Indians Can Now Enter Canada Via Connecting Flights, Negative Test Report; No Quarantine Needed

From Monday, Canada will be easing restrictions on those entering the country but, it will only be applicable to certain categories of travelers like citizens and permanent residents.

Entry In Canada

It is noteworthy here that direct flights from India remain prohibited till July 21.

Those, who are taking a connecting flight will have to provide the negative result of a valid test taken at the final point of departure to Canada.

However, the requirement of isolating at a government-approved hotel for three days while results of a Covid-19 test on arrival are delivered will be dropped for fully vaccinated individuals but only for the jabs approved by Health Canada.

These new criteria will come into effect on Monday at 12.01 am (Canada time).

Criteria Accepted By Canada

On Saturday, Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada written in a tweet saying, “the fully vaccinated travelers allowed to enter Canada may be exempted from federal quarantine and day 8 testing starting July 5. Only vaccines approved by the Government of Canada will be accepted,”.

While, the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) said, “these changes are only applicable to fully vaccinated travelers who are currently eligible to enter Canada,”.

Since direct flights from India remain prohibited till July 21, so those taking a connecting flight will have to provide the negative result of a valid test taken at the final point of departure to Canada.

Canada Approved Vaccines

So far, Health Canada has approved the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Astra Zeneca/Covishield, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines. 

As mentioned, Covishield, the AZ version manufactured by the Serum Institute of India is accepted.

But, the Covaxin from Bharat Biotech or Sputnik V from the Russian Gamaleya Center is not accepted, according to the latest update from Global Affairs Canada’s Travel section.

Presently, the Pennsylvania-based American firm Ocugen has partnered with Bharat Biotech to make Covaxin available in North America.

Now it has entered into discussions with Health Canada for regulatory approval, that vaccine is yet to receive emergency use authorization.

Who Is Eligible To Travel To Canada?

With these new relaxations in rules, the categories of travelers who will benefit include the citizens, permanent residents, their immediate and extended family members.

Apart from these, the international students with a valid study permit at a designated learning institution with a Covid-19 readiness plan approved by its province or territory, and some temporary workers with a valid work permit, according to the CBSA.