As on January 29, 2021, Canada has introduced further restrictions on international travel. These measures are for the prevention of further introduction and transmission of the coronavirus, as well as new variants of the virus, into Canada.

The recently announced measures are in addition to the Canadian government’s multi-level approach on COVID-19 pandemic.

As per the official News Release, all flights to and from Mexico and the Caribbean countries have been suspended until April 30, 2021. This suspension of flights is to be in effect as of January 31, 2021.

Effective February 3, 2021 [11:59 PM EST], along with requiring proof of a negative pre-departure test, Transport Canada will be funneling international commercial passenger flights into 4 Canadian airports.

Chartered flights, private or business flights from all countries will also be required to land at any of the 4 airports in Canada.

Cargo-only flights will remain exempt.

The 4 Canadian airports are –

• Calgary International Airport
• Montréal-Trudeau International Airport
• Vancouver International Airport
• Toronto Pearson International Airport

This has been done as part of the expansion of the existing flight restrictions.

The new restrictions will include commercial passenger flights arriving into Canada from the US, Mexico, South America, the Caribbean, and Central America. These countries had been exempted from the previous travel restrictions.

Further, in the coming weeks, all air travelers entering Canada – with few exceptions – will be required to –

• reserve a room in a hotel [approved by the government of Canada] for 3 nights at their own cost, and
• undergo a COVID-19 molecular test on arrival into Canada at their own cost.