SECU – Immigration Processing - at the Border – August 28, 2024
Key Facts and Figures
Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) processes all foreign nationals at the air, land and sea borders in Canada to determine their admissibility.
Individuals must present valid entry documents, and meet all requirements to enter Canada.
CBSA may refuse entry to an individual with a valid entry document (i.e. temporary resident visa) if it has information indicating the individual is inadmissible or ineligible for entry to Canada.
Key Messages
All persons seeking entry to Canada are required to report for examination by CBSA and must demonstrate they meet the requirements to enter. Foreign nationals seeking to enter Canada do so as a privilege, not a right.
People who misrepresent themselves and/or use fraudulent documentation to seek entry to or to remain in Canada, or who are otherwise inadmissible, are contravening the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, may be denied entry or risk removal from Canada.
Air carriers have obligations under regulations to ensure, to the extent possible, that individuals they convey to Canada are travelling for legitimate purposes.
The CBSA National Targeting Centre (NTC), Air Carrier Support Centre and the CBSA International Network Liaison Officers work closely with air carriers to identify air passengers who may have misrepresented their purpose of travel to Canada, who may have obtained their travel documents fraudulently, or who may otherwise not be a bona fide traveller to Canada. CBSA makes recommendations to air carriers not to board these individuals.
CBSA works regularly and closely with domestic and international law enforcement partners, including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), United States (U.S.) Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Homeland Security, and other Canadian police agencies, as well as the provincial and territorial governments, in a joint effort to ensure border security and assist with investigations.
In Canada, border security and integrity is a shared mandate between CBSA and the RCMP. CBSA is responsible for enforcement at official Canadian ports of entry, while the RCMP is responsible for enforcement between ports of entry.
If a foreign national is found inadmissible to Canada at the border, CBSA will take appropriate enforcement action, resulting in a removal order. Depending upon the circumstances of the case, CBSA will also work with law enforcement partners for investigative purposes.
Supplementary Information
At ports of entry across the country, frontline CBSA employees assess admissibility of persons coming to Canada, including security risks, so that legitimate travel and trade can continue efficiently and safely, while keeping harmful people and goods out of our communities.
Everyone seeking entry to Canada is examined by CBSA and must demonstrate they meet the requirements to enter.
Admissibility of all travelers at the border is decided on a case-by-case basis. If inadmissibility concerns are noted, further steps are taken by the Border Services Officer to obtain additional information at time of entry. Travelers must have documentation detailing the reason for their travel and supporting documents. Other relevant information may also be requested by the Border Services Officer.
Several factors are used to determine if a person is admissible to Canada, including involvement in criminal activity, human rights violations, organized crime, security, health or financial reasons. If there are reasonable grounds to believe a person was a member of a criminal organization, or engaged in terrorism, that person would be inadmissible.
In cases where there are inadmissibility concerns and more information is needed, the officer may interview the traveler, request additional documentation and refer the case to security partners for further security screening.
Individuals may also be refused entry until such time that they can prove they meet the requirements to enter Canada.
