Canada Airport Transit Consultation: CBSA 2025

Understanding the Proposed Changes for Travellers Through IRCC

On December 1, 2025, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) launched a 30-day public consultation on proposed changes to how international passengers transit through major Canadian airports without formally entering Canada. This contentreference oaicite, known as the “Free Flow International-to-International Transit” process, aims to simplify airport transit while maintaining border security. Although this is not a direct Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) program change, it may indirectly affect how some travellers and visa holders plan flights through Canada. We aim to give you more information.

This article explains what CBSA announced, how it compares to the current rules, who is affected, and what the proposed change could mean strategically for people travelling to or through Canada as part of their broader immigration and travel plans. This will give you more insights to plan your journey, especially for international travelers. This is contentreference oaicite.

What Was Announced Regarding Transit by CBSA

CBSA has opened consultations on a regulatory proposed that would remove the requirement for certain passengers, who are only transiting through a Canadian airport on their way to another country, to check in with CBSA officers or kiosks. This change will give you more flexible transit options.

Under the proposed “Free Flow International-to-International Transit” process:

• Eligible passengers arriving on an international flight and departing on another international flight from the same airport would no longer need to interact directly with CBSA, as long as they remain in a designated, secure transit area.
• Air carriers would be required to collect and share additional information with CBSA, including the traveller’s final foreign destination and the date and time of their arrival in Canada, so CBSA can confirm that the traveller has left Canada on their scheduled flight.
• The proposed changes are part of the Government of Canada’s “Red Tape Review” and the broader Traveller Modernization initiative, which aims to make border processes more efficient without compromising security.
• The regulatory proposed is published in the Canada Gazette, and feedback will be accepted until December 29, 2025.

CBSA emphasizes that transiting travellers will still need to hold the proper immigration or travel authorization required by their destination country and any applicable Canadian transit requirements. contentreference oaicite

What Has Changed Compared to Before?

It is important to note that, as of today, no rules have actually changed yet. The government is consulting on a proposed, not implementing it immediately. This requires more analysis.

Travellers must still follow existing Canadian transit and entry rules.

Currently, CBSA operates an International-to-International (ITI) transit pilot at several major airports, including Montréal-Trudeau, Vancouver, and Toronto Pearson Terminal 1. Under this pilot, qualifying transit passengers:

• Disembark from their inbound international flight.
• Scan their passport at a dedicated ITI kiosk.
• Proceed directly to the international departures area, where they stay until boarding their next international flight.

According to CBSA, over 737,000 travellers were processed through the Free Flow ITI pilot in 2023 and over 744,000 in 2024, demonstrating that the model is already used at scale. contentreference oaicite It requires more funding.

The proposed regulatory change would formalize and expand this approach by:

• Creating a clear legal framework in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations that defines a “designated holding area” where ITI passengers are considered not to be seeking entry into Canada.
• Allowing eligible transit passengers to move from one international flight to another without scanning their passport at a CBSA kiosk or speaking to a CBSA officer, provided they stay within this secure zone.
• Relying primarily on data from air carriers (including exit information) to confirm that travellers leave Canada on their onward flight.
• Freeing up CBSA frontline officers to focus more on higher-risk or more complex travellers, rather than known low-risk transit passengers.

In practical terms, if and when the regulations come into force, many through-passengers may experience a smoother, more “invisible” transit through Canadian airports, while CBSA continues to rely on data and targeted interventions to manage risk. This is contentreference oaicite.

Who Is Affected and How?

The proposed targets a specific group of travellers and stakeholders:

International transit passengers

The primary group affected is travellers who:

• Arrive in Canada on an international flight,
• Connect onward to another international destination from the same airport, and
• Remain airside in a secure, designated transit zone without entering Canada.

For these travellers, the proposed change may eventually mean:

• Fewer touchpoints with border staff.
• Potentially faster and more predictable transit times.
• Less confusion about whether they are “entering” Canada when they are only connecting flights.

However, transit passengers will still need to hold any required Canadian transit visas or electronic travel authorizations if IRCC rules require them, as well as valid documents for their final destination. contentreference oaicite

The CBSA proposed does not remove these immigration document requirements.

Airlines and airports

Airlines would have to collect and share additional data with CBSA, such as travellers’ final foreign destinations and the timing of arrival into Canada. In return, airports may be able to:

• Decommission some dedicated ITI kiosks and repurpose them as primary inspection kiosks in customs halls.
• Increase capacity to process travellers who are actually entering Canada.
• Improve the overall passenger flow and make Canadian hubs more competitive for international connections.

People immigrating to Canada

For most permanent residence applicants, temporary workers, and international students, this proposed has limited direct impact. If you are flying to Canada to live, work, or study, you will still:

• Be inspected by CBSA on arrival when you actually enter Canada, and
• Need to meet Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) entry requirements for your permit or visa.

That said, if the proposed eventually becomes law and improves airport efficiency, it could indirectly help by reducing congestion and allowing CBSA to allocate more attention to complex cases and higher-risk travellers.

This is an interpretation based on the stated goals of shifting resources toward higher-risk activities. contentreference oaicite. It may also result in more efficient Canadian immigration through IRCC.

Context: Part of a Bigger Modernization Push

The transit consultation is one piece of a broader federal effort to modernize how Canada manages travel and immigration. Recent official measures include:

• IRCC digital visa pilot: On November 27, 2025, IRCC began testing digital visas with a small group of Moroccan citizens who are approved for visitor visas, aiming to make travel faster, safer and more convenient and to test compatibility with airlines and other partners.
• International student cap allocations for 2026: In a notice on November 25, 2025, IRCC set out national and provincial targets under the international student cap for 2026, including a planned total of 408,000 study permits (new and extensions) with 180,000 spaces for applicants who require a provincial or territorial letter of attestation.
• CBSA Traveller Modernization and Red Tape Review initiatives: CBSA documents describe the Free-Flow ITI project as part of a package of modernization measures intended to simplify processes and make better use of technology while keeping borders secure.

In my analysis, these initiatives collectively signal that both IRCC and CBSA are moving toward more digital, data-driven processes. Over the next few years, applicants and travellers can likely expect more digital.

documents, more automation, and more reliance on advanced information-sharing between airlines and government agencies. contentreference oaicite

Practical Scenarios and Examples

To understand how the proposed Free Flow ITI transit change could play out in real life, consider the following scenarios. These are illustrative examples, not legal advice.

Scenario 1: Visa-required traveller transiting through Toronto

A traveller from a country whose citizens usually require a Canadian transit visa is flying: São Paulo → Toronto Pearson (YYZ) → London (LHR).

• Today: The traveller may qualify for the existing ITI pilot at Toronto. They disembark, scan their passport at an ITI kiosk, and move directly to the international departures area, subject to meeting existing IRCC and CBSA rules.
• If the proposed becomes law: For eligible itineraries, the traveller might no longer need to interact with CBSA or a kiosk at all. Instead, they would follow airport signage to a secure transit area and board their next flight, while CBSA uses airline-provided data to monitor their arrival and departure.

In both cases, the traveller must still hold any required Canadian transit authorization and the documents required by the destination country. The proposed does not create a new exemption from visa rules. contentreference oaicite. The Canadian rules are still in place.

Scenario 2: Permanent residence applicant landing in Canada

A skilled worker with a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) is flying: Delhi → Vancouver (YVR) → Calgary (YYC), with Vancouver as their first point of entry to Canada.

• This person is not just transiting. They are entering Canada to become a permanent resident.
• They must still complete the standard CBSA landing process at their first port of entry (Vancouver), where their documents are reviewed and their permanent residence status is finalized.

The proposed Free Flow ITI rules do not change anything for this type of traveller.

Scenario 3: International student connecting via Montréal

A new international student heading to a designated learning institution in Quebec travels: Paris → Montréal-Trudeau (YUL) → Quebec City (YQB).

• They must still clear CBSA inspection in Montréal as they are entering Canada to study.
• The ITI free-flow proposed does not apply, because this is not a pure international-to-international transit.

However, if they later take a trip abroad and return via a same-day international connection that qualifies as ITI, some aspects of their transit experience might be smoother once the new rules are in force.

Strategic Takeaways for Immigration and Travel Planning

While CBSA’s announcement is mainly about airport operations, there are a few strategic angles to keep in mind if you are planning to immigrate to Canada or travel through Canadian hubs.

• Do not assume immediate change. This is a consultation on proposed regulations. Until the final rules are approved and an in-force date is announced, travellers should continue to plan based on the current transit and visa rules.
• Canada may become a more attractive transit hub. If transit becomes faster and more predictable, airlines may promote Canadian airports more aggressively as connection points, which could slightly increase flight options for future immigrants and visitors.
• Data-driven risk management will continue to grow. CBSA’s focus on shifting resources away from known transit passengers and toward higher-risk activities is consistent with a broader move towards advanced analytics and pre-arrival information in both border security and immigration processing.
• Always check both IRCC and CBSA sources. IRCC controls immigration programs, while CBSA manages border enforcement and entry. For complex itineraries or status questions, it is wise to review official guidance from both departments and, where appropriate, obtain professional advice.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What did CBSA announce on December 1, 2025?

CBSA launched a 30-day public consultation on proposed regulations to expand the Free Flow International-to-International Transit process at Canadian airports. o

The goal is to allow eligible transit passengers to connect between international flights without checking in with CBSA, while airlines share additional data so CBSA can still confirm departures and manage risk. contentreference oaicite

Has anything changed for travellers today?

No. The announcement is a proposed, not a final rule. Until the regulations are formally adopted and an effective date is communicated, travellers must follow.

the current transit and entry procedures, including any required transit visas or electronic travel authorizations.

Will I still need a Canadian transit visa?

Yes, if IRCC rules say you need one. The Free Flow ITI proposed does not remove existing IRCC visa or authorization requirements. It changes how eligible transit passengers move through the airport and interact with CBSA, not whether they need immigration documents in the first place.

Does this affect Express Entry, study permits or work permits?

Not directly. Express Entry, study permits, work permits and family sponsorships are managed by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, and nothing in the CBSA announcement changes program eligibility or selection rules. contentreference oaicite

The main impact is on international transit passengers who do not enter Canada.

How long is the consultation period and who can provide feedback?

The proposed regulations are available in the Canada Gazette, and CBSA is collecting feedback until December 29, 2025. Airlines, airports, industry associations and interested members of the public can typically submit comments through the Canada Gazette process described in the official notice.

Which airports are involved?

CBSA’s Free Flow ITI process is already being piloted at Montréal-Trudeau, Vancouver International and Toronto Pearson Terminal 1, with hundreds of thousands of passengers processed in 2023 and 2024.

The proposed regulations are intended to formalize and potentially expand this approach, but the final list of airports and details will depend on the outcome of the consultation and regulatory process.

Are there any other major IRCC changes today?

As of now, there is no new IRCC program or selection announcement dated December 1, 2025. The most recent notable IRCC updates include the November 27, 2025 notice on testing digital.

visas and the November 25, 2025 notice on 2026 allocations under the international student cap.

Conclusion

The December 1, 2025 CBSA consultation on international-to-international transit is a technical but meaningful step in Canada’s broader shift toward more digital, data-driven border and immigration systems. contentreference oaicite

For most people immigrating to Canada permanently or temporarily, nothing changes today, but future transits through Canadian hubs may become smoother and more efficient.

If you are planning to travel through Canada as part of a longer immigration journey, keep an eye on how this proposed evolves and always verify the latest requirements directly with IRCC and CBSA before you book.

Where your situation is complex or time-sensitive, consider seeking personalized professional advice to avoid misinterpretation of evolving rules.

Sources / References

1. Canada Border Services Agency – “The CBSA launches consultations on International-to-International Transit through Canadian airports,” news release, December 1, 2025.
2. Canada Border Services Agency – “Red Tape Progress Report” and Traveller Modernization materials describing Free-Flow International-to-International Transit, 2025.
3. CBSA – “Forward Regulatory Plan 2025–2027,” sections relating to international-to-international transit and designated holding areas.
4. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada – “Canada testing digital visas,” notice, November 27, 2025.
5. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada – “2026 provincial and territorial allocations under the international student cap,” notice, November 25, 2025.