Advance Passenger Information/Passenger Name Record

Information Notice for Persons Travelling to Canada by Commercial Carrier

Under Canadian law, all commercial carriers are required to provide the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) with Advance Passenger Information/Passenger Name Record (API/PNR) data relating to all persons on board a conveyance bound for Canada.

Commercial carriers gather this passenger data for their own business purposes and it is stored in their automated reservation and departure control systems.

The CBSA does not require commercial carriers to gather or provide any additional PNR data elements that are not already recorded for their own business purposes.

Objectives of the API/PNR Program

The API/PNR program is designed to protect Canadians by enabling the CBSA to perform a risk assessment of travellers prior to their arrival in Canada. API/PNR data is used by the CBSA to identify persons who may be subject to closer questioning or examination on arrival in Canada because they may pose a potential threat to Canada's safety or security.

The CBSA is committed to the delivery of its mandate of protecting the safety and security of Canada while doing so in a manner that respects and upholds individuals' fundamental rights to privacy.

Protection of Personal Information

Given that passenger data includes some personal information, individuals can have a reasonable expectation of privacy regarding that information. This information is protected under the Privacy Act and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The CBSA has instituted further policies and guidelines to protect the privacy of personal information processed by the CBSA in the administration of the API/PNR program.

It is the policy of the CBSA:

• to protect and to manage this data in accordance with the Customs Act, the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the Privacy Act and the Access to Information Act, as well as the relevant CBSA and Government of Canada policies pertaining to the management and security of information;
• to disclose, allow access to or use data elements only when authorized to do so by law under section 107 of the Customs Act, the Protection of Passenger Information Regulations made under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, subsection 8(2) of the Privacy Act (Immigration), and to the extent permitted by CBSA policy and guidelines;
• to share API/PNR data with outside agencies only for certain specified purposes to protect the safety and security of Canadians, or for any judicial proceedings or as otherwise required by Canadian law;
• to retain the data for the minimum period necessary for border management and analytical purposes, or to otherwise meet the requirements of Canadian law; and
• to limit access to the data to authorized CBSA officials.

Your Rights

You have a right to request a copy of the API/PNR data that commercial carriers provide to the CBSA under the API/PNR program that is maintained in the CBSA's Passenger Information System (PAXIS). You can also request that a notation be included if any of the information is incorrect.

How to Reach Us

To request access to your API/PNR data or to file a concern or correction, contact in writing:

Access to Information and Privacy Coordinator
Canada Border Services Agency
Leima Building
410 Laurier Avenue West, 11th Floor
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0L8