How to Import from China to Canada: A Complete Step-by-Step Guide

Key Takeaways

• Most goods don’t need an import license, but every commercial importer needs a Business Number (BN) with an RM import-export account and a CARM registration.
• Goods made in China pay Most-Favoured-Nation (MFN) duty plus 5% GST at the border, and some also face surtaxes or anti-dumping duties.
• Count the hidden costs before you order: courier brokerage fees, customs broker fees and destination port charges.
• Write Canada’s labelling and certification rules into your spec sheet before production starts.
• DDP is convenient, but it isn’t risk-free if your BN is used or you’re in fact the importer.

If you’re working out how to import to Canada from China, the steps are the same whether you’re bringing in a few cartons for an online store or a full container for a retail business. This guide covers the paperwork, costs and rules for importing goods and products from China to Canada, for small businesses and e-commerce sellers on their first few orders.

Here’s how to import from China to Canada in seven steps:

1. Register your business to import goods into Canada
2. Check Canada’s import requirements for your product
3. Find your HS code and duty rate
4. Calculate the cost to import from China to Canada
5. Find and vet a reliable Chinese supplier
6. Choose a shipping method from China to Canada
7. Clear Canadian customs

Current tariffs, product rules, a checklist, and FAQs follow the steps.

Step 1: Register Your Business to Import Goods into Canada

Before your first order, set up your identity as an importer: a BN with an RM import-export account, a CARM registration and, only if you want to pay later, financial security.

Do You Need an Import License in Canada?

No, not for most goods. Canada has no general import license. What a commercial importer needs is a Business Number with an RM import-export account, which is what people usually mean by an “import license.”

Only controlled or regulated products need a permit. Examples include goods on the Import Control List, such as certain steel products and, since 2026, Chinese electric vehicles; food, plants and animals regulated by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA); and fireworks, which need a Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) permit. Step 2 shows how to check your product.

How to Get an Import-Export Number (BN + RM Account)

Register your BN with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) through Business Registration Online, then open the RM import-export account in the CARM Client Portal. The CBSA page Register for or modify an import-export program account covers both.

1. Sign in to your CRA account, which Business Registration Online has required since July 14, 2026.
2. Choose Add account, then Business account, then Register a business. Eligible online registrations get a BN on the spot.
3. Add the RM account in the CARM Client Portal. Most resident importers can also get a BN directly through CARM.
4. Non-resident businesses apply to the CRA first.

The full number has 15 characters: the 9-digit BN, then RM and four digits, for example 123456789RM0001. Processing times aren’t guaranteed, so register well before your first shipment. You need it whenever you import goods to resell, even as an individual, but not for goods for your own personal use.

How Much Does an Import/Export License Cost in Canada?

The government’s registration pages don’t list a fee for a BN or an RM import-export account. Customs brokers and registration services may charge to set them up, and regulated goods pay a permit fee. Permits issued by Global Affairs Canada cost CAD 15 to CAD 31, depending on the value of the goods. Permits issued by an authorized person cost CAD 10 to CAD 26, plus that person’s service fee.

Register for the CARM Client Portal

CARM (the CBSA Assessment and Revenue Management system) is how the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) assesses and collects duties and taxes on commercial imports, and every commercial importer must register. It became the official system on October 21, 2024, and the Commercial Accounting Declaration (CAD) replaced the old B3 form. There’s no exemption for small importers. The account and the payment deadline are yours as the importer, even when a broker files your entries.

In CARM, you:

• Register your business and link your BN and RM account
• If you’ve imported before, confirm your business when you register by answering validation questions, such as the 14-digit transaction number and total duties and taxes of a recent import, your last payment or your last statement balance. Your customs broker can supply these numbers.
• Delegate authority to your customs broker in the portal. A signed paper authorization alone isn’t enough.
• Receive a monthly Statement of Account on the 25th, covering goods released from the 18th of the previous month to the 17th of the current month
• Pay by the due date, 10 weekdays (holidays included) after the 17th

Do You Need a Customs Bond Under CARM?

Only if you want Release Prior to Payment (RPP), where your goods are released first and you pay later on your monthly statement. Without security, you can still import. You just pay duties and taxes at release.

For RPP, the security is based on the highest monthly amount owed on your RM account in the past 12 months. New importers estimate it from what they expect to import.

• Customs bond or other security agreement: 50% of that amount, with a minimum of CAD 5,000 per RM account
• Cash deposit: 100% of that amount, with no minimum
• Maximum: CAD 10 million per RM account

Since May 20, 2025, importers can no longer rely on their customs broker’s security. If you import only a few shipments a year, paying at release is usually simpler than posting a bond.

Step 2: Check Canada’s Import Requirements for Your Product

Before you order, confirm three things: the product is allowed into Canada, you have any permit it needs, and it meets Canada’s rules for products sold here.

What Items Cannot Be Imported into Canada?

They fall into two groups: goods that are prohibited outright, and goods that can come in only with a permit or authorization.

Prohibited goods are listed in Customs Tariff items 9897, 9898 and 9899 and explained in the CBSA’s D9 memoranda. They include:

• Counterfeit coins, and goods marked with a false country of origin or trademark
• Used mattresses imported for commercial use
• Goods made wholly or partly by forced labour or child labour
• Certain used motor vehicles
• Firearms and weapons under item 9898, and obscene material and hate propaganda under 9899

Restricted goods need a permit or authorization from a federal department. Supply-managed farm products, food, drugs, medical devices, fireworks and endangered species are common examples, and the next section lists the departments.

The CBSA can detain suspected counterfeit goods, usually for up to 10 working days, while the rights holder decides whether to take legal action. If a product carries a brand you don’t own, get written authorization from the brand owner before you order.

Permits from Other Government Departments (Health Canada, CFIA, Transport Canada)

Some products need a permit, license or registration from another department on top of normal CBSA clearance. The table shows the main ones. To check your own product, use the CBSA’s “Other government import requirements” list.

Product-specific rules are in the product section below.

Product Safety, Labelling and Certification Rules

Consumer products sold in Canada must comply with the CCPSA, and key label information must be in English and French. These points trip up first-time importers most:

• Importer obligations. Don’t import consumer products that are dangerous or don’t comply. Keep supplier and customer records for 6 years after the end of the year they relate to. Report an incident to Health Canada within 2 days, with a written report within 10 days.
• Bilingual labels. On prepackaged products, the product name and net quantity must be in English and French, while the dealer’s name and address can be in either language, such as “Imported by / Importé par.” This also applies to private label goods and repackaging.
• Category rules. Clothing, electrical products, wireless devices and other categories have their own rules, covered in the product section.
• Wood packaging. Solid wood pallets, crates and dunnage from China must be treated to ISPM-15 and carry the IPPC mark. A phytosanitary certificate can’t replace the mark for wood packaging from China. See D-98-08: Entry requirements for wood packaging material into Canada.
• Your spec sheet. Write bilingual labels, certification marks and the shipping mark for each carton into your spec sheet and purchase contract before production starts. Getting labels right in the factory costs far less than relabelling in a Canadian warehouse.

Step 3: Find Your HS Code and Duty Rate

Your HS code decides how much duty you pay. It also tells you whether a permit, surtax or anti-dumping duty applies, so confirm it before you compare supplier quotes.

What Is an HS Code?

An HS code is the number customs authorities use to classify products under the international Harmonized System. Canada’s version has 10 digits: the first 6 are the international HS code, the first 8 form the Canadian tariff item that sets the duty rate, and the last 2 are a statistical suffix. You declare all 10 digits. Building block toys, for example, are classified under 9503.00.90.40.

How to Find Your Product’s HS Code in the Canadian Customs Tariff

Look your product up in the CBSA’s current Customs Tariff 2026, working down from chapter to heading to subheading until you reach a 10-digit number.

1. Find the chapter that covers your product. Furniture and lighting, for example, are in Chapter 94.
2. Narrow it down to the 4-digit heading and the 6-digit subheading.
3. Choose the 8-digit tariff item, where the MFN duty rate is listed.
4. Add the 2-digit statistical suffix to get the full 10-digit number.

Don’t copy your supplier’s code beyond the first 6 digits. The extra digits on Chinese export documents are China’s own subdivisions and won’t match Canada’s tariff. If your product could fit under more than one heading, ask a customs broker to confirm the classification before you order.

Which Tariff Rate Applies to Goods from China?

Goods made in PRC/China pay the Most-Favoured-Nation (MFN) rate. Canada has no free trade agreement with China, and China has not been eligible for the General Preferential Tariff (GPT) since January 1, 2015.

The MFN rate is only the starting point. Some Chinese products also face surtaxes, a temporary safeguard surtax or anti-dumping and countervailing duties, which are covered in current tariffs on Chinese imports. Duty depends on where the goods were made, not where they were shipped from.

Duty Rates for Common Products Imported from China

The table lists 10-digit codes and MFN rates for common products imported from China, under the tariff in force since September 1, 2026. Check the classification for your own product before you order.

Rates checked against the Customs Tariff on October 12, 2026.

These codes are for the example specifications shown. A product with a different material, use or construction can fall under a different code and rate, so confirm the classification for your exact product.

Step 4: Calculate the Cost to Import from China to Canada

Your real cost to import from China to Canada is your landed cost:

product cost + freight + insurance + duty + GST + customs clearance fees + other charges such as port fees, storage, delivery and, if you use one, a sourcing agent.

MFN duty on common products ranges from free to 18% (see the duty rate table). On small orders, freight and fees often cost more than the duty.

Import Duties from China to Canada

Duty = value for duty × duty rate.

Value for duty starts from the transaction price, meaning what you paid the supplier. Freight and insurance from the place of direct shipment to Canada are excluded if they’re shown separately, while costs before that point are included. The place of direct shipment can be the port, the factory or a warehouse. If you buy FOB Ningbo, for example, the price already covers getting the goods to the port, and the ocean freight is excluded.

Convert a foreign-currency invoice at the Bank of Canada exchange rate for the date of direct shipment, not the date you paid, the invoice date or the day you clear customs. Surtaxes and anti-dumping duties are added on top of regular duty, and GST is then charged on the total.

Import Taxes: GST, HST and PST (and How to Claim Them Back)

Commercial imports pay 5% GST at the border, calculated on the value for duty plus duty, surtaxes, anti-dumping duties and excise taxes. A common mistake is treating your province’s full HST rate as “GST.” At the border, it’s 5%.

The provincial part of HST generally isn’t collected at the border on commercial goods. If you’re a GST/HST registrant using the goods at least 90% in your commercial activities, you usually don’t need to self-assess it; otherwise you do. In British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, you self-assess PST or RST on taxable goods you use yourself, while goods bought for resale are exempt. A Quebec QST registrant importing only for commercial activities doesn’t pay QST up front.

HST rates include the 5% federal GST.

Claiming it back: if you’re a GST/HST registrant, you can usually claim the GST paid at import as an input tax credit (ITC), as long as the goods are for your commercial activities and you keep records such as the CAD, payment records and invoices. Being the importer of record isn’t enough on its own, and a DDP buyer can’t claim GST just because the seller’s invoice says taxes are included. For registrants, import GST is mostly a cash-flow cost rather than a real one.

Shipping, Insurance and Customs Clearance Fees

A customs broker typically charges from CAD 50 to CAD 105 or more to clear a standard commercial shipment, and brokers that price by value can charge up to around CAD 300. Extra tariff lines, extra invoices and goods that need another department’s approval cost more. Courier companies have their own brokerage fees, covered in hidden costs below.

Freight is usually the biggest variable. It depends on the shipping method, volume and season, and the shipping comparison table gives typical ranges.

Cargo insurance typically costs about 0.2% to 0.5% of the CIF value of the goods, with cover usually set at 110% of CIF value. Read the policy to see what’s actually covered.

Hidden Costs: Courier Brokerage, Port Charges and Customs Exams

Beyond duty and tax, these four costs catch new importers most often.

1. Courier brokerage fees. UPS, FedEx and DHL clear your parcel by default and bill you for it. UPS express services, for example, charge 3.7% of duties and taxes or CAD 12, whichever is higher, while UPS Standard charges by value, such as CAD 141.30 for goods worth CAD 1,600.01 to CAD 2,500. Canada Post charges CAD 9.95 per taxable item. How to avoid it: compare courier fees, or arrange your own broker before shipping.
2. Destination charges. A CIF or “to port” quote stops at the port, leaving document fees, terminal charges, CFS charges for LCL cargo and trucking to you. How to avoid it: get destination charges in writing before you book.
3. Customs exams. The CBSA can examine any shipment, and being a first-time importer is one of its risk indicators, though it publishes no exam rate for new importers. For sea containers, the facility’s unloading, drayage and storage charges reach you through the carrier and can run from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. How to reduce the risk: send complete, accurate documents (see Step 7).
4. Demurrage, detention and storage. These separate charges can all hit one container, and free time can be short: 24 hours for shipping line containers at CPKC’s Toronto (Vaughan) and Montreal (Lachine) terminals. How to avoid it: line up your broker and trucking before arrival.

Example: Landed Cost Calculation

Here’s the math for two example orders: a small courier shipment and a larger LCL sea shipment. All inputs are assumptions, including the exchange rate, so use your own quotes and the Bank of Canada rate for your shipping date.

Example 1: 40 LED wall lights by express courier, delivered to Ontario

If you’re a GST/HST registrant, the CAD 29.96 GST is usually recoverable as an ITC, bringing the net cost to CAD 865.64.

Example 2: Wooden bedroom furniture by LCL sea freight, FOB Ningbo to Vancouver

These beds and dressers aren’t fixed cabinets or steel derivatives, so no surtax applies, but adding upholstered seating or mattresses could bring in anti-dumping duties. Freight is about 28% of the small order’s landed cost, but only about 11% of the LCL order’s. In both cases, a registrant can usually recover the GST, but not the duty.

Before you order, get a quote for every line in these tables, including destination charges and any testing or certification your product needs. If a line is still missing, your landed cost isn’t complete.

What Items Are Exempt from Import Duty in Canada?

Many products are already duty-free, with an MFN rate of “Free” in the Customs Tariff. Smartphones, Bluetooth speakers, building block toys and plastic injection moulding machines are examples. Duty-free doesn’t mean GST-free, though.

• Low-value parcels: mail and courier shipments from China are free of duty and tax only if the value for duty is CAD 20 or less; above that, everything is charged.
• GST-free goods: Schedule VII of the Excise Tax Act covers goods such as basic groceries, certain prescription drugs and medical devices, and feminine hygiene products, each with conditions.
• Drawback: duty on goods re-exported in the same condition can be claimed back after export, within 4 years of release.
• Faulty goods: defective, lower-quality or wrong goods can qualify for a duty refund under section 76 of the Customs Act, with written notice within 4 years for non-perishables. GST is recovered as an ITC, not through drawback.

Step 5: Find and Vet a Reliable Chinese Supplier

Choosing a supplier comes down to five questions: where to look, whether to use an agent, how to verify the company, how to check quality and how to pay. This is the core of sourcing products from China.

Where to Find Reliable Manufacturers and Suppliers in China

Most Canadian importers find suppliers through one of three channels.

• Online B2B platforms. Alibaba is the usual starting point for overseas buyers, with English listings, a huge supplier base and payment protection on the platform. The catch is that many sellers are trading companies, and quality varies widely. 1688 often has lower prices, but it’s in Chinese and needs Chinese payment methods, so overseas buyers usually go through a 1688 sourcing agent.
• Trade fairs and wholesale markets. Trade fairs and wholesale markets let you see products and meet suppliers in person. The Yiwu market is a common source of small consumer goods in mixed, smaller quantities. You need to travel, or have someone on the ground, like a Yiwu sourcing agent.
• Sourcing agents. An agent finds and checks factories for you and manages the order in China. The next section explains when that’s worth it.

Should You Use a Sourcing Agent to Import from China?

It depends on how complex your order is and how much experience you have. A sourcing agent handles the China side of an import: finding and vetting factories, negotiating, managing samples, following production, inspecting quality, consolidating goods, booking shipment, and preparing export documents.

Agents usually charge a commission on the order value, a fixed fee per order or project, or a monthly retainer. Sourcing agent fees vary as much in scope as in price, so compare what each quote includes.

An agent is usually worth it when:

• You buy from several suppliers and want one shipment
• The product is custom-made or sold under your own brand
• It’s your first order with a new factory
• You can’t travel to China to check suppliers or goods

Buying direct is often enough for a standard product from a single supplier, paid through a protected method such as Alibaba Trade Assurance. The Alibaba vs sourcing agent decision mostly comes down to how much time you can spend managing suppliers yourself.

Who does what in a China-to-Canada import

Canadian customs clearance is done by you as the importer, or by a licensed customs broker you authorize in the CARM Client Portal. A sourcing agent doesn’t clear goods through the CBSA.

HiSourcing, the publisher of this guide, is a sourcing agent based in Yiwu that has handled the China side of imports since 2017. Its product sourcing service covers everything from the factory search to shipment.

How to Verify a Supplier Before You Pay

Before you pay, confirm that the company is registered, that it is what it claims to be and that it can make your product.

1. Check the business license. Look up the company’s Unified Social Credit Code in China’s national enterprise credit system. The registered name should match the company on your contract and the bank account you’ll pay.
2. Factory or trading company? A factory’s business scope includes manufacturing, and it can show you a production address and equipment. Trading companies aren’t a problem in themselves, but you should know whether you’re dealing with a manufacturer or middleman.
3. See production. Ask for a live video tour, or have someone visit and audit the factory.
4. Get references. Ask for buyers you can contact, ideally in Canada or the US.
5. Know your protection. Alibaba Trade Assurance helps in a delivery or quality dispute only if you pay through the platform and the terms are written into the order.

Red flags: a price far below other quotes, pressure to pay fast, a personal bank account, no video call, or an email announcing new bank details, one of the most common scams.

Samples and Quality Inspection

Order samples first, then a small trial order, and inspect the goods before you pay the balance.

• Samples. Compare quotes from several factories, then order samples from the best few. Approve a “golden sample,” keep a signed copy on each side and refer to it in the purchase contract.
• Order size. Factories set a minimum order quantity (MOQ). Make sure you can sell that quantity in a reasonable time and have room to store it. For a first order, ask whether they’ll accept a smaller trial run, even at a higher unit price.
• Price and quality. Many importers report that squeezing the price too hard leads to cheaper materials or skipped steps. Put materials and specifications in writing.
• Pre-shipment inspection. Inspect when production is finished and packed, before the balance is paid, and early enough to leave time for rework if the goods fail. Inspectors check a random sample using AQL (Acceptance Quality Limit) sampling, which sets how many defects are acceptable for the order size.
• Inspection checklist. A quality control checklist covers specifications and dimensions, function, labels and bilingual markings, packaging and carton marks, quantity, and defect classes (critical, major and minor).

How to Pay a Chinese Supplier Safely

Most suppliers ask for a deposit before production and the balance after. A common split is a 30% deposit and a 70% balance, paid before shipment or against a copy of the bill of lading. Paying before shipment means the supplier still holds the goods. Paying against the bill of lading copy means they’ve shipped, and the supplier releases the original bill or a telex release once paid.

Paying through a sourcing agent. You usually pay the agent, and the agent pays the factory in RMB. Ask who signs the purchase contract with you: if it’s the agent, the agent answers to you for the order. Either way, the commercial invoice for Canadian customs must show the real seller and the price actually paid.

Currency and design protection. Fix the currency and price in the contract, and allow for exchange rate swings before the balance is due. For custom products, add intellectual property, confidentiality and exclusivity clauses, such as a ban on selling your design or using your moulds for others. Intellectual property protection is territorial, so register your trademark in China as well as in Canada. State in the contract how disputes will be resolved and which jurisdiction applies, and for complex custom products, keep the English and Chinese versions of the specification consistent.

Confirm any change of bank details by phone or video with someone you know before you pay. If something does go wrong, your chances of recovering your money depend on how you paid.

Step 6: Choose a Shipping Method from China to Canada

The right method depends on volume, deadline and budget. The table shows typical ranges at the time of writing. Freight rates swing sharply from month to month, so get a live quote before you order. Transit time also varies by route and season; see this guide to shipping times from China.

Costs are port to port or airport to airport and exclude destination charges, duty and clearance. In mid-2026, quotes ran at around half these levels or lower. Delivery to Toronto or Montreal adds a rail leg.

Sea Freight (FCL vs LCL)

LCL (less than container load) is priced per cubic metre, and FCL (full container load) is priced per container. With LCL, your cartons share a container with other shippers’ goods, which adds about a week for consolidation and unloading. With FCL, the container is yours from origin to destination.

As your shipment approaches about 15 m³, ask for door-to-door quotes for both LCL and a 20-foot container and compare them. That’s a rule of thumb for when to compare, not a point where FCL always wins. Remember that LCL cargo goes through a CFS warehouse in Canada, which charges for devanning, handling, release and storage.

Air Freight and Express Courier

Air freight and express courier suit small, urgent or high-value goods. Both charge by chargeable weight, which is the greater of the actual weight and the volumetric weight, so light, bulky cartons cost more than their scale weight suggests.

Couriers such as UPS, FedEx and DHL usually act as your customs broker by default and charge a fee for it (see hidden costs). You can ask before shipping whether to use your own broker instead. Eligible courier shipments with a value for duty up to CAD 3,300 can be cleared through the simplified Courier Low Value Shipment (CLVS) program, but that’s a clearance limit, not a tax exemption.

How to Combine Orders from Multiple Suppliers into One Shipment

When you buy from several suppliers, it usually costs less to deliver everything to one warehouse in China and ship it together than to ship each order separately.

1. Each supplier delivers to the consolidation warehouse.
2. The warehouse receives and counts each delivery against your order.
3. The goods are inspected, and repacked or relabelled if needed.
4. Everything ships together as one LCL or FCL shipment.

On the paperwork side, you get one consolidated packing list, but each supplier’s commercial invoice stays separate. Your broker adds each invoice to the same CAD, showing the real seller and its goods. You can’t merge several sellers into a single summary invoice with no seller details.

Consolidation doesn’t pay off when one supplier’s order already fills a container, when the goods need different routes or deadlines, or when the extra warehouse handling costs more than the freight you save.

HiSourcing runs this process at its Yiwu warehouse and can book the combined sea or air shipment for you.

Choose Your Canadian Port of Entry

Most sea freight from China enters Canada on the West Coast, at Vancouver or Prince Rupert. You can also ship all-water to Montreal or Halifax.

If a quote says “to Toronto,” your container will usually land on the West Coast and finish the trip by rail. CPKC’s schedule shows containers available in Toronto or Montreal on day 5 after loading in Vancouver, and CN averages about 4.5 to 5.5 days from Prince Rupert to Toronto. Plan around the door-to-door times in the shipping table, not the sailing time a supplier quotes.

Understand Incoterms (FOB, EXW, DDP)

Incoterms decide where costs and risk pass from your supplier to you.

• FOB (Free On Board). The supplier delivers the goods loaded on the vessel at the Chinese port, and you pay ocean freight and everything after. An FOB price is the most common choice for importers with their own forwarder.
• EXW (Ex Works). You take over at the factory, including Chinese export clearance. EXW terms put a heavy load on an overseas buyer with no one in China.
• CIF (Cost, Insurance and Freight). The supplier pays freight and insurance to the Canadian port, but destination charges, broker fees and inland delivery are still yours. CIF terms are not all-inclusive.
• DDP (Delivered Duty Paid). The seller handles delivery, duties and taxes. It needs its own checks, covered in the next section.

Is DDP Shipping from China Safe?

It can be. DDP is a legitimate Incoterm, and a foreign seller can lawfully act as the non-resident importer (NRI) in Canada. The risk is a “DDP” quote that relies on undervaluing goods or grey-market clearance. If your BN was used, or you’re in fact the importer, you can still be liable for unpaid duty and tax and for corrections.

The seller is usually the owner at release and, as an NRI, needs its own BN, RM account and CARM registration. Since January 1, 2026, the importer of record, the person who actually causes the import and the owner at release share responsibility.

Signs of fake DDP: a price far below duty-paid quotes, a request for your BN “for customs,” no clear importer of record, or a tax bill after delivery. Genuine DDP from a registered NRI can suit small or urgent shipments, such as a first batch sent to Amazon FBA in Canada.

Before you accept a DDP quote, ask:

1. Who is the importer of record, and whose BN and RM account will be used?
2. Will you get a copy of the customs declaration and proof of payment?
3. What value will duty and tax be calculated on? It should be the price you actually paid.

The choice between FOB and DDP comes down to control versus convenience.

Step 7: Clear Canadian Customs

Customs clearance is the process of declaring your goods to the CBSA, paying the duties and taxes owed and getting the goods released. You, or a customs broker you’ve authorized, submit the release request and then account for the goods in CARM. The CBSA’s Guide to importing commercial goods into Canada sets out the official process.

Documents You Need (Commercial Invoice, Bill of Lading, Packing List)

You need three basic documents: a commercial invoice, a bill of lading or air waybill, and a packing list.

For goods worth more than CAD 2,500, you don’t need a Canada Customs Invoice (CI1) as long as your commercial invoice has all the required information. You can also attach a CI1 to fill in anything missing.

For MFN goods, showing the country of origin on the commercial invoice is normally enough, and you don’t need a separate certificate of origin from a chamber of commerce. Separate proof applies to steel and aluminum melt-and-pour rules and to anti-dumping cases.

On sea shipments, the carrier releases the cargo against the original bill of lading, or against a telex release once the supplier surrenders the original, usually after you’ve paid the balance.

Should You Use a Customs Broker or Clear Customs Yourself?

You can clear customs yourself, but most commercial importers use a customs broker.

To self-clear under CARM, you register in the CARM Client Portal, submit a release request for each shipment, account for it with a CAD and pay through your CARM account. Release requests go to the CBSA electronically, so self-clearing a regular flow of shipments takes setup and practice.

A broker makes most sense if you import regularly, have many tariff lines, need permits from another department, face surtaxes or anti-dumping duties, or ship by courier, which usually acts as your broker by default.

Choosing a forwarder and broker. A Chinese forwarder is often cheaper at origin, while a Canadian forwarder handles the destination side with your broker. Either works if someone clearly owns each leg. Ask:

• Are you licensed, and what does your fee per entry include?
• What costs extra, such as more tariff lines, invoices or permits?
• Will you file my release request before arrival?
• How do you handle CARM delegation?
• Which destination charges should I expect?

For how the work splits between a sourcing agent, a forwarder and a broker, see the who does what table.

Pay Duties and Taxes and Release Your Goods

File your release request before the goods arrive. You can submit up to 45 days ahead under the Pre-Arrival Review System (PARS), or up to 90 days ahead for an Integrated Import Declaration (IID). If an eligible electronic request is in at least 1 hour before arrival, the CBSA aims to have a release or exam decision ready when the goods arrive. Filing early doesn’t stop an exam.

How you pay depends on your setup. Without security, you pay duties and taxes at release. With RPP security, the goods are released first, and you pay on your monthly CARM statement. See Do You Need a Customs Bond Under CARM?

After Release: Keep Records and Correct Errors

Keep your import records for at least 6 years.

If you have reason to believe your origin, tariff classification or value for duty was wrong, you must correct it within 90 days. Don’t wait for the CBSA to contact you. In CARM, a change made before the payment due date is a correction, and a change after the due date is an adjustment, generally allowed within 4 years.

Refunds for overpaid duty, drawback on re-exported goods and refunds for faulty goods are covered in duty exemptions.

What Are the Current Tariffs on Chinese Imports to Canada?

Last updated: October 12, 2026

As of October 12, 2026, the extra measures on Chinese goods fall into four groups: a quota system for electric vehicles, steel and aluminum surtaxes, a temporary safeguard surtax on wooden cabinets, and anti-dumping and countervailing duties. All of them apply on top of regular MFN duty and GST, not instead of them.

Chinese Electric Vehicles: Surtax Removed, Quotas and Permits Apply

Canada removed the 100% surtax on Chinese electric vehicles on March 1, 2026, replacing it with a quota and a permit for each import; vehicles within the quota pay the 6.1% MFN rate. The first quota year (March 1, 2026 to February 28, 2027) allows 49,000 vehicles in two tranches of 24,500, and the second opened on September 1, 2026, with any unused first-tranche quota added.

Only Canadian-resident EV manufacturers, or a resident agent of a non-resident manufacturer, can apply, and imports without a permit are prohibited. Transport Canada’s safety rules still apply. See the notice Import of Electric Vehicles from the People’s Republic of China – Serial No. 1168.

Steel, Aluminum and Steel Derivative Surtaxes

Only one steel or aluminum surtax applies to a product, in this order:

1. 50% on steel above the tariff rate quota (since June 27, 2025, extended to June 27, 2027)
2. 25% on listed Chinese steel and aluminum products (since October 22, 2024), or listed goods with steel or aluminum melted and poured in China (since July 31, 2025)
3. 25% on steel derivatives from any country, on the product’s full value for duty (since December 26, 2025)

Upholstered metal chairs and steel modular buildings count as steel derivatives. Finance Canada’s page Canada’s tariffs: Steel and aluminum lists the products covered.

Separately, since July 31, 2026, wooden cabinets and vanities for permanent installation, and their parts, face a 25% temporary safeguard surtax for up to 200 days, with no exemption for China. The details are in Customs Notice 26-17: Certain Wood Cabinet and Vanity Goods Surtax Order.

Anti-Dumping and Countervailing Duties (SIMA)

Under the Special Import Measures Act (SIMA), Canada charges extra duty on goods that are dumped (sold below normal value) or subsidized, and many of these measures apply to Chinese products. As of October 12, 2026, there are 36 final measures and 3 provisional measures on goods from China. These are the ones most relevant to small and mid-sized importers:

Duties on photovoltaic modules were rescinded on September 17, 2026. Whether a measure applies depends on the exact product definition and exclusions, not just the tariff code. Check the CBSA’s Measures in force for the full list.

How to Check Whether Your Product Is Affected

Check your tariff code against the surtax lists, the SIMA measures and the remission orders.

1. Confirm your 10-digit code (see Step 3).
2. Check Finance Canada’s surtax lists: steel, aluminum, steel derivatives and the cabinet safeguard.
3. Check the CBSA’s SIMA measures, including the product definitions and exclusions.
4. Check for remission. The China surtax remission order covers goods in its Schedule 1 imported from October 22, 2024 to December 31, 2026. Goods in Schedule 2 have their own periods and conditions, and some periods have already ended. Claims are due within 2 years of import, and companies registered in Canada can also ask Finance Canada for an exemption.

Canada’s counter-tariffs on US goods apply by origin, so Chinese-made goods routed through the US don’t attract them, but they still pay MFN duty, the China measures and any anti-dumping duty.

How to Import Specific Products from China to Canada

Requirements vary a lot by product. The table gives an overview, and duty rates are in the duty rate table.

Furniture

Furniture for consumers falls under the CCPSA.

• The old provincial labelling rules for upholstered furniture in Ontario, Manitoba and Quebec have been repealed. Federal textile labelling rules still apply.
• Composite wood panels, and furniture made from them, must meet the Formaldehyde Emissions from Composite Wood Products Regulations (CANFER), in force since January 7, 2023.
• Upholstered domestic seating and mattresses face anti-dumping and countervailing duties, and wooden cabinets and vanities for permanent installation carry the 25% safeguard surtax.

A common pitfall is treating every order as “wooden furniture.” Upholstered metal chairs attract the 25% steel derivative surtax.

Clothes

Clothing must meet the Textile Labelling Act. Labels show the generic fibre names and percentages in English and French. The dealer’s name and address can be in one language, or replaced with a CA identification number. Pants, shirts and similar garments usually need a permanent label that lasts through washing.

A common pitfall is approving the garment sample but not the label. Send the label artwork, with bilingual fibre content, as part of your spec. Clothing also carries some of the highest MFN rates in the duty rate table.

Machinery

For electrical machinery, certification is the main issue. Plug-in consumer appliances need a mark from an accredited certification body, such as CSA, cUL or cETL. Industrial electrical equipment is approved under the rules of the province where it’s installed. Products covered by NRCan’s energy efficiency regulations must meet them, carry a verification mark and be reported at import. A CE mark on its own isn’t enough.

Plan the logistics early, too. A large machine bought CIF might land at Prince Rupert, be held for a customs exam, go by rail to Montreal and finish by truck, with broker, duty and storage charges along the way.

Building Materials

Building materials must meet the building, fire and plumbing codes adopted where they’ll be installed. Interior plywood, MDF, particleboard and products made from them must meet CANFER. Ask your supplier for a compliance declaration and keep it on file.

Tile, stone and other dense materials are heavy for their size, so they often hit a container’s weight limit before filling it. Plan loads by weight as well as volume. Duty rates for ceramic and PVC floor tiles are in the duty rate table.

Capsule Houses and Prefab Homes

A steel modular building, such as a capsule house or container home, is classified under 9406.20.00.00 at 6% MFN, and it’s on the steel derivative list at 25%. CSA A277 is a factory certification and inspection program, not an import permit. You still need a local building permit, site inspections and occupancy approval. If the unit has wheels or a highway trailer frame, vehicle import rules apply.

A common pitfall is buying a model with no clear path to local approval. Talk to your municipality before you order.

Tires

New highway tires must meet the Motor Vehicle Tire Safety Regulations (CMVSS/TSD 109, 119 or 139) and carry an identification number on the sidewall. The National Safety Mark (NSM) shows Canadian compliance. A DOT mark shows US compliance and isn’t enough on its own. If you import new tires to resell, CBSA Memorandum D19-12-2 requires a declaration that they meet the Canadian standards: a written declaration from the manufacturer or its authorized representative on a paper entry, or the completed declaration fields on an electronic release request.

Electronics and Wireless Devices

Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, cellular and other radio products fall under ISED’s rules. Category I radio equipment needs ISED certification under standards such as RSS-Gen, a listing in ISED’s radio equipment list and an IC number on the label. Category II equipment is exempt from certification but must still meet the applicable standards, and a product built around an already-certified Category I radio module usually doesn’t need its own certification; RSP-100 sets out when it does. RSS-Gen Issue 6 was published on July 30, 2026, with a one-year transition period. Digital devices without radios follow ICES-003, which means a self-declaration and a label such as CAN ICES-003(A)/NMB-003(A).

A common pitfall is assuming US FCC certification covers Canada. It doesn’t. Plug-in products also need electrical safety certification (see Machinery).

Power Banks (Lithium Batteries)

Every battery model must pass UN 38.3 testing. Standalone lithium-ion batteries ship as UN3480 and can’t travel as cargo on passenger aircraft, while batteries packed with or inside equipment ship as UN3481. Consumer batteries remain subject to the CCPSA.

A common pitfall is treating UN 38.3 as a product safety certificate. It’s a transport test. Ask your supplier for the test summary and safety data sheet before you book freight, because lithium battery shipping needs a China sourcing agent for electronics or a forwarder that accepts dangerous goods.

Fireworks

You need an NRCan import permit to import fireworks, and each product must be authorized as an explosive in Canada. Packaging, bilingual labelling and dangerous goods transport rules also apply, and permit holders must report the quantities they import each year.

A common pitfall is paying a deposit before the products are authorized. Check the authorization status first, and use a forwarder that handles explosives.

Can You Import a Car from China to Canada?

For most individuals, not a recent one. Vehicles from outside the US and Mexico that are less than 15 years old and don’t meet the Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (CMVSS) can’t be imported permanently, and they can’t be modified after arrival to meet them. The 15 years are counted from the month and year of manufacture.

• New cars: must be bought directly from the manufacturer, built to Canadian standards and pre-authorized.
• Used cars: generally only once they’re at least 15 years old.
• Electric cars: the 100% surtax is gone, but imports need a quota permit, and only manufacturers or their resident agents can apply.
• Trailers: these are regulated vehicles too, with the same restrictions.

Shipping, duty and compliance costs vary widely by vehicle, so confirm eligibility before you get quotes.

First-Time Importer Checklist

Run through this list before you place your first order.

Registration

• BN and RM import-export account set up
• CARM registration done and broker delegated
• Decided whether to pay at release or post security for RPP

Product and HS code

• Product isn’t prohibited, and any permits are in place
• Labelling, safety and certification rules written into the spec sheet
• Canadian 10-digit code confirmed, not copied from the supplier
• Surtax, safeguard and anti-dumping lists checked

Costs and supplier

• Landed cost calculated, including broker and courier fees
• Freight quote checked for destination charges
• MOQ checked against how fast you can sell and where you’ll store it
• Business license checked, and factory or trading company confirmed
• Sample approved, and inspection booked before the balance payment
• If you use a sourcing agent, confirmed what’s included: inspection, consolidation, export documents (see how to choose a sourcing agent)

Shipping and customs

• Confirmed whether the courier will clear customs for you by default
• Timeline planned on door-to-door time, not sailing time
• Importer of record confirmed, especially for DDP
• Documents checked and release request filed before arrival

After arrival

• Delivery appointment booked, with dock hours and unloading equipment (forklift or liftgate) confirmed
• Cartons counted and checked for damage before you sign, with photos and notes on the delivery receipt
• Any damage or shortage reported to the carrier and your insurer right away

FAQs about How to Import from China to Canada

Can I Import Goods into Canada for Personal Use?

Yes, and you don’t need a BN or RM account to do it. Parcels mailed or couriered from China are free of duty and tax only if the value for duty is CAD 20 or less. Above that, duty and tax apply to the full value. Traveller exemptions and the CAD 60 gift exemption are separate rules and can’t be used for goods you plan to sell. Couriers usually charge a fee for clearing your parcel (see hidden costs). For a personal shipment, you can refuse the courier’s clearance and pay the duty and tax yourself at a CBSA office that offers accounting services. Bring the tracking number, invoice and ID, then give the receipt to the courier so it can deliver.

Can I Ask My Supplier to Declare a Lower Value?

No. Undervaluing is customs fraud, and as the importer, you carry the risk. Penalties under the CBSA’s Administrative Monetary Penalty System (AMPS) start at CAD 150 for an inaccurate document and CAD 500 for not correcting value for duty within 90 days, and they rise for repeat contraventions. The goods can also be seized. A deliberate false declaration is a criminal offence, with fines of up to CAD 500,000 or up to 5 years in prison on indictment. An undervalued invoice can also reduce what you recover on an insurance claim.

Can I Ship Chinese Goods Through the U.S. to Avoid Tariffs?

No. Canada charges duty based on where goods were made, and shipping them through the US doesn’t change their Chinese origin. Chinese goods routed through the US still pay MFN duty, the China-specific measures and any anti-dumping duty in Canada. If the goods are formally imported into the US first, you may pay US duty as well, so the detour can cost more. The US import process has its own rules and tariffs on Chinese goods.

What Is the Cheapest Way to Ship from China to Canada?

It depends on volume. For small, light parcels, postal small packet or express courier is cheapest. For larger orders, sea freight costs far less per unit: LCL for smaller volumes, and FCL once you get close to about 15 m³. Compare the current ranges in the shipping table. If you buy from several suppliers, combining orders in China into one shipment usually cuts costs further.

How Long Does Shipping from China to Canada Take?

Sea freight to Vancouver takes about 14–24 days port to port, and about 22–30 days to Toronto or Montreal via a West Coast port and rail. For a full container door to door, plan on 4–7 weeks. Air freight takes about 5–12 working days door to door, and express courier about 3–7 working days. See the shipping comparison table for details.

Need Help Importing from China to Canada? How HiSourcing Can Help

HiSourcing is a sourcing agent based in Yiwu, China, and has handled the China side of imports for businesses since 2017. It can take care of:

• Finding and verifying factories
• Negotiating prices and terms
• Samples, product customization, packaging and labels
• Production follow-up and quality inspection
• Warehousing and consolidating orders from several suppliers
• Booking shipments and preparing export documents

What HiSourcing doesn’t do is clear goods through Canadian customs. That’s done by you or your licensed customs broker. HiSourcing prepares the export paperwork and works with your freight forwarder and broker, so your shipment arrives ready to clear.

Ready to import from China to Canada? Get a Free Quote Now!