The Canadian government has issued warnings on social media that even Canadians and permanent residents abroad may not be able to return home without a full slate of approved vaccines.
The exceptions are those with valid medical exemptions, travel to remote communities only accessible by plane, and those transiting through Canada en route to another destination.
As of November 30, Canada approved three more vaccines as acceptable for entry in to the country: Sinovac, Sinopharm and Bharat Biotech. The list now comprises seven vaccines, along with Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Janssen/Johnson & Johnson. Two other vaccines that have been administered in Mexico are not on the list: Sputnik and Cansino.
To qualify as a fully vaccinated traveler to Canada, a person must have received at least two doses of an accepted vaccine or a mix of two accepted vaccines, or at least one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, at least 14 full days prior to the day of travel. According to travel.gc.ca, if the proof of vaccination is not in English or French, a certified translation in English or French is required. Prior to their trips, all travelers must upload their proof of vaccination on the ArriveCAN app, or online.
Meanwhile, the Canadian government has announced that unvaccinated travelers over the age of 12 won’t be able to board a plane or passenger train in Canada, and a negative Covid-19 test will no longer serve as a substitute for most people.