Toronto 
As new COVID-19 cases are rising rapidly across the country, Canada is reintroducing the requirement of COVID-19 molecular test for all travellers before returning to the country.
Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos announced today that the requirement for pre-arrival testing will be in place again for trips of all duration starting December 21st.
Canada had removed the requirement of molecular tests for fully vaccinated Canadians and permanent residents taking short trips abroad of under 72 hours (like shopping trips to the U.S.) on November 30th.
Currently, travellers entering Canada at the airports are randomly tested for COVID-19.
Duclos said arrival testing at Canada’s airports is nearing targets. He said, “We have gone from a capacity to test 11,000 air travellers a day on November 30 to the capacity of 17,000 last Friday to a capacity of 21,000 today, out of a goal of 23,000. ”
In addition, Canada is lifting the travel ban on flights from 10 African countries starting December 18 at 11:59 p.m.
Canada had banned direct flights from Botswana, Egypt, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, and Zimbabwe from entering the country due to the spread of the new COVID-19 variant of concern, Omicron.
See the current rules for travelling here.
