Strategy for Success

Border Management

Managing border operations efficiently requires sound planning and the use of multiple strategies to ensure the flow of lawful people and trade, as well as the identification and interdiction of unknown or high risks.

Strategy for Managing the Border

To manage the border, the CBSA uses three main strategies:

• Advance Information
  To identify and stop high-risk people and goods before they get to Canada.
  
• Intelligence, Risk Analysis and Management
  Turning information into intelligence, automated risk analysis, analytical tools and risk management
  
• Pre-Approval Programs
  To facilitate the movement of low-risk people and goods

Advance Information

To identify and stop high-risk people and goods before they arrive in Canada the CBSA has developed a strategy to collect advance information.  The programs involved:

• Advance Passenger Information/Passenger Name Record
  Under Canadian law, all commercial carriers are required to provide the CBSA with data relating to all persons on board a conveyance bound for Canada. Information on high-risk travellers supports risk-assessment before they arrive.
• Advance Commercial Information (ACI)
  Provides cargo information electronically 24 hours before containers are loaded on ships bound for Canada. ACI introduces more effective risk management processes and tools to identify threats to our health, safety and security prior to the arrival of cargo and conveyances in Canada.
• Container Security Initiative (CSI)
  CBSA officers are deployed to foreign seaports to pre‑screen and examine cargo containers before they are loaded abroad on a vessel destined to Canada.

Intelligence, Risk Analysis and Management

The CBSA has embarked on an ambitious program to detect and intercept high-risk goods to ensure the security of the public and Canada’s supply chain. This will be accomplished by:

• Turning information into intelligence
• Automated risk analysis
• Analytical tools
• Risk management

National Risk Assessment Centre (NRAC)
Facilitates the expeditious flow of information and intelligence between and within partnering agencies to assist in the identification of high-risk travellers and goods before they arrive at the border.

CBSA Laboratory
CBSA’s world-class laboratory offers a diverse range of scientific analytical and research advisory services which directly contribute to the effective management of the border. 

Contraband Detection
Information on the technologies in use to enhance border security.

Pushing the borders out
By intercepting high-risk goods and people before they arrive in Canada, or embark on a conveyance bound for Canada, we are working to push our border out.

Migration Integrity Officers (MIOs)
Officers deployed abroad who work with partners to combat irregular migration, including people-smuggling and trafficking of illegal migrants to North America.

Screening Assistance
Provides support of the overseas visa program fro immigrants and visitors.

Pre-Approval Programs

To facilitate the movement of low-risk people and goods the CBSA administers pre‑approval programs; programs that individuals or companies can sign up for to speed up their cross-border travel.

NEXUS Programs
Designed to simplify and expedite border crossings for pre-approved, low-risk travellers.  The CBSA delivers NEXUS Highway, NEXUS Air Pilot Project and NEXUS Marine Pilot Project. 

CANPASS Air
A national initiative to facilitate secure entry into Canada for pre-approved, low-risk, frequent air travellers. The program uses iris-recognition biometric technology to verify and individual’s identity and confirm admissibility.

Free and Secure Trade (FAST)
Supports moving pre-approved eligible goods across the border quickly and verifying trade compliance away from the border.