PATRICK CLARKE | TravelPulse.Com

Troy Warren for CNT

Canada has begun the long-awaited process of easing restrictions on travel from the United States.

As of July 5, Canadian citizens and permanent residents who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 can bypass the country’s 14-day quarantine requirement that’s been in effect since the coronavirus pandemic was first declared back in March 2020. What’s more, eligible air travelers no longer have to spend their first three days in the country at a government-approved hotel, the Associated Press confirmed.

However, non-essential travel between Canada and the U.S. remains restricted until at least July 21. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated that plans to totally reopen the border will be announced over the next few weeks.

“We’re very hopeful that we’re going to see new steps on reopening announced in the coming weeks,” Trudeau said during a recent news conference in Ontario via the AP. “We’re going to make sure that we’re not seeing a resurgence of COVID-19 cases because nobody wants to go back to further restrictions, after having done so much and sacrificed so much to get to this point.”

“Nobody wants us to move too fast and have to reimpose restrictions as case numbers rise like we’re seeing elsewhere in the world,” he added. “We need to do this right.”

To be considered fully vaccinated, travelers will have had to have received a full series of an approved COVID-19 vaccine such as Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD, and Johnson & Johnson at least 14 days prior to entering Canada.

Fully vaccinated travelers also won’t have to take a home COVID-19 test eight days after entering Canada.