Canada is one of the seven countries that’s moving to the U.K.’s ‘green’ list for travel this upcoming Monday.
The only non-European country on the list this time, Canada will be added along with the nations of Finland, the Azores, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Lithuania and Denmark. Thailand and Montenegro will be moved to the red list.
What Is The Green List?
Being on the U.K.’s “green” list means that travelers arriving to countries of the United Kingdom don’t have to quarantine upon arrival, regardless of their Covid vaccination status.
The U.K. government measures which countries have decreasing rates of Covid and who pose a lower-risk of infection for the U.K. population. You can read more about the list and travel restrictions by country here.
In a statement this week, the British Department for Transportation advised travelers that the guidance can be changed at any time: “The data for all countries will be kept under review and the government will not hesitate to take action should the data show that countries’ risk ratings have changed.”
The U.S. will remain on the amber list for travel to the U.K., which means that fully vaccinated travelers will not have to self-isolate upon arrival. PCR tests before and after arrival will still be required to enter the U.K.
These updates will come into effect on Monday, August 30th, 4:00 a.m. BST (British Standard Time).
Covid Testing In The UK
While quarantine will not be required at this time, Canadians will need to take a Covid test 72 hours before traveling to the United Kingdom and present a negative result at departure. Travelers will need to take another test 48 hours upon arrival in the U.K. The required tests for travel at this time continue to be Covid PCR tests.
Canadian Travelers To Britain
This comes as great news for Canadians and people in the U.K., as many family members are looking to reunited after a half and a half of travel restrictions on both sides of the Atlantic.
After releasing the news on Twitter yesterday, the U.K. High Commission in Ottawa stated that, “This will make it easier for those looking to reconnect with family, friends and businesses in the U.K.”
According to the previous guidance, Canadian travelers arriving to the U.K. were required to take a pre-entry Covid PCR test and book and pay for two other Covid tests once they arrived. Travellers also had to self-isoloate for ten days upon arrival.
UK Travel List Updates
The U.K.’s safe countries list for travel is typically updated every three weeks.
The majority of countries at the moment are on the “amber” list. Restrictions for the U.K.’s amber list include vaccinated travellers not having to quarantine upon arrival, and a pre-entry as well as a Covid test (PCR) after arrival is required.
Canada’s Restrictions For UK Travellers
A number of restrictions remain for international travelers who wish to visit Canada.
As of August 9th, only fully vaccinated travelers from the U.S. are allowed to travel to Canada for non-essential purposes. Restrictions for fully vaccinated travelers from other nations are set to expire next month, on September 7th, but this date remains tentative.
As per the Canadian government website, international travel restrictions will ease, “provided that the domestic epidemiological situation remains favourable.”
