Skip CBSA when connecting to the U.S. through 3 Canada airports

Travelers connecting through Toronto, Vancouver or Montreal on their way to the United States can now walk from their arrival gate to U.S. preclearance without stopping for Canadian border officers.

Skip CBSA, head straight to U.S. preclearance

The Canada Border Services Agency rolled out Free Flow International-to-International Transit on June 26, letting eligible passengers bypass CBSA officers and kiosks entirely when connecting through Vancouver (YVR), Montréal,Trudeau (YUL) or Toronto Pearson Terminal 1. Terminal 3 at Pearson is excluded, so anyone booked through a T3 carrier still clears CBSA the old way.

For U.S.-bound connections, the routing is simple: follow signs for the U.S. connection area, clear a security re-screen with checked bags handled airside, then complete U.S. Customs and Border Protection preclearance inside the Canadian airport. Airlines transmit passenger and departure data to CBSA so the agency can confirm travelers actually leave the country.

Who qualifies and what breaks the system

Eligibility hinges on the itinerary, not nationality. Passengers must:

• Arrive on an international flight at YVR, YUL or YYZ Terminal 1
• Hold a confirmed ticket on an onward international flight departing within 24 hours
• Stay inside the designated international departure area until boarding
• Carry any required Canadian transit visa or eTA, plus the visa or ESTA for the final destination

A cancelled flight that pushes the layover past 24 hours voids Free Flow eligibility, as does stepping landside for any reason. Either scenario means reporting to CBSA and being processed as a regular entrant to Canada.

What to do differently before flying

Book bags through to the final U.S. destination. Free Flow assumes checked luggage stays in the transit system for the CBP re-screen, so a separately tagged bag can force a landside detour and kill the shortcut. Confirm the Pearson terminal on the ticket before assuming the program applies. Travelers who still need a Canadian eTA should apply well before departure even when transiting, since Free Flow doesn't waive standard document requirements for entering Canada.

Nomads routing between Latin America, Asia and the U.S. through Canadian hubs gain the biggest time savings, cutting a full border touchpoint from the trip.