Importing Rice into Canada Importers have contacted us with many questions relating to importing rice into Canada, such as what are the license requirements, or what are the taxes? Purchasing food internationally for import into Canada for human consumption can seem like an intimidating venture so here’s some helpful info
A Guide to Importing Jewellery Into Canada Even if there are many excellent jewellery stores in Canada, it's human nature to wonder whether you might save a little money by crossing the border. Of course, there are times when you can save a lot by importing jewellery into Canada, but it shouldn't be the only
Importing Goods into Canada Importing products into Canada is almost a requirement to compete in today's global economy. While free trade agreements have simplified the procedure significantly in recent years, they have not eliminated the requirement to adhere to specific regulations. After reading this blog post, you’ll be able to more comfortably import goods
When Do You Need A Customs Broker? Customs Brokers can help you navigate the complicated world of importing into Canada. They work with you to ensure that your shipments are cleared quickly and efficiently. But, exactly when do you need a customs brokerIn this post we'll review 5 situations in which
How to Choose a Customs Broker When it comes to shipping your goods, you want to make sure that you are working with the best possible customs broker. While a quick search online will most likely give you a list of Customs Brokers you would work with to get your
Things Everyone Who Orders Online From Canada Should Know About Customs And Shipping Purchasing goods from stores outside Canada always seems extremely attractive, especially during the peak shopping dates like Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Boxing Day. Offers made on these dates offer discounts on latest products and fashion that
Upcoming Changes to HS Codes The World Customs Organization issues changes to the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (HS) every 5 years, with the last update occurring in 2017. The 2022 change to the HS will affect over 900 codes and will require updates by the 200 countries that
What Does a Customs Broker Do? Before deciding if you need a Customs Broker, it is important to understand what Orbit Brokers can do for you or your company. Orbit Brokers can help clients by providing solutions to any aspect of the supply chain while assisting importers in clearing goods
Documentation for Air Shipments Importing air shipments into Canada is the fastest way to bring goods from overseas. Compared to shipping by ocean, the freight cost is higher. It makes sense to ship by air if the goods are time sensitive. With air shipments, the storage charges start quickly (compared
Brexit and Canadian Trade Brexit refers to the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (EU). It is a play on words, combining Britain and Exit. This means that after leaving the trading bloc, the United Kingdom will no longer benefit from membership in the EU. Once that
Classification of Backpacks How to Properly Classify Backpacks The CBSA has issued notice that they have updated the D Memorandum in regards to the classification of suitcases, travelling bags and backpacks. With the kids starting school after summer vacation and back to school shopping in full force, it makes sense to
How America’s President can Trump Canadian Small Businesses With the massive expansion of E-commerce in recent years, the growth in shipping of small packages internationally has been immense. Did you know that the freight rates for these packages are not only set by a country’s postal union (in Canada’s case
What is SFCR? Safe Food for Canadians Regulations The Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR) came into force on January 15, 2019. Since that date, there is a requirement for a SFC licence to conduct certain food business activities. Its vital to understand these new regulations, especially for importers in
Personal Travel Exemptions When traveling outside of Canada, there are limits as to how much you can bring back duty free into the country. There is a misconception that these limits are how much you can bring back. Its actually the amount you can bring without paying tax. Anything above
Importing Beef Products into Canada from the US With BBQ season right around the corner, let's take a look at the documentation requirements to import beef products into Canada from the US. Keep in mind that these are general guidelines for commercial importations. Please contact our office for specific information.
What you Should Know: AMPS In 2017, the Auditor General of Canada criticized the Canada Border Service Agency’s Administrative Monetary Penalty System (AMPS) for being too low to encourage trade compliance. As a result, a number of penalties have increased as of April 1st, 2019. This is a good opportunity
What is a Steamship Release? The Customs release of your shipment is only one of the many steps in the supply chain. Another important step to obtaining your goods shipped internationally by ocean freight is the steamship release. The steamship release occurs when the terms of the bill of lading
How to Avoid Demurrage, Detention, and Storage Demurrage, detention, and storage are 3 words that the team at Orbit Brokers hate to hear. These terms mean additional charges aside from freight, duties and taxes and are usually avoidable.They are all different and it is important to know what each is
Canada’s Newest Trade Agreement – CPTPP The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) came into force in Canada on December 30, 2018 after years of negotiations. The CPTPP rose from the ashes of the failed TPP negotiations that collapsed after the withdrawal of the United States of America.
What is a B3? What is a B3 Coding Form? Importing commercial goods into Canada requires documentation and accounting for duties and taxes. The B3-3, or more commonly known as the B3, is a Canada Customs Coding Form that the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) uses for this purpose. When
The Importance of Proper Textile Labelling When importing textile goods into Canada, it is vital to pay close attention to the labelling. The requirements for proper labelling are detailed in the Textile Labelling Act . The Act is in place to protect consumers from false labelling/advertising of textile fiber products. Importers that
5 Things You Should Know about USMCA With Canada finally joining an agreement in place between the United States of America and Mexico, NAFTA has been replaced by USMCA. For the most part the 2 agreements are very similar, however there are some important differences of note that require further
The Benefits of NAFTA In light of the ongoing NAFTA renegotiation between Canada, the US and Mexico, it is important to look at what the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is, how it came to be, and what benefits it serves. History of NAFTA The North American Free Trade
Why Your Goods Are Being Examined For most, importing into Canada is a seamless process. Whenever goods are brought across international borders, however, there’s always a possibility that they might be held for Customs examination before being released. The Customs Act, entitles the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to do
Importing Fresh Fruits and Vegetables into Canada With the Safe Food for Canadians Act coming into effect on January 15, 2019, it would be pertinent to take a look at how this will affect importers of fresh fruits and vegetables into Canada.Canada is recognized as having one of the stronger
Trade War Trade War The term trade war has been thrown around a lot recently. With US President Donald Trump enacting tariffs against steel imported from around the world and with Canada reacting with tariffs of their own, its safe to say that Canada and the US are currently embroiled
CBSA Compliance Audits Part 1 How to Avoid Running into Issues During a CBSA Compliance Audit Some people never experience an audit, while others can feel as though they’re being unfairly and disproportionately picked on by customs. Whilst random audits do take place, certain imports are frequently misclassified and therefore
What are Anti-Dumping and Countervailing Duties? The Purpose of Anti-Dumping and Countervailing Duties Anti-dumping and countervailing duties have been hot topics in the news recently with the US President instituting additional duties on imports of steel. Canada's own version of these duties are administered under the Special Import Measures Act
What is the duty on… “What is the duty rate on (insert item here)” is the most common question we get asked, right after “Hi, how are you?” The duty rate can affect the cost of the goods you import and helps determine if it makes sense financially to import
What You Should Know: How CETA and the CPTPP Affect You Over the past few years, the Canadian government has been exploring dramatic changes to the way the country conducts trade. These changes come in the form of CETA and the CPTPP (formerly known as the TPP), two international trade
Getting Your Personal Shipments To Canada It’s a well-known fact that shipping requirements are notoriously fraught with complexities. In certain respects, this is just as true of personal shipments as it is of commercial shipments. So if you’re looking to ship your personal goods from across the border, it’s well
5 Simple Steps to Avoid Costly Mistakes When Importing into Canada If you’ve ever imported a product into Canada, your experience may have gone one of two ways: first, you filled out the customs paperwork with no issues and your shipment cleared problem-free. Or, you filled the paperwork out with
Importing Into Canada During the Holidays As the holiday season approaches, many businesses are preparing to stock their shelves for a burst of shoppers in the coming weeks. But what does that mean for businesses that rely on selling imported products? Importing products now means you’ll experience less stress and
What Does CETA Mean for Canadian Businesses? On September 21st, the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) came into effect between Canada and the 28 members of the European Union. This trade deal is the largest since NAFTA, and its influence will span a wide range of industries
What To Expect from the NAFTA Negotiations The negotiations for the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) have commenced, with an extravagant dinner for cabinet members of all three nations followed by a seven round match. The U.S. is the first to host the three nations in Washington D.C. In
Importing Liquor into Ontario In 2012, a Canadian man by the name of Gerard Comeau was fined $292.50 after he imported 14 cases of beer and three bottles of liquor from a neighbouring Quebec town into his home province of New Brunswick. But why? For those of us who have
Stronger Together: Canada and Mexico’s Role in NAFTA Negotiations “It is very clear that Canada and Mexico are in this together”, says Agustin Barrios Gomez, former Mexican congressman. The countdown to the official NAFTA negotiations has begun, and talks are set to begin August 2017. With the Trump administration taking
The Donald and How He Could Trumpify Your Trade Anyone who has imported into Canada knows just how complicated the Canadian customs process can be. Attempting to navigate through the rules and regulations without prior knowledge is a next to impossible task. Though the process may seem straightforward, one missed
It’s All in the Details for Commercial Shipments Customs clearance can be complex, especially if you’re not used to the process. With so many rules, regulations and restrictions in place, it can be difficult knowing what exactly is required when it comes to shipping your commercial products. Getting together the
A Canadian Approach To Protectionism: SIMA And What It Can Do For You The time has finally come. After much debate about how the first in-person meeting between Prime Minister Trudeau and his U.S. counterpart President Trump would go, we finally have a glimpse into the new dynamic relationship that
Trader or Traitor: The Importance of International Free Trade to Canada and the World With Canada’s largest trading partner just a day away from a new administration, the importance of having a solid negotiation team, especially in the midst of talks involving tearing up NAFTA, is imperative to the success
Why You Should Hire a Canadian Customs Broker With Donald Trump poised to assume what’s known as the “Most Powerful Position in the World”, many are wondering, “What next?” In over 25 years as a customs brokerage firm, we’ve never witnessed such an about-face politician in terms of their policies
CBSA, CFIA and Importing Food When it comes to importing food into Canada, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) play vital roles in the supply chain. The CBSA is responsible for the initial import inspection of food and agricultural products and enforcing the
The Benefits of a CSCB Membership When it comes to finding a reliable Canadian customs broker, there are hundreds of different outfits to choose between, and often not much apparently separating one broker’s offering from the next. Without previous experience to go by, or a trusted referral, making a decision
What is a Canadian Customs Broker? Try to recall the last time you were lining up at customs. No doubt there were various forms and declarations involved, which may have taken some time to complete, that were even a little bit head-scratching. When shipments of goods are cleared through customs, the
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