Canada Launches "Free Flow" Airport Transit — Faster Connections at Three Hubs from 26 June 2026

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has simplified how international passengers connect to onward flights through Canadian airports. Under its new Free Flow International-to-International Transit process, announced on 26 June 2026, eligible travellers no longer have to physically meet a border services officer or check in at a kiosk when moving between two international flights. Instead, airlines collect each passenger’s final destination and scheduled departure time and share that information directly with the CBSA, confirming the traveller has left the country as intended.

The process has been tested and is now available at three hubs — Vancouver International Airport (YVR), Toronto Pearson International Airport, Terminal 1 (YYZ), and Montréal–Trudeau International Airport (YUL). The underlying regulatory amendments were published in the Canada Gazette for a 30-day consultation, and the CBSA says other airports can now apply to adopt the process.

For UAE residents, the practical benefit is time. Travellers who connect through Vancouver, Toronto Pearson Terminal 1, or Montréal–Trudeau on the way to a third country — for example, flying Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Toronto and onward to the United States, the Caribbean, or Latin America — can move straight to their departure gate rather than queuing for a customs check-in. Emirates and Etihad both operate direct flights from the UAE to Toronto, so Canada is a realistic hub for some onward routings.

It is important to be clear about what this change does not do. Free Flow is a faster airport process — it is not visa-free transit. Your obligation to hold the correct Canadian travel authorisation is exactly the same as before. Emirati nationals and other visa-exempt passport holders still need a valid eTA. Indian, Pakistani, Filipino, Egyptian and most other UAE-resident nationalities still need a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) to transit Canada unless they qualify for an existing exemption such as the Transit Without Visa programme, which is limited to specific nationalities, airlines and routings. If you would have needed a transit visa for Canada last week, you still need it now.

You also continue to need the proper visa and travel documents for your final destination, plus a confirmed onward ticket departing Canada within 24 hours. The Free Flow process simply removes the in-person check-in step for those who already meet every entry and transit requirement.

1. 1Check your nationality’s Canada transit requirement before booking — an eTA for visa-exempt passports (including Emirati), or a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) for most other UAE-resident nationalities.
2. 2Confirm your itinerary is a genuine international-to-international connection through Vancouver, Toronto Pearson Terminal 1, or Montréal–Trudeau, with an onward international flight departing within 24 hours.
3. 3Carry the valid visa and travel documents for your final destination, plus your onward boarding pass — airline staff at UAE check-in may still ask to see them.
4. 4Apply for your eTA or transit visa well ahead of travel; the Free Flow process does not replace it.
5. 5Let OraVisa plan your full Dubai or Abu Dhabi → Canada → onward itinerary, including the Canadian transit authorisation and your destination visa.

This update is based on publicly available information from the Canada Border Services Agency and credible international reporting as of 30 June 2026. The Free Flow International-to-International Transit process is available at Vancouver International Airport, Toronto Pearson International Airport (Terminal 1) and Montréal–Trudeau International Airport, and removes the in-person customs check-in for eligible transit passengers only. It does not change any eTA or transit-visa requirement. This analysis is provided for informational purposes to help UAE residents understand the change. It does not constitute legal advice. For the latest official information, refer to the Canada Border Services Agency.