txp

Just one more thought on this:

Part I, Section 6.1 of the Constitution Act of 1982 states "Every citizen of Canada has the right to enter, remain in and leave Canada."

I think that should settle the matter.

economyplusfan

What is strange, though, when I entered last October as a Canadian citizen the border agent asked the purposes of my trip and how long I would be staying. Irrelevant?

airoli

As a Canadian living abroad, I get that question often, pre-Covid and now. I have no problem with it, nor do they with my answers.

I always assumed it is a screener question for further processing. If I said "I am moving to Canada to start a job here" then they may ask follow-up questions about unaccompanied goods etc. . But they certainly couldn't say "no, you're not allowed."

txp

Correct. They did ask this question pre-COVID as well. The purpose of that question is to determine if they need to send you to secondary inspection, primarily for customs purposes. It is in no way related to your right to enter Canada. Often times this question helps them determine if you are a Canadian resident or non-resident for tax purposes. This has certain implications as far as exemptions from customs duties, as well as your right to drive in Canada with a vehicle that has a US license plate (among others). But when it comes to the fundamental right of a Citizen to enter Canada, the 1982 Constitutional Act is quite clear and I don't see how any CBSA officer could abridge that right.

zebes

Now that Canada is allowing fully vaxxed citizens and PRs to skip quarantine, I decided to test everything out and went for a mileage run. Drove from Vancouver to SEA, flew SEA-DOH-ATH, ATH-FRA, FRA-SEA, attempted to drive back to Canada.

CBSA was not happy. I knew there might be an issue with my COVID test (got a negative PCR test the day before I left Germany), but didn’t expect hostility. Border guards didn’t believe my reason for travel, and I got sent to secondary for additional search and interrogation. They ultimately said I could enter Canada, but I’d have to pay a fine of $6500 since my covid test was done in Germany and not the US. Apparently this would have also been the case if I flew FRA-SEA-YVR (according to border guard who said this applies to everyone).

tl;dr: make sure your molecular test is done in the last country you visit or transit through on your way to Canada. I was aware this could have been an issue, and they came down hard. All the guests at my hotel in Bellingham appear to be in similar situations.

YYZ1313

That's only if you transit in the US because technically, you always need to enter the US before you connect to another flight. But flying FRA-LHR-YVR for example, your German test would have been fine.

economyplusfan

I see on the Govt of Canada web site that they accept PCR, qPCR, and RT PCR. My T-72 hour test is a RT-qPCR. It is a molecular swab test processed in a laboratory. Yet I can see border control looking for that on the “list” and not finding it. Any advice?

Update: got through fine, though I can’t say the border agent at YYZ spent much time examining my covid test. I also found out that the in airport covid test has been replaced by a kit that you take home and do yourself under the watchful eye of a nurse on video.

There is so much extra time taken processing each arriving passenger that we were held back in the plane for 30 minutes after arriving at the gate because the arrival hall was overflowing. First the connecting passengers, who must go through the whole process and then re-enter the secure area, were allowed to deplane, but they had to show their connecting boarding pass to get off. Then the rest of us some 20 minutes later. Whole thing took 1.5 hours after arriving at the gate.

zebes

That’s what I thought as well, but border agent said it applies to visit or transit. So it’s probably up to the discretion of the border agent / YMMV. The website is just vague enough to allow for it:

“If you have a connecting flight:

• the test must be conducted within 72 hours of the scheduled departure time of your last direct flight to Canada
• you may need to schedule the test in your transit city”

pilot007

That seems a bit ridiculous of the border guard. I think the website is clear to me that it's just 72 hours before the last direct flight, which means that if your test is not before then, only then you may have to get it at a transit stop. Did they actually fine you, and if so, do you plan on challenging it?

zebes

Nope, just grabbed a cheap hotel in Bellingham and got a last minute PCR test at the county site by the airport (24 hour turnaround). $100-$200 is easier than fighting to get back $6500. I have my work stuff with me, so it’s not a huge inconvenience. And now I know what to expect for future crossings.

pilot007

It's too bad we won't know if this was an overzealous or misinformed border officer. Would you consider filing a complaint with CBSA?

Finkface

What would the complaint be? It is totally clear that anyone crossing the land border into Canada needs a molecular test taken IN the US. This isn’t the case with flying but the OP drove across so he wasn’t in compliance. A quick check of the rules would have told him this so what does he have to complain about? Had he flown in and merely connected in the US, as long as the test was taken within 72 hours of the departure time of his last flight into Canada, the test can be taken anywhere except India. That the land border guard told him otherwise was incorrect (maybe he isn’t familiar with the rules for arriving by air) but it didn’t apply to him anyway as he drove across and didn’t have the correct test. So what would he say in his compliant?

https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/tr...getting-tested

If you're driving to land border crossing, you must take a test in the United States within 72 hours of your planned entry into Canada.

If you're flying to Canada, you must take a test within 72 hours of the scheduled departure time of your flight to Canada. Airlines will refuse boarding to travellers who are unable to provide a valid molecular test result.

• If you have a connecting flight:
  • the test must be conducted within 72 hours of the scheduled departure time of your last direct flight to Canada
  • you may need to schedule the test in your transit city

pilot007

I stand corrected then. I didn't notice that the excerpt above only applies to flying.

sskl1998

It is very clear as shown above that the PCR tests had to be done in the US if you drove across the land border. It does not apply to flying to Canada. I had a two day work trip to the U.S. once and took the PCR test in Canada prior to leaving, I had no issue using the results from the test taken in Canada to fly back into the country.

sskl1998

The Emed home test is a rapid antigen test which is not acceptable to enter Canada. It is acceptable though for international passengers flying into the US.