UNITED STATES:

As of January 22, 2022, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) requires all Canadian drivers entering the United States for essential or non-essential reasons to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 and provide proof of vaccination.

Non-US individuals must verbally attest to their COVID-19 vaccination status and US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has confirmed that carrying paper documents, whether provincial or pan-Canadian, is acceptable. Digital documents stored electronically, such as on a personal phone, will also be accepted. 

If a driver arrives at the US border and is not in compliance with the mandate, or cannot provide proof of vaccination when requested, they could be subject to the following actions:

• The withdrawal of admission or the refusal of entry into the US, including having their truck returned to Canada;
• An appearance before an immigration judge in court, leading to penalties, including deportation or being barred from entry into the US permanently.  

DHS has compiled a FAQ document that contains further guidance for travelers entering the US including what vaccinations are accepted and additional CDC resources.

Please expect wait times at US land border crossings to increase as travellers become accustomed to the new requirements, however CBP officials have stated that their intent is to ensure that ports of entry are not congested with traffic.

For the DHS press release, please click here.

Resources:

DHS fact sheet: What to expect at land border crossings

DHS FAQ: Guidance for travelers entering the US

CDC guidance: COVID-19 Vaccine Info 

CANADA:

As of January 15, 2022, Canada is enforcing a vaccine mandate for cross-border commercial drivers by requiring proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 through the ArriveCAN app. 

Government of Canada officials have provided guidance on initial enforcement details which include:

• For an undetermined amount of time, drivers arriving at the border that have not submitted their data via ArriveCAN, may present paper documentation. This includes provincial or pan-Canadian proof of vaccination documents
• The use of paper documentation may lead to delays when crossing the border and will only be available for a limited amount of time
• The Government of Canada will continue to promote an education-first approach to the mandate unless egregious acts of noncompliance pertaining to health/border measures occur. The definition of these acts will be determined by border and public health officers at the border

ArriveCAN:

• Only a single submission is required to meet compliance, including the use of a single reusable receipt for crossing the border. This receipt will remain valid for an indefinite period
• If a truck driver crosses the border for non-essential purposes, they will be required to resubmit their ArriveCAN information prior to re-entry into Canada for work related purposes
• Drivers can also use the “Saved Traveller Profile” and submit ArriveCAN up to 72 hours prior to crossing the border, by using the online web version of the platform. Details on how to use ArriveCAN have been made available by the Government of Canada
• Both pan-Canadian and provincial documentation are accepted by ArriveCAN, but that pan-Canadian documentation will automatically be on file if the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is required to refer/verify proof of vaccination information, or when deemed necessary by a border officer

Due to potential technology issues that could arise by using electronic platforms, officials also recommended that paper copies or evidence of full vaccination be kept in-cab, or via your mobile device as an image to ensure redundancy/backup if requested upon arrival at a port of entry.

Border officials will be accepting medical exemptions from COVID-19 vaccination from Canadian drivers if they have obtained authorized documentation from their home province to meet admissibility requirements.

The Government of Canada also confirmed that US drivers who are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated will have their trucks returned to the US once the mandate comes into force. A US driver can also qualify for a medical exemption to the mandate if they are able to present a Centre for Disease Control (CDC) exemption card for entry into Canada. 

For BCTA’s advocacy efforts regarding the vaccination mandate for our industry, click here.

Resources:

Government of Canada statement: Requirement for truckers entering Canada in effect as of January 15, 2022

Government of Canada FAQ document: Further information on the border vaccine mandate

ArriveCAN application download: iOS, Android, web

ArriveCAN instructions: Infosheet, mobile and web