Canada To Relax Border Restrictions

Charlie Immigration updates 13 February 2022 | | 0

Canada is reviewing its pandemic-related border restrictions and will likely announce changes next week

Canada seems to be close to lifting the much criticised pre-departure PCR test, which applies even to vaccinated citizens returning home.

Currently, in order to enter Canada, all travellers regardless of vaccination status must present a PCR test result issued not earlier than 72 hours prior to travel. They are also subject to on-arrival testing and mandatory quarantine if randomly selected by border officials when landing in the country.

According to Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos, the Canadian government is “actively reviewing the measures in place at our borders”.

Strict and Costly Testing Regimes At The Border

Millions of travellers entering Canada today are also expected to add costs of more than $100 to their travel budgets when it comes to testing, while the government is equally spending millions of dollars every day to test random vaccinated travellers.

Aside from the pre-departure Covid test, foreign nationals coming to Canada, and those travelling within the country by plane, passenger train or boat, must be vaccinated, with some exceptions.

Dr. Zain Chagla, Infectious Diseases Physician and Associate Professor at McMaster University believe that the money spent on these tests are a “wasted expense”, especially when the benefits of such stringent requirements seem to be minimal.

Other medical professionals recommended that travellers take a pre-arrival antigen test instead of a molecular test. Although PCR tests can be more accurate, antigen tests are much cheaper and can provide results within minutes.

The United Kingdom already lifted the pre-departure Covid test required for entry.

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