Importing commercial goods into Canada could be an issue – between dealing with documents and the variations in international laws and regulations, ensuring that your goods make it into the country are more difficult than you may think. At ARGO Customs, our Vancouver customs brokers can help you ensure that all of your commercial goods can be imported into Canada with minimal hassle and even have the items delivered right to your door.
Getting a Business Number
Before you import a commercial shipment into Canada, you need to have a Business Number (BN). BNs are issued by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and are used during the process of importing and exporting goods into Canada. A fully licensed commercial business, such as ARGO, can import your goods for you and get them across the border. For individuals with personal shipments, we can do this as a one-time personal importation through our BN, although you will need to have an RM export-import account through the CRA. After getting this account you should note the following:
• Description of the goods
• Country of origin
• Value of goods
Take note of the country of origin – some countries have preferential tariffs with Canada and by showing a certificate of origin, our staff can help you apply for reduced duty.
Gather Product Information
After getting a business number, you need to gather as much information as you can on the commercial goods that you intend to import across the Canadian border. This includes the following:
• Product composition
• Descriptive literature
• Product samples
Tariff Coding
Tariff coding will determine the duties that you need to pay on the items you are importing and also includes ensuring that the necessary documents, data and records are taken care of. This is one of the more complex aspects of commercial good importation and something that our customs brokers are happy to help you with.
Determining the Country of Origin
Knowing the country of origin for your goods is essential. This doesn’t necessarily mean knowing the country your goods were shipped from – it can also mean where the individual parts of the product were created and where they were assembled.
Determine Permissions
Make sure that your goods are legal to be imported into Canada. Some illegal goods are obvious such as child pornography and hate propaganda, but some are less obvious including certain kinds of used cars and used mattresses.
At ARGO Customs, our Vancouver customs brokers will check CFIA, NRCAN and Transport Canada regulations for you to ensure that your goods make it across the border without any trouble. Many goods are subject to the requirements of other government departments and agencies and may require permits, certificates, and/or inspection, so having us on your side is a good idea. For more information or further questions, give us a call at 1 (888) 311-8303 and our Vancouver, Calgary or Toronto customs brokers will be happy to help you out.