Immigration Announcement
Canada provides new details on the collection of traveler information at the border
Canada decided to provide more information about the procedure details to the procedure of the Entry/Exit program, its delivery, and policy. More details are now available about the information that border officers have to collect from travelers, the data protection measures, and rules for disclosure. They have also specified who can access the information.
Entry/Exit Program
This is an important measure because the immigration department uses this information to verify the number of days an applicant has stayed in the country already. This information is necessary because it is used to verify the residency requirements for applications that have been submitted for work permits, study permits, permanent residence, work permits, and Canadian citizenship.
The Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) is responsible for collecting basic information of travelers who cross the border. This basic information includes:
- Name
- Passport details
- Date of birth
- Country of citizenship
- Date of entry or exit
- Data recorded in the Global Case Management System for applicants such as client identification, contact information and history, educational information, and employment details
Agreement with the United States
The United States and Canada have been successfully exchanging the biographic entry information on every land traveler at the land border from July 11, 2019. It is important to note though that the program began in February 2019. This program is currently applicable to air travelers as well, but this exit information is not shared with the United States regularly. The data is not being collected for people who are entering and exiting Canada via marine ports or rail.
