Regulation 225 — Carriers — advance passenger information
Text of provision
(1) For the purposes of subsection 52(1) of the Act, and subject to subsections (3) and (4), an exclusion order obliges the foreign national to obtain a written authorization in order to return to Canada during the one-year period after the exclusion order was enforced.
(2) For the purposes of subsection 52(1) of the Act, the expiry of a one-year period following the enforcement of an exclusion order, or a five-year period if subsection (3) applies, is a circumstance in which the foreign national is exempt from the requirement to obtain an authorization in order to return to Canada.
(3) A foreign national who is issued an exclusion order as a result of the application of paragraph 40(2)(a) of the Act must obtain a written authorization in order to return to Canada within the five-year period after the exclusion order was enforced.
(4) For the purposes of subsection 52(1) of the Act, the making of an exclusion order against a foreign national on the basis of inadmissibility under paragraph 42(1)(b) of the Act is a circumstance in which the foreign national is exempt from the requirement to obtain an authorization in order to return to Canada.
Plain English
Regulation 225 requires airlines operating flights to Canada to transmit advance passenger information — passport details, travel document information, and flight booking data — to CBSA before departure. This allows CBSA to screen passengers before arrival and identify potential inadmissible persons, persons of interest, or security threats.
Failure to provide API data as required is itself an offence under IRPA.
Practical effect
API and PNR requirements are now a standard feature of international travel to Canada (and most other countries). CBSA uses this data to generate risk scores and watchlist matches before a flight lands, allowing officers to direct specific passengers to secondary inspection. The data is retained and used for broader intelligence and law enforcement purposes under the Passenger Protect program. Carriers who fail to transmit API data face fines and may have their operating authorisation reviewed.