Bringing goods across the Canadian border? Here’s what you need to know

Credit to Author: Baisakhi Roy| Date: Tue, 27 Aug 2024 17:10:29 +0000

As summer winds down, you might be returning from your travels or making a last-minute shopping trip across the border. Here’s what you need to know about what you can and cannot bring with you, and what you may need to declare, to ensure a stress-free return to Canada.

Some items you can’t bring into Canada without proper documentation or are completely inadmissible, include restaurant food or leftovers purchased in the U.S., homemade food that isn’t properly labelled, antiques from local gift shops and soiled hiking boots. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency recently released an advisory in the wake of the avian influenza outbreak in certain U.S. states urging travellers to check before shopping for or buying any products that cannot be brought into Canada.

Declare your goods

If you are landing at any one of Canada’s international airports, you’ll need to declare any goods you’re bringing back using the primary inspection kiosk or an eGate to complete an on-screen declaration. 

To save time at the airport, you can submit your declaration before you even arrive in Canada by using the Advance CBSA (Canadian Border Services Agency) Declaration feature in the ArriveCAN app. This can be done up to 72 hours before your arrival.

Travellers may already be familiar with items that they cannot bring or need to have permission for, such as explosives and firearms, and any endangered animals or native plants or animals (dead or alive) from another country. There is a detailed list of food items for personal use that you cannot bring into the country, especially from the U.S., as well as labeling requirements for certain meat products. Refer to these guidelines before making any purchases.

While cannabis is legal in Canada, bringing it across the border in any form, including oils that may be used for aesthetic or medicinal purposes, without a permit or exemption authorized by Health Canada, is a serious criminal offence. 

Items to declare

If you’re entering Canada in a private car, boat or aircraft, you’ll be checking in at the border with a border services officer. Here are some items that you must declare:

• Any goods you’ve purchased.
• Gifts, prizes or awards that may have significant monetary value.
• Items bought at a duty-free shop, whether in Canada or abroad.

Be aware that you might need to pay duty and taxes on these items. If you think your item may be taxable, it’s always a good idea to check with the duty and taxes estimator provided by the CBSA. If you’ve been outside Canada for a certain length of time, you might qualify for a personal exemption, which allows you to bring goods back without paying regular duty and taxes.

If you’re unsure at the border whether you need to declare your items, it’s best to declare them. The border services officer can then assist you with any applicable duties or taxes you might owe. The amount of goods you can bring back without paying duty and taxes depends on how long you’ve been outside Canada, and you may qualify for a personal exemption. 

Goods made in Canada, the U.S., or Mexico are duty-free if they are for personal use. Failure to declare goods or making a false or incomplete declaration can result in your items being seized and potential fines. In some cases, you may pay a fine to have seized goods returned, but this does not apply to tobacco, alcohol or firearms.

Travelling with money and valuables

You must declare any money or monetary instruments (like stocks or bonds) valued at $10,000 or more when entering or leaving Canada. If you’re travelling with valuable items that were acquired in Canada, you can register them with the CBSA before leaving to avoid any hassle upon return.

By following these guidelines, you can make your return to Canada as smooth and hassle-free as possible. Safe travels!

The post Bringing goods across the Canadian border? Here’s what you need to know first appeared on Canadian Immigrant.
http://canadianimmigrant.ca/feed