Canada Set to Launch Phase II of Entry/Exit Initiative

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - June 28, 2013) - The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) announced today that it will begin implementing Phase II of the Entry/Exit Initiative with the United States (U.S.) Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on June 30, 2013, as outlined in the Beyond the Border Action Plan.

Under Phase II, the CBSA and DHS will exchange entry data collected on third-country nationals (those who are neither citizens of Canada nor of the U.S.), permanent residents of Canada who are not U.S. citizens, and lawful permanent residents of the U.S. who are not Canadian citizens, at all automated land ports of entry along the common border, including all major land border crossings. This exchange will begin on June 30. No effects on regular operations are anticipated.

Phase II builds on the successful work of Phase I, which involved the exchange of routine biographic information on these same classes of travellers at four land ports of entry in British Columbia/Washington State and Ontario/New York. This initial phase validated the Entry/Exit concept: that entry into one country confirms the exit from the other.

"Our governments are committed to establishing a coordinated entry and exit information system that bolsters the security and improves the efficiency of our shared border," said the Honourable Vic Toews, Minister of Public Safety. "By moving to the next phase of the Initiative, we continue to make progress in strengthening the integrity of Canada's border and immigration programs."

The sharing of information will allow the CBSA to better monitor the departure of people subject to removal orders and/or immigration warrants so that it can focus its enforcement efforts on individuals still likely to be in Canada. The Agency will also assist the government in determining that individuals continue to meet permanent residency obligations and/or meet eligibility requirements to apply for citizenship.

The process of collecting and sharing personal information is being done in accordance with each country's respective privacy laws and policies. It will also be consistent with the Beyond the Border Action Plan Joint Statement of Privacy Principles and an Annex, agreed to by the CBSA, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) and DHS, to the Statement of Mutual Understanding on Information Sharing which sets out the parameters for information sharing under Phase II.

The CBSA is also conducting privacy impact assessments (PIAs) before implementing each new phase of the Entry/Exit Initiative to ensure that privacy considerations are thoroughly evaluated and addressed. The executive summary of the PIA for Phase II is available on the CBSA's Web site.

The data exchanged under Phase II will include traveller information that is currently being collected at ports of entry, as well as the date/time of entry and the port through which the individual has entered.

Currently collected data elements being shared are: first name, last name, middle name, date of birth, nationality, gender, document type, document number, work location code / U.S. port of entry codes, date of entry, time of entry, and document country of issuance.

For more information on Phase II, please consult the Entry/Exit Phase II fact sheet and visit the Entry/Exit Initiative section on the CBSA's Web site.

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