Most Canadians are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Consequently, Canadians are starting to think about international travel again, and are beginning to research possible vacation destinations. This leads to the question, which countries can a fully vaccinated Canadian visit?
As of July 2021, Canadian citizens who have received two doses of the Pfizer, Moderna, or AstraZeneca vaccine, or one dose of the J&J vaccine, can travel to European countries such as France, Italy, Greece, Iceland, and Croatia, as well as to the United States, and many Caribbean islands. Visiting countries such as Australia and New Zealand is not yet possible. Until the land border between Canada and the USA opens to tourists, Canadians will need to fly into the US (driving is only possible for “essential” visitors). Most Canadians will also need a show American border agents a negative PCR or antigen COVID test in order to enter the country, even if they have been fully vaccinated. Proof of vaccination should always be brought with you when travelling internationally, until a digital “vaccine passport” system has been implemented by Canada, United States, and the European Union (EU).
Children under 12 will typically not need a to be vaccinated in order to travel internationally, and young children will often not be required to take a COVID test in order to enter a country. The exact border policy for COVID-19 testing can vary by country. In Spain and Germany, children under 6 are exempt from needing a negative test. In Greece, children under 5 are exempt, while in Croatia children under 7 are exempt. Canadians with a criminal record (excluding DUI) who wish to travel to USA will likely need to apply for special permission to enter, otherwise they could be denied entry by border security. This is reciprocated by our own Government, as many Americans need special permission to enter Canada with a DUI or other criminal history.
