A Canada Border Services Agency badge appears on an officer’s uniform at Vancouver International Airport on Oct. 3, 2025. The Canadian Press
The Canada Border Services Agency has started a new review that could change how many travellers move through Canadian airports. The agency confirmed Monday that it launched a 30-day consultation on a proposal to remove the long-standing requirement for international travellers with stopovers in Canada to check in at customs before continuing their trips abroad.
What the New System Would Mean
The plan aims to make international travel smoother and faster while keeping border checks strong. Under the proposal, airlines would collect extra information from passengers, including final destinations and return schedules, and send it to the CBSA. The agency says this would help confirm when a traveller leaves Canada during a stopover.
This means travellers connecting through Canada could skip customs altogether, saving time and avoiding long lines. However, the agency stressed that every traveller still needs the right immigration documents to pass through Canadian airports.
Focus on Security and Efficiency
In a statement, the CBSA said the “Free Flow International-to-International Transit process” would keep security high while creating a faster transit experience. The goal is to reduce delays and simplify travel without weakening border safety.
The agency believes airlines can safely provide the information needed to confirm departures. This shift would remove the need for travellers to leave secure areas of the airport just to visit customs before reboarding another plane.
Pilot Programs Already Running
This system is not new. The CBSA began testing the Free Flow transit program in 2023 at three major airports: Toronto Pearson, Montreal Trudeau, and Vancouver. More than 1.4 million travellers have already moved through these airports using this model.
The trial aimed to study how well the system worked, how quickly passengers moved through the terminals, and whether security concerns could be addressed with airline reporting instead of direct customs checks.
Why the Government Is Reviewing These Rules
The Free Flow transit proposal is part of the federal government’s broader Red Tape Review. This effort looks for outdated or inefficient processes across departments. The goal is to reduce delays, improve services, and remove unnecessary steps that slow down travellers and businesses.
Officials say the customs check for some stopover passengers may be one of those outdated steps. Many other countries already use systems where travellers remain in secure transit zones without clearing customs.
Supporters say the change could help Canada compete with other major travel hubs by reducing congestion. It could also improve the travel experience for millions of passengers who pass through Canadian airports each year.
Next Steps
The CBSA will collect feedback from airlines, industry groups, and other partners over the next month. After that, the agency will decide whether to move forward with the regulatory changes. If approved, the new rules could roll out across more airports in the coming months.
