Canada is dropping pre-entry tests — here's what fully vaccinated travellers need to know

The federal government announced Thursday that it will do away with the pre-entry COVID-19 testing requirement for all fully vaccinated travellers coming to Canada, removing a major roadblock to the free flow of people.

Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos said that with vaccination rates high and the COVID-19 case count stable, Ottawa is now comfortable with reducing restrictions on travellers destined for Canada. The change will take effect next month.

"I think it's fair to say that we are now entering into a transition phase of this pandemic," Duclos told a press conference. "We are now ready to announce further changes to border measures."

The government has faced pressure from frequent travellers, border towns, some medical professionals, the opposition Conservatives, airlines and tourism operators to drop pre-entry testing — a process some have criticized as pricey and pointless at this stage of the pandemic.

Starting April 1, 2022, travellers will not need to get either a PCR/molecular test or an antigen COVID-19 test before coming to Canada.

If you've had two shots of an accepted vaccine (or one dose of Johnson & Johnson's vaccine), you can cross the border in a way that's very similar to how things worked before the pandemic.

A fully vaccinated traveller will still need to complete a questionnaire in the ArriveCAN mobile app or on the government's website before approaching a border crossing. Travellers will be required to answer a series of questions about their vaccination status and travel history.

Since the early days of the pandemic, incoming, non-essential travellers have had to get tested abroad before boarding a flight to Canada or driving across the Canada-U.S. boundary.

The measure was meant to limit the introduction of novel coronavirus cases from abroad. The process was stressful — the availability of molecular testing is limited in some areas and turnaround times vary greatly. Those tests had to be conducted at least 72 hours before departure and many travellers reported slow processing times at some clinics.

The molecular tests also don't come cheap. Up until last month, a traveller needed a PCR test to enter Canada — which routinely costs well over $200.

Travellers getting a positive result were not allowed to return to Canada until 10 days after a positive test — something that prompted many travellers to extend their hotel stays or rebook flights at premium prices.

While a test is no longer required as of April 1, symptomatic travellers will still not be allowed to cross into Canada.

A pre-entry test is still required.

The government will accept either a molecular or antigen test conducted by a lab or through a recognized telehealth service. A rapid antigen test — a test conducted at home — is not acceptable because the test must be "professionally administered or observed," according to government regulations. A molecular test must be conducted 72 hours before departure, while an antigen test must be completed one calendar day before entry.