, be sure to check if your destination accepts these tests for entry, as
Canada currently does not accept these for travelers.
For more information on where to get tests in
Canada before your departure as well as prior to re-entry to the country, Air
Canada has a search tool that can help you locate
testing facilities around the world.
While the Government of Canada continues to
advise against non-essential travel at this time, we are gradually making our
way back to normal. Hopefully, we can all look forward to recreational travel
soon. In the meantime, be safe and monitor for symptoms before and after travel
to reduce the spread of Covid-19.
For more information on this and other Covid-19 health and safety and entry requirements in relations to your next trip, please contact your dedicated and professional travel advisors at Romantic Planet Vacations - 1-866-247-8123 or travel@romanticplanet.ca. We're here to assist.
