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These files document the relationship between the Immigration programme and the transportation companies which bring immigrants and visitors to Canada, and specifically the administration of the bonding system. This imposes penalties on companies which bring persons into the country who do not have adequate Immigration documentation (see s. 65 of the 1952 Immigration Act and ss. 86-94 of the 1976 Act). The records consist of correspondence between the department and specific steamship, railway, bus and air lines, and Immigration's internal financial and policy records on each company, from 1926 to 1985 (mainly after 1955).

Nominally the files deal with the process of posting and redemption of the bonds. However, many document particular immigration irregularities or violations of the Act (involving, e.g., refugee claimants, unaccompanied children, ship deserters, stowaways, the medically unfit, and illegal landings generally); investigation and prosecution of criminal activities by company workers and Immigration officers; status of alien crews; political and commercial relations generally with the companies and with their countries of origin (e.g. files on Iron Curtain state companies); and the design and layout of particular vessels.

The records are in two series: one (boxes 26-39) of files in the HQ series, dated 1926-1980, and one (boxes 1-25) in the Fourth Central Registry series or 8000 block, relating entirely to airline companies and dated 1978-1985. Accounting correspondence dealing with unmatured bonds has been stripped from some files.