Canada’s Global Travel Advisory Will Soon Be Less Severe — And Vacationing Could Get Easier

On February 15, the Canadian government announced that it will be updating its travel restrictions — and this means flying internationally could become a lot easier. In a press conference held on Tuesday, federal ministers announced that Canada will be ending its non-essential global travel advisory as of February 28.

The government will be adjusting the travel health notice from level three to level two, removing the recommendation that Canadians avoid travelling for non-essential purposes.

The Minister of Transport, Omar Alghabra stated that all Canadian airports will soon be able to receive international flights.

"Currently, only 18 Canadian airports can receive International flights. As of February 28, the ban on international flights to all remaining airports that normally receive international flights will be lifted."

In addition to Canadians being able to fly in and out internationally from more airports, the government confirmed they will be eliminating the pre-arrival PCR test required for fully vaccinated travellers.

As of February 28, Canadians will be able to take a rapid antigen test approved by the country in which they're departing from. This means the cost of travelling overseas will be cheaper for Canadian travellers, considering the difference in cost between PCR and rapid antigen tests.

The Minister of Tourism, Randy Boissonnault stated that "travel is safe and will continue to be safe." However, the government expects Canadians to "exercise a high degree of caution" while vacationing.

With the global travel advisory soon being decreased to level two and the lifting of a required PCR test, fully vaccinated Canadians can now face less obstacles while vacationing.

Unvaccinated travellers arriving in Canada will still be required to get tested upon arrival and quarantine for two weeks, as stated by the Public Health Agency of Canada.

This article’s cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.