Canada reopens borders to fully vaccinated travelers from the US

Canada reopens borders to fully vaccinated travelers from the US

From August 9 (local time), Canada reopened its borders to travelers who had received a full dose of Covid-19 vaccine from the US after more than 16 months of stopping all non-essential travel activities to control the spread of the virus. control the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Tourists line up to enter Canada at the Peace Arch border crossing in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada on August 9, 2021 (Photo: REUTERS)

Canada has closed its land border with the US to non-essential travel activities (including tourism, shopping, ..) from March 20, 2020 to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic. 19.

According to the latest decision, the Canadian government decided to lift the quarantine requirements for US citizens and permanent residents in the US who have a certificate of fully vaccinated against Covid-19 from August 9.

International visitors who are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 will be allowed to enter Canada from the beginning of September.

However, in order to cross one of the longest and busiest land borders in the world, US citizens and permanent residents in the US must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 and have a negative test for Covid-19. -19 within 72 hours prior to departure. Visitors must also fill out a detailed application on the ArrivalCAN app before crossing the border.

Reuters reported that the customs clearance at the border gate between the two countries during the peak summer tourist season caused long queues of cars to wait. However, Canadian officials insist they will not sacrifice safety for the sake of shortening wait times at the border.

Before that, both Ottawa and Washington had to face great pressure from businesses in the field of tourism - travel. Travel and tour operators in both countries urged the governments of both sides to ease restrictions on travel and reduce barriers at the border.

According to the Canadian Tourism Industry Association, before the pandemic, tourism was the fifth largest industry in Canada, contributing up to $83.4 billion to the country's GDP and providing one-tenth of the country's jobs.

Destination Canada estimates the pandemic has cost more than half a million jobs in the tourism industry in 2020.

Although Canada allows entry of US citizens and permanent residents in the US who are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 from August 9, 2021, people from Canada with non-essential travel are still prohibited. Enter the United States until at least August 21. According to White House press secretary Jen Psaki, Washington is "continued to review" border restrictions on Canadian travelers seeking to enter the United States.