December 27, 2024

Navigating Canadian Customs: A Guide to Permitted and Restricted Items

International students need to always be completely aware of what they take with them to Canada. Why so? Whether you are an international student or a citizen of the country, you will have to inform or declare the things that you have obtained from overseas and are taking with you to Canada at the Canada Border Services Agency.

What is a Canadian Customs Declaration?

A Customs Declaration is usually a form that lists the details of commodities and goods that are being imported or exported when an individual visits Canada or when a citizen of Canada returns.

This declaration helps the Canada Border Services Agency to control goods that are entering the country. This impacts the country’s: 

  • Economy
  • Security
  • Environment

How to make a declaration?

The customs declaration process depends on your mode of travelling, all individuals entering Canada must declare the goods that they are bringing from overseas.

  • Commercial Airline

If you enter Canada via a commercial airline and arrive at one of Canada’s international airports you can choose to make an on-screen declaration through either a Primary Inspection Kiosk or through an eGate.

You will have to scan your travel document, have your photo taken and answer some questions on the touch screen.

You can save up some time at the Kiosk by submitting your declaration before you arrive in Canada at a participating airport. This can be done by using the Advance CBSA Declaration feature available in the ArriveCan app. You can submit your declaration 72 hours in advance.

Furthermore, the Advance CBSA Declaration feature can help you finish up the process 30% faster than a Kiosk. Lastly, travellers who make use of this feature can take advantage of the Advance CBSA Declaration express lanes at the airport to finish up the process faster.

  • Private Vehicle or Boat

If you are arriving by a private vehicle, you can make an oral declaration to a border services officer and that shall be sufficient.

You will have to follow the signs to the first checkpoint also known as “primary inspection” after which the border services officer will go through your travel documents and identification and then accept your verbal declaration.

If you are arriving by a private boat, you can make an oral declaration. After reaching the border, visit a designated marine telephone reporting site and call the CBSA telephone reporting Centre to get clearance.

In case you as a private boater meet certain conditions, you may report to the CBSA by contacting the TRC using a cell phone from the border location in Canadian waters.

Lastly, you must declare any money or monetary instrument such as stocks, bonds or cheques that you may be carrying and is valued at CAD 10,000 or more irrespective of your mode of transportation.

What are the goods that need to be declared?

Once you enter Canadian territories you must declare the following goods in your possession : 

          1.  Any goods that you have purchased from overseas.
          2. Gifts, Prizes or Awards that you may have secured outside Canada.
          3. Items and goods that you have purchased from a duty-free shop from Canada or outside that are still in your possession.
          4. The estimated value of any work, or repairs on an item that were done outside of Canada that you are bringing to Canada.
          5. You will have to pay duty and taxes on the above-mentioned items. The best way to estimate the amount of duty and taxes that you will have to pay would be to use the duty and taxes estimator when you shop outside Canada.
          6. You may qualify for a personal exemption that allows you to bring items of a specific value into Canadian soils without paying regular duty or taxes based on the length of time you are planning to stay outside Canada.
          7. It is best to declare something you aren’t sure about and border services officers can assist you in identifying your exemptions and if you owe them duties and taxes.

What are Personal Exemptions?

When it comes to personal exemptions usually your personal or household items are considered thus you do not need to pay duty on goods for personal use that are marked as Made in Canada, Made in Mexico or Made in the United States.
Moreover, your eligibility for an exemption and the amount of goods that you can bring back varies depending on the length of time that you have spent outside of Canada. 

Given below is a summarized guide to personal exemptions: 

1.  Returning after 24 hours or less

      There are no exemptions for this category

2.  Returning after more than 24 hours and less than 48 hours
  • Claim goods of up to CAD 200 without paying duty charges and taxes.
  • You must Possess the items with you when you enter Canada.
  • Tobacco products and Alcoholic beverages are not included under this exemption.
  • The goods that you bring in cannot be more than CAD 200 otherwise you will have to pay duty on all goods.
3.  Returning after more than 48 hours
  • Claim goods of up to CAD 800 without paying duty charges and taxes.
  • You must Possess the items with you when you enter Canada.
  • Tobacco products and Alcoholic beverages are included under this exemption but up to a limit.
4.  Returning after more than 7 days
  • Claim goods of up to CAD800 without paying duty charges and taxes.
  • You must Possess the items with you when you enter Canada.
  • Tobacco products and Alcoholic beverages are included under this exemption but up to a limit.
5.  Returning after a year
  • Claim goods of up to CAD 800 without paying duty charges and taxes.
  • You must Possess the items with you when you enter Canada.
  • Tobacco products and Alcoholic beverages are included under this exemption but up to a limit.
  • You must pay applicable duty and taxes on your imported foreign goods and vehicles for personal use in Canada
  • In case you bring in more than your allotted personal exemption you will have to pay for the regular assessments on the excess amount. This may include duty, taxes and provincial or territorial fees.

What happens if you fail to declare goods?

If you fail to declare the goods that you bring into Canadian territories or make a false or partially complete declaration, your goods may be seized and you may be imposed a fine.
There may be instances where you have the option to pay a fine for some seized goods returned to you. Fines can be anything between 25% to 80% of the value of the seized goods.

What are some restricted and prohibited goods?

When you enter Canada there are certain goods that you won’t be allowed in. 

Given below is a list of goods that are not allowed:

  1. Cannabis
  2. Any food, plant, animal or related products that pose a risk to Canada.
  3. Endangered Species or any items that are made from the parts of endangered species.

You will require a written authorization or a permit for the following items: –

  1. Prescription Drugs or Health Products.
  2. Antiques or objects of cultural and historical significance to your country of origin
  3. Fireworks, explosives and certain kinds of ammunition.

Given below is a list of items that will not be returned to you in case you fail to declare them: 

  • Alcoholic Beverages
  • Products made out of Tobacco
  • Firearms

Lastly, if you do catch a communicable disease or in case you were in close contact with someone with a communicable disease during your visit outside Canada you must inform the border services officer or a quarantine officer upon your arrival in Canada.

 FAQs

1.  What if I have goods sent to me from outside Canada?

In case you acquire goods outside Canada and are preparing to send them to you after your return to Canada then they must qualify for the 7-day personal exemption. You will have 40 days from the date of your return to Canada to claim these goods.

2.  How do you know if you are eligible for personal exemptions?

You are eligible for personal exemptions if you qualify for any of the below-mentioned categories: –

  • A Canadian resident returning home from a trip.
  • A former resident returning to Canada.
  • A temporary resident of Canada returning to Canada
     

3. What duty-free items can I bring to Canada?

Here’s a list of items you don’t have to pay duty for while traveling to Canada:

  • Antiques
  • Appliances, such as a stove or refrigerator
  • Books
  • Clothes
  • Gifts worth CAD 60 or less each
  • Furniture
  • Hobby tools and other hobby items
  • Jewellery
  • Linens
  • Musical instruments
  • Private collections of coins, stamps or art
  • Silverware