Canada's travel advice expects Hajj 2027 from May 14 to 19, pending the official moon sighting in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia sets pilgrims' health rules season by season. This guide uses the newest, for 1447 AH (2026); check for the 1448 AH (2027) list closer to your trip.

Check Canada's travel advisory first

As of October 2026, Canada advises avoiding non-essential travel to Saudi Arabia because of the volatile security situation in the region. It also advises avoiding all travel to King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, where ongoing military activity is disrupting operations. Many travel insurance policies won't cover you under this kind of advisory. Read the Saudi Arabia travel advice when you book and again before you leave.

The meningitis vaccine is required

Saudi Arabia requires everyone performing Hajj or Umrah, from any country, to have a meningococcal vaccine that covers serogroups A, C, W and Y. Under the 1447 AH rules:

Conjugate vaccine: counts for 5 years.
Polysaccharide vaccine: counts for 3 years.
Timing: either type must be given at least 10 days before you arrive.
Your record: it must show the vaccine's name and the date. If the type isn't shown, the dose counts for 3 years only.

The quadrivalent vaccines marketed in Canada today are all conjugate vaccines: Menveo, Nimenrix and MenQuadfi. Menactra is no longer marketed here, though you may see it on older records. A meningococcal B vaccine on its own, such as Bexsero or Trumenba, doesn't meet the rule.

Already vaccinated? A conjugate dose from the last 5 years, Menactra included, may still count, so bring your record. The Canadian Immunization Guide advises previously vaccinated travellers to check the re-vaccination rules before Hajj or Umrah.

Polio and yellow fever: only from certain countries

Canada isn't on Saudi Arabia's polio or yellow fever lists, so flying in from Canada, you need proof of neither under the 1447 AH rules. That changes if you arrive from a listed country:

Polio: arrivals from listed countries, including Pakistan and Afghanistan, need proof of a polio vaccine dose. Saudi Arabia recommends an inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) dose within the 12 months before arrival and at least 4 weeks before it.
Yellow fever: arrivals over 9 months old from listed countries, such as Nigeria, Ghana, Brazil and Peru, need proof of vaccination. Canada's advice says this also applies if you transited through an airport in a country where yellow fever occurs. In Canada, only centres designated by the Public Health Agency of Canada give this vaccine; see our yellow fever certificate guide.

COVID-19, flu and other vaccines

COVID-19: the 1447 AH rules require proof of vaccination, or lab-confirmed recovery in 2025, from certain groups. The Umrah rules name them: people over 65, pregnant women and people with some chronic conditions. All Hajj pilgrims are advised to be vaccinated. Bring your record.
Flu: Saudi Arabia advises all Hajj pilgrims to get the current season's flu vaccine. Canada advises getting the flu shot at least 2 weeks before you travel.
Routine vaccines: Saudi Arabia advises being up to date on diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio, measles, mumps and chickenpox. Canada's measles travel health notice recommends 2 doses for adults born in 1970 or later with no evidence of immunity.
Hepatitis A and B: Canada recommends both for travellers to Saudi Arabia, and says a typhoid vaccine may be recommended for some. See hepatitis A, hepatitis B and our Saudi Arabia page.

Health conditions that can rule out Hajj

The 1447 AH Hajj rules list conditions that stop a pilgrim from meeting the minimum physical ability Hajj needs, including:

kidney failure needing dialysis
heart failure with symptoms on light effort
lung disease needing oxygen
cirrhosis with signs of liver failure
dementia, or severe neurological or psychiatric illness that impairs thinking
the last three months of pregnancy, or a high-risk pregnancy
open tuberculosis of the lungs
cancer treatment that severely weakens the immune system

The document includes a health status form for a physician to sign. If any of these might apply to you, talk to your doctor and your Hajj package provider before you pay.

Staying well during Hajj

Heat

In Makkah, May's average daily high is about 42°C, with average lows near 28°C, according to World Meteorological Organization data. Canada warns of extreme heat there, especially from May to October.

Drink water before you feel thirsty, and rest in the shade.
Limit time in the sun, especially from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. An umbrella helps.
Heat stroke is an emergency. Get help right away if someone has a high body temperature and is confused, unconscious or has stopped sweating.
Diuretics (water pills), beta blockers and calcium channel blockers can raise your risk. Saudi Arabia's rules say medicines like these may need adjusting by your doctor.

Crowds

Canada warns that overcrowding at religious sites is a safety risk, and pilgrims have been killed or injured in stampedes. Know where the exits and the nearest medical facility are. The sites are far from Canada's embassy in Riyadh, so ask your travel agent what support is available.

Coughs, flu and MERS

Measles, COVID-19, flu and meningitis spread more easily in crowded places. Saudi Arabia advises a face mask during the rituals and in crowds, and frequent hand-washing. Canada says MERS, a respiratory illness that can be fatal, is a low risk for travellers. It spreads mainly through contact with camels and camel products such as raw milk, meat and urine, and there is no vaccine. Avoid camel farms and markets, and unpasteurized milk.

Feet, head-shaving and diabetes

The US CDC says most pilgrims perform tawaf and sa'i barefoot, and encourages people with diabetes or other causes of nerve damage to wear protective footwear. It advises disinfecting and covering blisters and open sores. It also says men should use only officially licensed barbers, who must use single-use blades to limit blood-borne infections.

For diabetes, the US CDC advises a personal plan for Hajj, enough medication and supplies, and an emergency kit with fast sugar, glucagon, a glucose meter and strips, and ketone strips. If you'll fast during Ramadan, for example on an Umrah, Diabetes Canada recommends a personal assessment 1 to 3 months before fasting starts.

Bringing medication into Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia's Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) strictly regulates medicines that contain narcotic or psychotropic substances. If yours is controlled there, you must get a permit online before you enter or leave the country, or you could face arrest and prosecution. Check your medicine on the SFDA's website. Bring enough medication for your whole stay, in the original containers, in your carry-on bag, with copies of your prescriptions and a doctor's note. For Canada's rules, see travelling with controlled medication.

A timeline for Canadian pilgrims

When you book: Canada's advice says Hajj needs a Hajj visa and must be arranged online, through Saudi Arabia's Nusuk Hajj platform. Umrah can be done on any visa.
About 6 weeks before you leave: see a travel health provider. You can book a $110 virtual consultation with a physician licensed in Ontario. You need to be in Ontario during the video call. Prescriptions go to our Toronto pharmacy, Cloud Pharmacy at 55 Dundas St E, where pharmacists give travel vaccines.
At least 2 weeks before you fly: get your flu shot.
10 days before you arrive: the latest your meningitis vaccine can be given and still count. Ask your Hajj package provider when they need to see your record.
Before you fly: pack your records, prescriptions and medication in your carry-on, and register with the Registration of Canadians Abroad service.
Back home: if you feel sick, call a health care provider and tell them where you travelled. See illness after travel.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need the meningitis vaccine for Umrah too?

Yes. The 1447 AH Umrah rules require it for everyone performing Umrah, from any country, with the same time limits as for Hajj.

Does my child need it?

Yes, from age one, according to Nusuk's Hajj health page. The physician will choose a vaccine approved for your child's age.

I'm flying from Canada. Do I need polio or yellow fever vaccines?

Not under the 1447 AH rules, because Canada isn't on either list. You may if you arrive from a listed country, such as Pakistan (polio) or Brazil (yellow fever).

Sources: Saudi Ministry of Health — Hajj 1447H health requirements | Saudi Ministry of Health — Umrah 1447H health requirements | Government of Canada — Saudi Arabia travel advice | Government of Canada — Mass gatherings | Government of Canada — Sun and heat safety | Government of Canada — Measles travel health notice | Government of Canada — Travel insurance | Government of Canada — Travelling with medication | Canadian Immunization Guide — Meningococcal vaccine | Health Canada Drug Product Database — Menactra | Nusuk Hajj — Health guidelines | WMO — Makkah climate | US CDC Yellow Book — Hajj and Umrah | Diabetes Canada — Ramadan and diabetes

Hajj 2027 and Umrah: Vaccines and Health Advice for Canadian Pilgrims