U.S. Shutdown Halts NEXUS, Global Entry at Canadian Preclearance Airports
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A partial U.S. government shutdown has suspended NEXUS and Global Entry programs at Canadian airports, causing significant delays for U.S.-bound travelers.
Key Takeaways
- •Suspended NEXUS and Global Entry at major Canadian airports due to a U.S. government shutdown.
- •Impacted U.S. Preclearance facilities in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, and Calgary.
- •Forced pre-approved travelers into standard security lines, increasing wait times.
- •Linked service restoration directly to the resolution of the DHS funding lapse.
A partial U.S. government shutdown that began on February 14, 2026, has led to the suspension of NEXUS and Global Entry services at Canadian airports with U.S. preclearance facilities, causing longer wait times for U.S.-bound passengers. The service disruption impacts several of Canada's busiest airports, including those in Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, and Vancouver, effectively nullifying the benefits of the trusted traveler programs for thousands of daily passengers.
The suspension forces pre-approved, low-risk travelers into standard customs and security lines, increasing processing times and creating congestion at preclearance checkpoints. While most airports confirmed the outage, Vancouver International Airport (YVR) was the first to explicitly link the service closure to the funding lapse affecting the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and its agencies. In a statement, YVR noted that the programs were suspended "until further notice due to the partial U.S. Government shutdown."
Operational and Passenger Impact
The closure of dedicated NEXUS and Global Entry lanes directly impacts the efficiency of United States border preclearance operations in Canada. These facilities, managed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), allow travelers to complete all necessary immigration, customs, and agriculture inspections before departing. According to Public Safety Canada, U.S. preclearance has been conducted in Canada since 1952 and is currently active at eight major Canadian airports. The system is designed to streamline air travel, permitting flights from these airports to land at U.S. airports as domestic arrivals.
Trusted Traveler Programs (TTPs) are a critical component of this system, designed to expedite passage for pre-screened individuals. With the suspension, the primary advantage of these programs is lost. Passengers who have paid for membership in these programs must now join general processing queues. Airport authorities are advising all U.S.-bound travelers to arrive earlier than usual to account for potentially longer wait times. Officials at Calgary International Airport and a spokeswoman for the Canada Border Services Agency directed all inquiries to U.S. authorities, indicating the issue stems entirely from the U.S. side of the operation.
Regulatory Context and Precedent
This service interruption is a direct consequence of the partial U.S. government shutdown, which occurs when Congress fails to pass funding legislation for federal agencies. The CBP, which has more than 60,000 employees, is an agency within the DHS and is subject to these funding lapses. While essential personnel related to national security typically continue to work, services deemed non-essential, such as the administration of expedited traveler programs, are often suspended. The legal framework for these cross-border operations is the binational Agreement on Land, Rail, Marine, and Air Transport Preclearance (LRMA), which facilitates the presence of CBP officers on Canadian soil.
Historically, U.S. government shutdowns have consistently led to service interruptions and staffing shortages at airports and border crossings. The increased reliance on TTPs by frequent flyers means such suspensions are more disruptive now than in the past. The current situation underscores the vulnerability of integrated cross-border travel systems to the domestic political processes of a single country. The CBP provides detailed information on its Preclearance locations and the NEXUS program on its official website.
Outlook and Next Steps
The restoration of NEXUS and Global Entry services at Canadian airports is contingent upon the resolution of the U.S. government shutdown. CBP has not provided a timeline for when the programs will be reinstated, stating that the suspension will remain in effect until funding is restored to the DHS. Canadian airports have indicated they have no additional information and are managing passenger flow based on the current operational constraints.
Travelers enrolled in these programs are advised to monitor official announcements from their departure airport and U.S. authorities for updates. Until a resolution is reached in Washington D.C., all passengers departing from Canadian preclearance locations for the United States should anticipate processing times equivalent to those of non-program members.
Why This Matters
This development highlights the operational fragility of deeply integrated U.S.-Canada travel infrastructure, where domestic U.S. fiscal policy can directly impede Canadian airport operations. For the aviation industry, it serves as a reminder of the external risks that can disrupt passenger facilitation and undermine the value of traveler-funded programs. The suspension erodes passenger confidence in the reliability of trusted traveler systems and may impact transborder travel demand if the shutdown is prolonged.
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Written by Ujjwal Sukhwani
Aviation News Editor & Industry Analyst delivering clear coverage for a worldwide audience. Covers flight operations, safety regulations, and market trends with expert analysis.
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