Non-essential travel will continue to be restricted at the Canadian border until 21 August, the Biden administration confirmed on Wednesday, despite Prime Minister Justin Trudeau giving the green light for vaccinated US citizens to visit Canada.
Canada recently announced that it would allow US citizens who had been vaccinated for at least 14 days to enter from 9 August.
Tourists are also restricted from entering the US from the southern border with Mexico. Those entering the US can currently only do so for essential purposes, for example, cross-border trade, if they are lawful permanent residents returning home, or if they are travelling for medical reasons.
“We rely on the guidance of our health and medical experts, not on the actions of other countries,” said White House press secretary Jen Psaki.
Ms Psaki has so far offered no indication as to when other countries will be able to enter the US for tourism.
In a news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday, President Joe Biden was asked when non-essential international travellers, like those from Europe, would be allowed to visit the US. “I will be able to answer that question to you within the next several days,” said Mr Biden.
Non-profit group the US Travel Association has been campaigning for travel to reopen. “Every day that our borders remain closed further delays our industry’s recovery, causing greater damage to the millions of Americans whose livelihoods depend on travel,” said the organisation’s policy chief Tori Emerson Barnes.
“The continued closure of the Canadian border alone costs the US economy $1.5 billion (£1 billion) in potential travel exports each month.
“Given the strong vaccination rates on both sides of the border, it is possible to safely reopen to our number one source market for international visitors. Land travel accounted for more than half of all overnight visits to the US by Canadians pre-pandemic, generating significant travel exports that support vital American jobs.”
Canada and the US closed their borders in March 2020 for non-essential travel. Fully vaccinated Americans will be the first to be allowed back into Canada, without having to quarantine, since restrictions began. Travellers from other nations will be able to enter Canada from 7 September.
“With rising vaccination rates and fewer cases in Canada, we can begin to safely ease border measures,” said Patty Hajdu, Canada’s health minister.
Vaccinated American travellers going into Canada will not need to complete a post-arrival test, unless they are randomly selected to complete a day one Covid-19 molecular test.
“All travellers must still provide a quarantine plan and be prepared to quarantine, in case it is determined at the border that they do not meet the necessary requirements,” stated the Public Health Agency of Canada.
