Travel

Yes, a customs officer in Canada may search your body at the border if they have reasonable grounds to suspect you are concealing goods.

If you fail to declare goods at the Canadian border, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) may seize the goods and impose monetary penalties under the Customs Act.

Most foreign nationals need a visa or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to enter Canada as a tourist, unless they are from a visa-exempt country.

Yes, you must declare all goods you bring into Canada — there are no exceptions for personal items or low-value purchases.

A person may be found inadmissible to Canada for reasons including security concerns, criminality, health risks, financial insufficiency, misrepresentation, or non-compliance with the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

Yes, a prior DUI conviction can make you inadmissible to Canada under criminal inadmissibility rules — even if it’s considered a misdemeanor or was dismissed in your home country.

Yes, Canadian customs officers can examine your electronic devices at the border without a warrant or reasonable suspicion, as part of their authority to examine 'goods' under the Customs Act.

Yes, constitutional rights — particularly under section 8 (unreasonable search and seizure) and section 9 (arbitrary detention) of the Charter — are reduced at the Canadian border, where customs officers may conduct searches based on reasonable suspicion rather than full judicial authorization.

Yes, an immigration officer in Canada can detain you at the airport if your documents are suspicious or if they have reasonable grounds to believe you may be inadmissible.

If bumped from an overbooked flight in Canada, you have the right to compensation, rebooking, and care (e.g., meals, accommodation) under the Air Passenger Protection Regulations — unless the denial was due to safety, security, or medical reasons.

If your flight is cancelled or significantly delayed in Canada, you may be entitled to compensation, refunds, and care (e.g., food, accommodation) under the Air Passenger Protection Regulations (APPR), which are made under the Aeronautics Act and Canada Transportation Act.

You can file a complaint about an airline's treatment directly with the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) — it’s free, and no lawyer is needed.

In Canada, airlines must provide food, water, working lavatories, and climate control within specific time limits during tarmac delays — and must deplane passengers after 3 hours for domestic flights or 4 hours for international flights, unless safety or security prevents it.

Yes, under Canada’s Air Passenger Protection Regulations (APPR), airlines must provide meals, refreshments, accommodation, and communication services during certain long delays — but only for flights to, from, or within Canada operated by licensed carriers.

If the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) rules against you in a flight complaint, you may apply for judicial review in the Federal Court within 30 days of the decision.

Yes, airlines operating in Canada must accommodate passengers with disabilities to eliminate undue obstacles to mobility, as required by the Canada Transportation Act.

As a train passenger with a disability in Canada, you have the right to accessible transportation services free of undue obstacles, and rail carriers like VIA Rail must provide reasonable accommodations — including for assisting animals — unless doing so would cause undue hardship.

Yes, airlines can limit their liability for lost or damaged baggage on international flights under the Montreal Convention, which Canada has adopted into law. The limit is 1,288 Special Drawing Rights (SDR) per passenger for checked baggage.

Yes, you can bring prescription medications into Canada for personal use, but you must declare them to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) upon arrival.

To claim refugee status in Canada, you must make a claim at a port of entry or inland office, undergo eligibility screening, and then have your case heard by the Refugee Protection Division (RPD) of the Immigration and Refugee Board.

Yes, if your permanent residency is revoked and you are found inadmissible under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, you may be issued a removal order and deported from Canada.

A pre-removal risk assessment (PRRA) is a process that lets you show why you should not be removed from Canada due to risks you’d face back home. You can apply for one only after being refused refugee protection and before removal.

You need the child’s valid passport, a notarized consent letter from both parents or guardians, and proof of your relationship to the child (e.g., court order or custody agreement), especially if travelling internationally.

Yes, you are entitled to receive services, including notices and documentation, in either English or French from Canadian airlines operating domestically or internationally, as required by the Official Languages Act and the Air Transportation Regulations.

No, the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) does not have authority to regulate airline pricing in Canada. Its mandate is limited to ensuring fair treatment, accessibility, and transparency — not setting or controlling fares.