Exit information requirements for air carriers
Important note:
Effective , the CBSA requires air carriers to submit manifests, including those carriers that previously tested and were certified for the Air Exit Program prior to 2020. To begin onboarding, the CBSA encourages all air carriers to contact us as soon as possible.
Email: api-pnr@cbsa-asfc.gc.ca
Definition of a commercial air carrier
The CBSA considers all aircraft operators engaged in the commercial transportation of persons or goods, regardless of size, to be a commercial air carrier. Examples of commercial air carriers include operators of:
- scheduled air service
- unscheduled charters
- cargo flights
When to submit manifests
All commercial air carriers are required to provide the CBSA with electronic passenger manifests of every passenger and crew member travelling out of Canada on their aircraft.
Air carriers must provide this information:
- beginning at 72 hours prior to the flight’s scheduled departure from Canada
- beginning at check-in (for example, usually 24 hours prior to departure)
- one hour prior to a flight’s scheduled departure (for example, crew message)
- 30 minutes following the aircraft departure (for example, close-out message)
Regulatory requirements: Exit Information Regulations
How to transmit data
The CBSA asks commercial air carriers to provide electronic passenger manifests to us in an approved format using an authorized method of transmission. Options include:
- connecting directly to the CBSA data acquisition system
- arranging for a service provider to connect on your behalf
- sending the data via email
- using the CBSA Internet API Gateway (IAG)
- using a combination of any of the above
Technical parameters for these methods are detailed in the "Carrier Messaging Requirements (CMR)" document, which is available upon request (api-pnr@cbsa-asfc.gc.ca) to commercial air carriers operating in Canada.
Commercial air carriers intending to begin service to or from Canada should contact the CBSA at least 6 months in advance to arrange for the provision of electronic passenger manifests.
Commercial air carriers that fail to comply with the requirement to provide correct electronic passenger manifests for travellers leaving/who have left Canada may be subject to administrative monetary penalties under the Customs Act.
Commercial air carrier technical support
The Advance Passenger Information/Passenger Name Record (API/PNR) Program Support (APPS) line provides support to commercial air carriers on the API/PNR Program, as well as the Air Exit Initiative, including data provision issues, occurrences/outages, testing and certification, on-going maintenance, as well as technical support. Upon request, account managers will provide the "Carrier Messaging Requirements (CMR)" document and a list of certified service providers to the commercial air carrier. Commercial air carriers can contact the APPS line by:
- Telephone:
- 1-866-4API-PNR (1-866-427-4767, toll-free within Canada and the US, including Alaska and Hawaii. Does not include US territories)
- 1-613-941-2800 (international callers, charges apply)
- Email: api-pnr@cbsa-asfc.gc.ca
- Date modified: