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International travellers connecting through Toronto Pearson, Vancouver or Montreal-Trudeau no longer need to clear a border officer to catch their next flight. The change, in effect since late June 2026, is part of a wider push to speed up a system that was starting to strain under record traffic.
International travellers connecting through Canada can now move between flights more quickly, following a new border processing change at three of the country’s busiest hubs.
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has rolled out a system that allows eligible passengers transiting between international flights to bypass standard border control procedures at Toronto Pearson International Airport, Vancouver International Airport, and Montréal-Trudeau International Airport.
How it works
Instead of clearing customs or meeting a border officer, travellers with a confirmed onward international ticket can proceed directly to the international departures area, provided their connection is within 24 hours and they remain inside the designated secure transit zone throughout.
The change is part of a broader modernization of airport processing known as the Free Flow International-to-International Transit program, which shifts passenger verification to airline data-sharing systems rather than in-person checks. According to reporting by CIC News, the update took effect in late June 2026 following a formal announcement from Canadian authorities. CBSA’s own announcement dates the launch to 26 June 2026, and quotes Rob Chambers, the agency’s Vice-President of the Travellers Branch, describing it as “one of the ways the CBSA is improving the traveller experience while maintaining the security of Canada’s border,” a line reported by Travel Market Report.
What travellers still need to do
Passengers must still carry all required visas or electronic travel authorizations (eTA) for their final destination, and baggage is typically transferred automatically for eligible same-day connections. Under the new system, airlines provide advance passenger information to border authorities, including destination and departure timing, allowing security screening to happen without interrupting the transit flow. Officials say the approach is designed to maintain border security while reducing congestion and missed connections during peak travel periods, a longstanding complaint at Pearson in particular, which has ranked among North America’s more delay-prone hubs for international-to-international connections.
The program at a glance
| Detail | What applies |
|---|---|
| Launch date | 26 June 2026 |
| Participating airports | Toronto Pearson (Terminal 1), Vancouver International, Montréal-Trudeau |
| Eligible route | International arrival connecting to an international departure, both outside Canada |
| Connection window | Confirmed onward ticket departing within 24 hours of arrival |
| Passenger still needs | Valid visa or eTA for the final destination, and to stay inside the secure transit zone |
| Not eligible | Passengers whose final stop is inside Canada; they still clear standard entry processing |
Source: Canada Border Services Agency announcement, 26 June 2026, as reported by CIC News and Travel Market Report.
Who benefits most
The change matters most for travellers routing through Canada between two other countries, for example, connecting from a European or Latin American flight through Toronto onward to a U.S. or Caribbean destination, rather than passengers whose final stop is inside Canada, who still go through standard entry processing. It brings Canada’s three busiest airports closer in line with international transit arrangements used elsewhere. At Amsterdam Schiphol, for instance, passengers who stay within the airport’s international transit zone and do not cross Dutch passport control can move between international flights without a full border check, according to the Dutch government’s own travel guidance, published by Netherlands Worldwide.
Pearson’s traffic squeeze, in numbers
The timing lines up with a real capacity problem. Toronto Pearson carried 23.5 million passengers in the first half of 2026, up 3.5%, or roughly 800,000 more people, compared with the same period in 2025. The Greater Toronto Airports Authority attributed the growth to a mix of international volume and strong domestic demand, according to figures reported by BlogTO in August 2026. Pearson is Canada’s busiest airport by a wide margin, and every passenger who can skip an in-person border check is one less person in a line that was already growing before this program existed.
Even with the border check skipped, a same-day international connection at a busy hub like Pearson can still mean hours in a terminal. A compressible travel pillow that packs flat in a bag until you need it is worth having for that stretch, whether it gets used at the gate or on the next leg. Stuffable travel pillow on Amazon.ca.
What’s next
The program is currently limited to the three participating airports, though other Canadian airports may apply to adopt the same process in the future. Given Toronto’s role as a major layover point for travellers moving between Latin America, Europe, and the U.S., an expansion beyond Pearson, Vancouver, and Montréal would likely have an outsized impact on itineraries routed through Canada. For travellers planning a trip that touches Canada at any point, it is worth checking fares and routing options; our guide to finding cheap flights across Canada covers how connection choices affect price, and our season-by-season guide to visiting Canada covers when those routes are busiest.
Frequently asked questions
Which Canadian airports offer the Free Flow International-to-International Transit program?
Toronto Pearson (Terminal 1), Vancouver International Airport, and Montréal-Trudeau International Airport, as of the program’s launch on 26 June 2026.
Who is eligible to skip border control under this program?
Passengers arriving on an international flight with a confirmed onward international ticket departing within 24 hours, who remain inside the airport’s designated secure transit zone throughout their connection.
Do I still need a visa or eTA to use Free Flow transit?
Yes. All standard visa and electronic travel authorization requirements for your final destination still apply. The program removes the in-person border check, not the documentation requirements.
Does this program apply if my final destination is in Canada?
No. It applies only to passengers connecting between two international flights. Anyone whose journey ends in Canada still goes through standard entry processing.
Will other Canadian airports get this system?
The CBSA has said other Canadian airports may apply to adopt the process, but as of this writing it remains limited to Toronto Pearson, Vancouver and Montréal-Trudeau.
Sources and method
Reporting on the program’s launch, eligibility rules and the CBSA official quote comes from the Canada Border Services Agency’s own announcement of 26 June 2026, as relayed by CIC News and Travel Market Report. Passenger traffic figures for Toronto Pearson are drawn from Greater Toronto Airports Authority data as reported by BlogTO in August 2026. The Schiphol comparison is sourced to the Dutch government’s own transit guidance via Netherlands Worldwide. The summary table and the framing connecting traffic growth to the new program are Raw POV’s own analysis; no figure in this article has been estimated or projected.
📚 Part of our guide: Canada Travel Guide
