The agreement reinforces Canada and Australia’s partnership to ensure secure borders, combat illicit activity, and support safe, efficient trade.

Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) announced on 19 November 2025 that officials from Australia and Canada signed a Customs Mutual Assistance Agreement.

CBSA announces Customs Mutual Assistance Agreement with Australia

Strong partnerships between customs organisations and businesses enhance the security and integrity of our global supply chain.

On November 19, the President of the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), Erin O’Gorman, and Gavan Reynolds, Commissioner of the Australian Border Force, signed a Canada-Australia Customs Mutual Assistance Agreement in Wellington, New Zealand.

The CBSA negotiates Customs Mutual Assistance Agreements (CMAA) with international partners to share customs information and coordinate more effectively to prevent and investigate customs violations, smuggling, and trade-related crimes.

Since 1979, Canada has signed 13 CMAAs, including with the United States, Mexico, the European Union (EU), and the United Kingdom. Canada signed another agreement earlier this year with Ukraine, and its ratification process is underway.

These agreements also allow for the sharing of best practices on how laws apply and programs are used at the border.

Quick facts

  • This agreement will now be tabled in the House of Commons with an Explanatory Memorandum for 21 sitting days, as per the Government of Canada’s Policy on Tabling of Treaties in Parliament. After completion of the tabling period, the legal authority to ratify the Agreement will be sought through an Order-in-Council.
  • The Indo-Pacific region is Canada’s second-largest export market, after the United States; in 2024, yearly 2-way merchandise trade was valued at CAD 258.7 billion.
  • Since its launch in November 2022, Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy has been creating opportunities to expand trade and investment, grow good jobs, and build supply chain resilience.
  • In 2024, bilateral merchandise trade between Canada and Australia totalled CAD 6.1 billion. The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which came into force in 2018, has resulted in an annual 6.9% growth in bilateral merchandise trade between Canada and Australia from 2018 to 2024.
  • Australia is a key destination for Canadian investment; Canadian direct investment into Australia amounted to CAD 58.8 billion in 2024, while Australia’s direct investment into Canada totalled CAD 28.5 billion.
  • Between 2019 and 2023, Australia’s real GDP grew by 9.4%, with a nominal GDP reaching CAD 2.4 trillion in 2023. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) forecasts that Australia’s economic growth will continue to outpace other advanced economies over the next five years.
  • Canada and Australia are Pacific nations with trade ties dating back to 1895, when Canada sent John Short Larke, the first Canadian Trade Commissioner, to Australia. Since then, our commercial relationship has flourished.