Canada Extends China and Hong Kong Testing Requirements to April 5

Ottawa last night (Feb. 2) put out the following statement:

In response to the increasing spread of COVID-19 and its variants in the People’s Republic of China and limited epidemiological and viral genomic sequence data available on these cases, the Government of Canada announced temporary pre-boarding test requirements and arrival screening effective January 5, 2023, for most travellers arriving on flights originating from the People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong or Macao.

On February 4, 2023, at 12:01 a.m. EST, we are extending these current health measures for travellers arriving on flights from these regions, regardless of nationality or vaccination status. The requirements are expected to remain in effect until April 5, 2023, 12:01 a.m. EDT.

The decision to extend the current health measures was informed by a number of factors, including:

• continued reports of a dramatic increase of COVID-19 cases in China since the lifting of restrictions;
• limited epidemiological data available from China, including with respect to genomic sequencing and potential variants of concern;
• the potential impact of China’s reopening on Canada’s health care system; and
• responses of partner countries and international organizations.

“Despite the data provided by China thus far, on-going gaps in data availability remain a significant concern,” officials said.”Extending these temporary health measures will provide time for new, reliable data sources to be made available and allow time for expected domestic waves in China to subside.”

It’s a blow for Canadian tourism operators who rely on visitors from China and Hong Kong. It also makes Canadians less likely to visit those destinations, as they’d be forced to take a COVID test prior to coming home.

Officials said the border measures “will continue to be reassessed as more data and evidence become available.

“The Government of Canada will not hesitate to adjust measures to protect the health and safety of everyone in Canada.”

For additional information on these border measures, please visit:
 COVID-19 pre-boarding test requirements for air travel from China, Hong Kong and Macao.