New travel restrictions to Canada will be in place from next week

People who wish to travel to Canada from next week will have to adhere to new stricter COVID restrictions.

In a press release, the Canadian government announced requirements for travelers entering via land or air. From Feb. 22, travelers entering will be required to take a COVID-19 molecular test on arrival as well as towards the end of their quarantine period.

Meanwhile, travelers who enter via air will be required to take a COVID-19 molecular test when they arrive before exiting the airport, with another once again towards the end of their 14-day quarantining.

Travelers will also be required to book a three-night stay in a government-authorized hotel before they depart for Canada the website for booking hotels opens later today. All travelers, whether arriving by land or air will be required to submit their travel and contact information, including a suitable quarantine plan, electronically via ArriveCAN before crossing the border or boarding a flight.

There are some exceptions to the new rules including for government workers with a list of exemptions available here.

A number of countries have brought in additional restrictions due to the discovery of COVID variants. Tougher measures for entering the United Kingdom came into effect this week, with two tests required for people during their quarantine period and Scotland implementing hotel quarantine for all international arrivals.

Germany also recently implemented new restrictions for both the Czech Republic and Austria’s Tyrol region due to fears over the spread of variants of the coronavirus. while the Czech Republic introduced a new dark red traffic light option to its travel map earlier this month for countries deemed to be "very high risk".