Since December 2003, the CBSA has been an integral part of the Public Safety Portfolio, which was created to protect Canadians and maintain a peaceful and safe society.

The President of the CBSA reports directly to the Minister of Public Safety Canada and controls and manages all matters relating to the Agency.

The Agency is responsible for providing integrated border services that support national security and public safety priorities and facilitate the free flow of persons and goods, including animals and plants, that meet all requirements under the program legislation.

What CBSA does

 The CBSA carries out its responsibilities with a workforce of approximately 13,000 employees, including over 7,200 uniformed CBSA officers who provide services at approximately 1,200 points across Canada and at 39 international locations.

• The CBSA manages 119 land-border crossings and operates at 13 international airports.
• Of these land-border crossings, 61 operate on a 24/7 basis, as well as 10 of the international airports.
• Officers carry out marine operations at major ports, the largest being Halifax, Montréal and Vancouver, and at numerous marinas and reporting stations.
• Officers also perform operations at 27 rail sites.
• The CBSA processes and examines international mail at three mail processing centres.
• The CBSA administers more than 90 acts, regulations and international agreements, many on behalf of other federal departments and agencies, the provinces and the territories.

Responsibilities

The Agency's legislative, regulatory and partnership responsibilities include the following:

• administering legislation that governs the admissibility of people and goods, plants and animals into and out of Canada;
• detaining those people who may pose a threat to Canada;
• removing people who are inadmissible to Canada, including those involved in terrorism, organized crime, war crimes or crimes against humanity;
• interdicting illegal goods entering or leaving the country;
• protecting food safety, plant and animal health, and Canada's resource base;
• promoting Canadian business and economic benefits by administering trade legislation and trade agreements to meet Canada's international obligations;
• enforcing trade remedies that help protect Canadian industry from the injurious effects of dumped and subsidized imported goods;
• administering a fair and impartial redress mechanism;
• promoting Canadian interests in various international forums and with international organizations; and
• collecting applicable duties and taxes on imported goods.

Exporters

This information will help you to understand the reporting requirements which must be fulfilled in order to meet your obligations under the Customs Act. Follow the links at the right to navigate through the export requirements. You can also refer to Exporting Goods From Canada: A Handy Guide for Exporters (BSF5081).

 

 If you are a small business or new exporter, visit the SME Centre for useful tools and a simplified step-by-step approach to exporting.

 

Why do you have to report your exports?
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) Export Program has three main objectives:

• collect timely and accurate export statistics;
• control the export of strategic, embargoed and dangerous goods, as well as other controlled and regulated goods; and
• control the movement of in-transit goods.

Accurate market information is vital to Canada's export growth; therefore, it is important that you report your exports and that the information you provide is complete and precise.

 

Look-up Canadian Harmonized System (HS) Codes for Export Classification. (Statistics Canada Web site)

Importers

It is in your best interest to find out as much as possible about reporting, releasing, accounting and paying duties to make sure you conduct your business within the law. Doing business correctly each time you import will save you and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) time and money.

 

Throughout this publication, we refer you to other CBSA brochures, leaflets and technical documents (D-memoranda) that contain more detailed information. Copies of these publications may be obtained online or by contacting our Forms and Publications Distribution Centre toll-free line at 1-800-959-2221.

 

You may also buy a complete set of the D series of memoranda by contacting:

Government of Canada Publications
Public Works and Government Services Canada
Tel.: 1-800-635-7943 or 613-941-5995
Fax: 1-800-565-7757 or 613-954-5779
Web site: www.publications.gc.ca