'Flagpoling' limited at 12 U.S.-Canada border crossings
CBC
Flagpoling, when a non-Canadian with a temporary status leaves Canada and re-enters within 24 hours to get same-day immigration services at the border, is facing new limitations at the borders.
The process is a workaround that can let people skip the long wait times associated with applying online — and it's completely legal.
It can be done at any point of entry but is generally done at land border crossings. In many cases, there is a spot indicated by flagpoles where a person can turn around on the other side of the crossing, which is where the practice gets its name from.
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) lists flagpoling on its website as an alternative to applying for immigration paperwork online, although it advises against it, warning that "you may find long lineups and your turn may not come before the end of service hours."
Now, the process is facing pushback on both sides of the border. Limits on where and when flagpoling is allowed are now in effect.
Starting May 30, CBSA began curtailing the days of the week and the hours it offers flagpoling services at 12 of the most popular crossings across the country.
In a statement to CBC News, the CBSA said that it's making the change to increase efficiency during peak travel times and to allow officers to focus on other priorities such as trade facilitation, high-risk travellers, and asylum seekers.
"Flagpoling takes up significant resources at the border, diverts Canadian and American officers away from enforcement activities and contributes to significant wait times for cross-border travellers," the statement read.
The affected crossings are listed below, and schedules with opening hours are available on the CBSA website:
Quebec
Ontario
B.C.
On the other side of the border, flagpoling has frustrated U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.
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