Canada ends inflight masking and all pandemic restrictions

Canada has become the latest country to scrap its COVID-era restrictions for inbound travellers, which will take place from Saturday, 1 October 2022 onwards. 

As the pandemic situation has continued to evolve, adjustments to border measures have been informed by the latest evidence, available data, operational considerations, and the epidemiological situation, both in Canada and internationally.

Today the Government of Canada announced the removal of all COVID-19 entry restrictions, as well as testing, quarantine, and isolation requirements for anyone entering Canada, effective October 1, 2022.

-Canadian Government

This involves the ending of vaccination requirements and inflight masking mandates, as well as random on-arrival testing. There will be no more requirement to complete the ArriveCAN health declaration either.

Canada ends all COVID-era travel restrictions

From 1 October 2022, all travellers, regardless of nationality, are no longer required to:

• submit public health information through the ArriveCAN app or website
• provide proof of vaccination
• undergo pre- or on-arrival testing
• carry out COVID-19-related quarantine or isolation
• monitor and report if they develop signs or symptoms of COVID-19 upon arriving to Canada

As a reminder, international tourists to Canada are currently required to be vaccinated. Exemptions exist for children aged below 12, provided they are accompanied by fully vaccinated parents or guardians.

Canada will also end its programme of randomly selected on-arrival testing, which fully vaccinated traveller were not exempt from. Randomly selected individuals would be required to complete an antigen test with an approved provider by the day after arrival, with noncompliance liable to fines and other penalties. 

The requirement to wear masks on trains and aircraft will be removed, which means that passengers on the SQ48 flight to Vancouver departing from 2 October 2022 onwards (remember, Vancouver is 15 hours behind Singapore) can go mask-free.

Here’s a quick reminder of which Singapore Airlines flights will require masks from October onwards.

Canada is reserving the right to reintroduce these measures at a later time if so needed.

Conclusion

Canada will end its mandatory vaccination and masking requirement as well as randomised on-arrival testing and ArriveCAN submissions from 1 October 2022 onwards. This means that all flights between Singapore and North America will be mask-free, unless you happen to be connecting on a carrier that still requires it (e.g. ANA, EVA Air).

It’s notable that while Canada will be lifting its vaccination requirement, the USA has yet to announce any plans to do so. Rumour has it an announcement could come within the next few weeks though, so stay tuned.