Market intelligence for international student recruitment from ICEF
24th Nov 2021

Canada expands list of approved vaccines

Short on time? Here are the highlights:
  • The Canadian government has announced a number of important additions to its approved COVID-19 vaccine list
  • As of November 30, international travellers with two doses of the Bharat Biotech, Sinopharm, or Sinovac vaccines will be accepted as fully vaccinated for the purpose of travel to Canada

The Government of Canada has announced an expansion of its list of COVID-19 vaccines that travellers can receive in order to be considered fully vaccinated for the purpose of travel to Canada.

The following vaccines are currently approved for travellers to Canada:

  • Pfizer-BioNTech (Comirnaty, tozinameran, BNT162b2)
  • Moderna (Spikevax, mRNA-1273)
  • AstraZeneca (Vaxzevria, COVISHIELD, ChAdOx1-S, AZD1222)
  • Janssen/Johnson & Johnson (Ad26.COV2.S)

Starting 30 November 2021, the following additional vaccines will also be accepted:

  • Bharat Biotech (Covaxin, BBV152 A, B, C)
  • Sinopharm (Beijing) BBIBP-CorV (Vero Cells)
  • Sinovac (CoronaVac, PiCoVacc)

Those additions bring Canada's list of approved vaccines in line with the World Health Organization Emergency Use Listing. The Bharat Biotech vaccine is widely used in India, which is now Canada's leading source of international students. Sinopharm and Sinovac both originate in China, which is Canada's second-largest international student market. Both have been adopted outside of China as well in markets throughout the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America.

In order to be considered fully vaccinated, international travellers must have had at least two doses of an accepted vaccine (or a mix of two accepted vaccines), or at least one dose of the Janssen/Johnson & Johnson vaccine, at least 14 full days prior to arriving in Canada.

“Requiring foreign nationals to be fully vaccinated adds another important layer of protection at the border, said Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Sean Fraser. "Many foreign nationals and international students arriving in Canada are already fully vaccinated, and the measures announced today will help ensure that Canadians remain protected against COVID-19 as the economy reopens and international travel returns.”

The Canadian government has also announced that, as of 15 January 2022, only fully vaccinated international students will be able to enter the country. This requirement will apply to students 18 years and older. Those under 18 years of age (and not fully vaccinated) will continue under current guidance, which is to say that will be subject to a 14-day quarantine as well as pre- and post-arrival testing.

For additional background, please see:

Most Recent

  • US Office of Management and Budget grants budget reprieve to key exchange programmes Read More
  • Canada: How is study permit processing taking shape this year? Read More
  • UK study visa grants strengthening in first half of 2025 Read More

Most Popular

  • Which countries will contribute the most to global student mobility in 2030? Read More
  • Research shows link between study abroad and poverty alleviation  Read More
  • Beyond the Big Four: How demand for study abroad is shifting to destinations in Asia and Europe Read More

Because you found this article interesting

US Office of Management and Budget grants budget reprieve to key exchange programmes In a highly unusual intervention in an area of Congressional authority, the US Office of Management and Budget...
Read more
Canada: How is study permit processing taking shape this year? There are two important and recurring themes in our conversations with education agents over the last few months...
Read more
UK study visa grants strengthening in first half of 2025 A 21 August 2025 data release from the UK Home Office shows that student visa grants were up...
Read more
Asian destinations show their strength in latest ranking of student cities The QS Best Student Cities 2026 rankings were released last month, and, for the first time ever, Seoul...
Read more
Many foreign students want to stay in Germany but need more help with the transition to life after study Early findings from an extensive survey of international students in Germany finds that two-thirds would like to stay...
Read more
How post-study work rights can make or break the return on investment for study abroad The following is a guest post contributed by Tim O’Brien and Claire Clifford from INTO University Partnerships, where...
Read more
Australia prioritises amendments to ESOS Act in legislative agenda The Australian government has signalled that amendments to the Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act 2000 are back...
Read more
UK’s stiffening compliance regime already having an impact on international student recruitment It would be fair to say that compliance is top of mind for international educators in the United...
Read more
What are you looking for?
Quick Links