Canada to lift Morocco flight ban on Oct. 29

OTTAWA — Canada has ended its final flight ban with the reintroduction of direct flights from Morocco, starting Oct. 29.

According to Transport Canada, the decision to lift the Notice to Airmen (NOTAM), was based on the improved COVID-19 situation in Morocco. The flight ban, which restricted direct flights to Canada from Morocco, has been in place since Aug. 29.

Beginning at 12:01 a.m. EDT on Oct. 29, fully vaccinated travellers and those unvaccinated who are eligible to enter Canada will be able to board direct flights from Morocco to Canada with the following measures:

Travellers must have one of the following:
- Proof of a negative COVID-19 molecular pre-departure test result documented in the Moroccan COVID PCR Test Certificateissued by the Government of Morocco and recognized by the European Commission, taken within 72 hours of scheduled departure; or,
- Proof of a previous positive test result taken between 14 and 180 days before departure to Canada in lieu of a negative test. Travellers who have been in Morocco more than 14 days and have been infected while in Morocco, must provide proof of a positive COVID-19 molecular test documented in the Moroccan COVID-19 PCR Test Certificate issued by the Government of Morocco. Travellers who were infected prior to arrival in Morocco must provide proof of previous infection from another country prior to their arrival.
Prior to boarding, air operators will authenticate passengers’ Moroccan COVID-19 PCR Test Certificatesby scanning the digital QR codes to verify/confirm the identity of the passenger and their test result. They will also ensure that travellers are eligible to come to Canada, have uploaded their information into the ArriveCAN mobile app or website, and have a mask to wear during travel. Travellers who are unable to meet these requirements will be denied boarding.

Travellers who are eligible to enter Canada and who depart Morocco for Canada via an indirect route still need to obtain, within 72 hours of their flight to Canada, a valid negative COVID-19 molecular test from a third country – other than Morocco – before continuing their journey to Canada.

The news about Morocco comes nearly a month after Canada lifted its India flight ban, which first went into effect in April 2021.