Canada announced new details regarding its testing and quarantine process for arriving travelers.
Per the Canadian government:
- All travelers arriving to Canada by air, as of February 22, 2021, with some exceptions, will be required to take a COVID-19 molecular test when they arrive in Canada before exiting the airport, and another toward the end of their 14-day quarantine period.
- With limited exceptions, air travelers will also be required to reserve, prior to departure to Canada, a 3-night stay in a government-authorized hotel. Travelers will be able to book their government-authorized stay starting February 18, 2021.
- As of February 22, all travelers — whether arriving by land or air — will be required to submit their travel and contact information, including a suitable quarantine plan, electronically via ArriveCAN before crossing the border or boarding a flight.
These new measures are in addition to the existing requirement that travelers to Canada provide proof of a negative COVID-19 molecular test from a sample taken within 72 hours of departure.
The cost of the required hotel stay is the responsibility of the traveler. Approved hotels must be within 10 km of one of the four Canadian airports currently accepting international flights:
- Vancouver International Airport
- Calgary International Airport
- Toronto Pearson International Airport
- Montreal-Trudeau International Airport
Canadian airlines have suspended flights to “Mexico and Caribbean countries” until April 30. Costa Rica is among the countries included by that definition. Non-Canadian airlines, like Copa and United, may continue flying between Canada and Costa Rica.
“The Government of Canada continues to strongly advise Canadians to cancel or postpone any non-essential travel, including vacation plans, outside Canada,” the country’s government said in a statement. “Foreign nationals should likewise postpone or cancel travel plans to Canada. Now is not the time to travel.”
Click here to see a list of coronavirus testing locations for tourists in Costa Rica.
For more information about Canadian policies, contact the Canadian Embassy or Transport Canada.
