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CBSA Service Standards
The CBSA is committed to building a culture of service excellence. To deliver a high level of response to the needs of the public and trade community, we have established standards across our traveller and commercial sectors. Our aim is to provide knowledgeable, accessible and fair service that is timely, professional and courteous. We strive to continuously enhance our commitment to clients by developing, monitoring, reporting, and improving on these service standards.
The CBSA endeavours to meet these service standards under normal day-to-day operational conditions. The standards may vary depending upon the type of service being provided, or because of an identified border security concern or an unforeseen and unusual border pressure. Other service delivery conditions, such as weekend and holiday hours, are stated below with each service standard.
| Service | Service Standard | |
|---|---|---|
| Complaint contact | The CBSA will strive to contact the client within 14 calendar days after a written complaint is received. | |
| Complaint response | The CBSA will strive to respond to the client within 40 calendar days after a written complaint is received. | |
Acknowledgement letter
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The CBSA will strive to acknowledge the receipt of the client's Enforcement or Trade appeal submission within 15 calendar days. | |
| Customs Bonded Warehouse Licence | The CBSA will strive to process Customs Bonded Warehouses Licence applications within 60 business days from the date of the receipt of the complete application. | |
| Customs Sufferance Warehouse Licence | The CBSA will strive to process Customs Sufferance Warehouses License applications within 60 business days from the date of the receipt of the complete application. | |
| Brokers | A) Brokers Licence |
Applications are processed within four months of exam |
| B) Brokers Examination | Results received four weeks from date of exam | |
| CANPASS Program | Applications processed in 4-6 weeks | |
| NEXUS Program | Applications processed in 4-6 weeks | |
| Free and Secure Trade Program (FAST) | Applications processed in 4-6 weeks | |
| Commercial Driver Registration Program | Applications processed in 4-6 weeks | |
| Commercial Release Program | Process complete and accurate release requests that do not require examination of the goods or review of permits/approval by Other Government Departments: Release Minimum Documentation (RMD): EDI machine release: 5 minutes Pre-Arrival Review System (PARS): |
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| Border Information Service | Interactive voice responses are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 95% of the time. | |
| Border Wait Times | The estimated wait times for travellers reaching the primary inspection booth, the first point of contact with the CBSA when crossing the Canada/U.S. land border. 10 minutes on weekdays (Monday to Thursday) 20 minutes weekends and holidays (Friday, Saturday, Sunday and holidays) |
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| Marine Container Examination | The CBSA will strive to conduct a marine container examination within 24 hours. The 24-hour period excludes weekends and holidays, fumigant testing and ventilation, and the time required to reload a container. | |
| Fumigant Service Standard | When the presence of fumigants is identified within a marine container, the CBSA strives to ensure the container is not delayed for longer than three days in the ventilation process. This three day period does not include weekends, statutory holidays, or containers which pose an extreme danger to health. | |
| Carrier Code Application Process | The CBSA will strive to issue a carrier code to those who meet carrier code eligibility requirements between 1 and 10 business days. The application will not be processed nor will the service standard commence until all required information and supporting documents are received. |
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| Casual Refund | The CBSA will strive to process casual refunds within 30 business days of receipt of claims and all requisite supporting documentation. | |
| Release Prior to Payment – Receipt of security | The CBSA will strive to send an acknowledgement to the importer confirming receipt of the security within 21 calendar days. | |
| B2 Commercial Adjustments | The CBSA will strive to process B2 commercial adjustments within 90 calendar days of receipt of a claim and all requisite supporting documentation. | |
| Manual (hard-copy) commercial accounting documents – B3 | The CBSA will strive to process hard-copy (paper format) B3s within 10 business days of receipt of the form and all requisite supporting documentation. | |
| Advance rulings for tariff classification and origin (free trade agreements) | The CBSA will strive to issue advance rulings for tariff classification and origin (free trade agreements) no more than 120 calendar days from the date of receipt of all information upon which a ruling may be based. | |
| National Customs Ruling (NCR) | The CBSA will strive to issue a National Customs Ruling no more than 30 calendar days from the receipt of complete information. | |
| Verification Priorities – Distribution of priorities to the public | The CBSA will strive to distribute verification priority information to the public twice per year, no later than January 7th and July 7th of each year. | |
| Verification Notification and Request – Communicating with company | Within 10 and 15 business days after a compliance verification initiation letter has been sent, the CBSA will strive to communicate with a company representative, to ensure that the notification has been received and that the request is being addressed accordingly. | |
| Verification Letter (final) – Releasing letter | The CBSA will strive to release the final verification letter no more than 10 business days following the end of the 30-day compliance verification representation period, if no additional information is received from the importer that would require further verification. | |
| Duties Relief Program | The CBSA will strive to process applications no later than 90 calendar days from the date of receipt of a correctly completed and supported application. | |
| Drawback claims | The CBSA will strive to process drawback claims no later than 90 calendar days from the date of receipt of a correctly completed and supported application. | |
