Entry of Goods and Individuals into Canada

Every year, more than 35 million people visit Canada. Canada welcomes these visitors as tourists, students, or temporary workers. The Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games are expected to bring an unprecedented influx of visitors to Canada.

Source: Canada Border Services Agency.

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) provides services at approximately 1 200 points of entry across Canada and 39 locations abroad, processes more than 90 million people annually, issues more than 100 000 work permits, and facilitates billions of dollars worth of trade per day. During the 2010 Winter Games, CBSA will process all travelers and their baggage coming into Canada and ensure that all people and goods are admissible and comply with Canadian laws. The CBSA will also work with partners concerning duty-free imports required for the 2010 Winter Games.

Source: Canada Border Services Agency.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) is responsible for issuing visas at its missions abroad to foreign visitors attending the 2010 Winter Games. Human Resources and Social Development Canada(HRSDC) will facilitate the entry of workers from other countries. HRSDC will be responsible for issues related to work permits and labour issues.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is responsible for food safety, animal health, and plant protection for all Canadians. The Agency anticipates a surge of container traffic prior to and during the Olympic Games. The Agency will conduct risk-based foreign container inspections based on referrals from CSBA at our Pacific ports. The CFIA will also work closely with the CBSA—who will be inspecting and enforcing import regulations—in developing and distributing communication products and activities surrounding import issues.