Travel between Canada and other countries, October 2022
Released: 2022-12-23
Highlights
In October, the overall number of international arrivals to Canada—non-resident visitors and returning Canadians—reached nearly three-quarters (74.8%) of the October 2019 level, before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Residents of overseas countries made over twice the trips to Canada in October 2022 compared with the same month in 2021, nearly two-thirds (64.5%) of the trips taken in October 2019.
Likewise, US residents took 1.4 million trips to Canada in October 2022, nearly three times the number taken in October 2021 and nearly three-quarters (74.8%) of those taken in October 2019, before the pandemic.
Canadian residents returned from 3.3 million trips abroad in October 2022, close to four times the trips taken in October 2021, reaching 76.1% of the October 2019 pre-pandemic level.
For more current estimates of international arrivals into Canada, please see the "Leading indicator of international arrivals to Canada," for the November reference month.
COVID-19 border restrictions removed
On October 1, all COVID-19 border restrictions, including vaccination, mandatory use of the ArriveCAN app as well as any testing and quarantine requirements, were removed for all travellers entering Canada by land, air, or sea.
Overseas visits to Canada increase
In October, 366,800 overseas residents arrived in Canada, up from the 160,700 such arrivals in October 2021 and reaching nearly two-thirds (64.5%) of those who arrived in Canada in October 2019.
Over half (195,600) arrived from Europe (up from 94,300 in October 2021), reaching three-quarters (75.4%) of its pre-pandemic level. Recovery of the Asian market continues to lag, however, with 87,100 visitors arriving in October compared with 190,200 the same month in 2019, before the pandemic.
US-resident trips to Canada
In October, US residents made 1.4 million trips to Canada, almost three times as many trips as in October 2021 (488,600) and nearly three-quarters (74.8%) of such trips in the same month in 2019. This represents the highest level of recovery since the pandemic began.
Of the total, 925,700 came by automobile, with over half (50.9%) being same-day returns (470,900). This total was an increase from the 355,900 total arrivals by automobile in October 2021 and three-quarters (75.2%) of such arrivals recorded in October 2019, before the pandemic.
Canadian residents increase travel to the United States
Canadian residents returned from 2.8 million trips to the United States in October, five times the number recorded in October 2021 (556,800), and 79.3% of the number recorded in the same month in 2019, before the pandemic. Of this total, 1.8 million trips were by automobile, with almost two-thirds (64.2%) being same-day trips.
In the five years before the pandemic, the volume of Canadian residents returning from the United States by land in October 2022 declined by roughly 6% from September. This year experienced an additional 186,500 Canadian residents returning by automobile in October compared with September.
The number of Canadian residents returning by air from the United States was 867,600 in October, increasing from 253,500 in October 2021 and slightly higher (+6.4%) than in the same month in 2019, reaching above pre-pandemic levels for the second consecutive month.
Canadian residents travelling overseas
In October, 490,100 Canadian residents returned from visiting overseas, up by more than 188,000 from the same month in 2021 (301,400).
Canadian-resident trips overseas in October 2022 recovered 62.0% of the same level observed in 2019, before the pandemic. This was in line with the rate of recovery in September 2022 (61.4%).
Note to readers
Statistics Canada's Frontier Counts program uses Canada Border Services Agency administrative data gathered from all international travellers who have been cleared for entry or re-entry into Canada.
Starting with the January 2022 release, all estimates, including those in Table 1, are based on unadjusted counts only. Seasonally adjusted data continue to be available online in tables 24-10-0051-01 and 24-10-0054-01.
Seasonally adjusted data from January to September 2022 have been revised. Revisions have been made to data for March 2020 in Table 24-10-0052-01.
Elements of Statistics Canada's Frontier Counts program were modified in January 2022. For example, travellers arriving by commercial air with a trip duration of a year or more and workers are now excluded from the visitor counts. Although these changes should not have a significant impact on total estimates, readers are encouraged to review the concepts, definitions, data sources, and methods for Frontier Counts, as well as the explanatory notes for the online tables, especially when making historical comparisons and examining specific regions.
Overseas countries refer to countries other than Canada or the United States.
A Canadian resident visitor is a Canadian resident traveller whose trip purpose outside Canada is related to tourism and whose trip duration is less than one year.
A non-resident visitor is a traveller to Canada whose country of residence is not Canada, whose trip purpose is related to tourism and whose trip duration is less than one year.
Products
The October 2022 issue of International Travel: Advance Information (66-001-P) is now available.
Contact information
For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact us (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; infostats@statcan.gc.ca) or Media Relations (statcan.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.statcan@statcan.gc.ca).
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