The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has launched a 30-day consultation on a proposed change that would maintain border security while removing the requirement for passengers transiting through a Canadian airport to an international destination to check in with the CBSA.
The “Free Flow International-to-International Transit” process would continue to ensure a high level of security while providing travellers with a more efficient transit process, reads a press release.
The proposed change would require air carriers to collect and share with the CBSA additional information including travellers’ final foreign destination and the date and time of their arrival into Canada.
This would allow the CBSA to confirm that travellers have left Canada on their scheduled international flight.
The proposed regulatory amendments are now available in the Canada Gazette and feedback will be collected until December 29, 2025.
The Free Flow process is currently being piloted at the Montreal Trudeau, Vancouver and Toronto Pearson Terminal One, with over 737,000 travellers processed in 2023 and over 744,000 travellers processed in 2024.
Transiting travellers must still hold the proper immigration authorization and documents for their destination country to transit through Canada.
Free Flow International-to-International Transit is part of the Traveller Modernization initiative.
