The Government of Ontario’s Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade is offering a one-hour webinar today (December 3, 2025) that promises practical, up-to-the-minute guidance for companies that move people and products across the world’s busiest bilateral border. A senior U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer will walk Ontario small- and medium-sized exporters through the mandatory documents, inspection processes and common compliance pitfalls that can delay shipments or trigger costly penalties.
Although aimed primarily at goods trade, the session is equally relevant for corporate mobility managers because many of the rules—such as proof of NAFTA/USMCA eligibility, work-permit exemptions under CUSMA chapter 16, and carrier liability for inadmissible passengers—directly affect the smooth movement of business travellers and technicians. The agency will also cover frequent traveller programs like NEXUS and FAST and highlight 2025 enforcement priorities, including stricter scrutiny of “informal” commercial entries valued under CA$3,300.
![Ontario hosts December 3 webinar on ‘Do’s and Don’ts’ for moving goods across the U.S.–Canada border]()
Border experts say such education is urgently needed. Since the resumption of full land-border traffic in mid-2023, secondary inspections of Canadian commercial drivers have risen 27 per cent and the number of ‘in-bond’ shipments refused entry for paperwork errors is at a five-year high. Companies relying on just-in-time deliveries risk production stoppages if HR or travel teams fail to align personnel documentation with cargo filings.
The webinar is free, but government employees must request access directly from the organizer. Participants will receive an updated checklist covering carrier codes, Advanced Commercial Information (ACI) e-manifests, and tips on avoiding misclassification of business visitors versus service providers. Slides and a Q&A transcript will be emailed to registrants—useful reference material for mobility, logistics and compliance teams planning 2026 cross-border assignments.
Practical takeaway: incorporate the new checklist into travel-approval workflows and educate assignees on the importance of carrying identical copies of commercial invoices, letters of introduction and proof of employment to avoid delays at land ports of entry.
Although aimed primarily at goods trade, the session is equally relevant for corporate mobility managers because many of the rules—such as proof of NAFTA/USMCA eligibility, work-permit exemptions under CUSMA chapter 16, and carrier liability for inadmissible passengers—directly affect the smooth movement of business travellers and technicians. The agency will also cover frequent traveller programs like NEXUS and FAST and highlight 2025 enforcement priorities, including stricter scrutiny of “informal” commercial entries valued under CA$3,300.
Border experts say such education is urgently needed. Since the resumption of full land-border traffic in mid-2023, secondary inspections of Canadian commercial drivers have risen 27 per cent and the number of ‘in-bond’ shipments refused entry for paperwork errors is at a five-year high. Companies relying on just-in-time deliveries risk production stoppages if HR or travel teams fail to align personnel documentation with cargo filings.
The webinar is free, but government employees must request access directly from the organizer. Participants will receive an updated checklist covering carrier codes, Advanced Commercial Information (ACI) e-manifests, and tips on avoiding misclassification of business visitors versus service providers. Slides and a Q&A transcript will be emailed to registrants—useful reference material for mobility, logistics and compliance teams planning 2026 cross-border assignments.
Practical takeaway: incorporate the new checklist into travel-approval workflows and educate assignees on the importance of carrying identical copies of commercial invoices, letters of introduction and proof of employment to avoid delays at land ports of entry.
