Removals and Moving to Canada

Removals and Moving to Canada

Ok, you’ve decided to take that big step and move to the green pastures of Canada, you may be single or taking your family with you, it’s a country that has so much to offer, with a rich heritage of Irish Immigrants, so there is a good chance that you will settle for the long term.

With that in mind if your moving on a short term visa to see what opportunities are there for you, and decide to move your household and personal effects after you find employment, we offer the option to collect your effects from your house or store them until you are ready, export wrap and pack your furniture and personal effects and ship them to you when you find employment and decide to stay.

On the other hand if you have employment and the decision is made, its straight forward, be it only a few pieces or a full house move, we will come in with trained and uniformed staff and export wrap and pack all your furniture and personal effects, we do this with export grade double wall cartons (boxes), we have different sizes based on what we’re packing, from book cartons, to general cartons (ornaments and kitchenware), linen cartons (clothes and bedding) and wardrobe cartons for any hanging clothes that you don’t want creased. Every inch of your furniture is protected with a wrapping material called furniguard (unlike bubble wrap it does not leave resin marks on highly polished furniture which can happen from sweating when moving from a colder climate the warmer climate of Australia), we’ve been doing this so long we know what works and what does not work.

We complete an inventory listing every box and item of furniture with a description of the condition of each item. As the customer you sign off on every item that we collect at origin and again on delivery.

We offer All Risks Insurance, which unlike some of our competitors is a new for old policy and in the unlikely event of a claim your effects will be replaced at the valued you insured and not the value you insured less ware and tare.

To be honest if your not happy we’re not happy and that’s why after 25 years in the Removal Business we strive to offer the fastest transit times through using the shipping lines or airline companies with the most direct routes, providing trained staff and the most update packing materials best suited to what we are packing or wrapping. A good move doesn’t happen by chance, it happens by planning.

We smooth the customs clearance process in Canadaby having our agent walk you through the customs requirements and supplying oyu with all the relevant Canadian Customs forms you require.

With what we offer in mind we still promise you one of the most competitive quotes you will get, we encourage you to get three quotes, compare the protection your effects will get, transit times, the smooth and uncomplicated removal service we provide. We have a network of partner Removal Companies in every major city in Canada that can delivery your effects to the furthest reaches (these are tried and trusted partners we constantly use and they offer a superb destination service), which will assist with the full customs clearance and delivery of your effects including placing your effects in rooms specified by you, unpacking cartons and unwrapping furniture and disposing of the boxes and wrapping materials.

All our quotes and free and we are more than happy to answer any questions you might even if your just contemplating a move down under….

Used Household Goods and Personal Effects

Documents Required

• Copy of Passport (photo page only)
• Proof of Residency abroad for at least 1 year (bank statements, utilities, rent receipts, income tax statement, etc. for first and last month of 12-month period) (returning citizens)
• Originial Detailed inventory / Packing list including “goods to follow” in English or French
• Receipts for new items
• Personal Effects Accounting Document (Form BSF186 formerly known as form B4)
• Original Bill of Lading (OBL) / Air Waybill (AWB)
• Liquor Permit, if applicable
• Immigration papers, if applicable
• Work Permit / Student Visa holders, if applicable
• Proof of residence in Canada (copy of Deed / Sales Agreement / Lease Agreement) (seasonal residents)
• Copy of Death Certificate (import of inheritance items)
• Copy of Will or Letter from the Executor of an estate (import of inheritance items)
• Obligation for Privilege from the Canadian Ministry of External Affairs (Diplomats)

 

Specific Information

• The owner of the goods must be present for Customs clearance, or use a licensed Customs broker to handle the clearance on their behalf.
• Returning Canadians may import household goods and personal effects duty free under the following conditions:
  • The goods were owned and used by the owner of the goods for at least 6 months prior to importation.
  • The owner of the goods lived abroad for a minimum of 12 months.
    • If the owner of the goods lived abroad for a period greater than 5 years, the owner of the goods is exempt from the 6-month ownership rule.
  • The goods must still be owned and used and the shipment does not include goods that are for resale or otherwise disposed of within 12 months of importation.
• Shipments must be declared to Customs at the port of entry (POE) (airport/U.S-Canada border) when the owner of the goods arrives in Canada.
  • Customs will then issue documents needed for Customs clearance:
    • B4e personal effects accounting document
    • B15 casual goods accounting document.
  • The owner of the goods must present a list of items to be imported.
  • It is recommended that a copy of the packing list / inventory be hand carried for presentation to Customs.
  • Customs may request a value on the shipment (returning citizens).
• For immigrants and holders of work / students visas, the goods must be owned and used prior to importation and the shipment must not include goods that are to be sold or otherwise disposed of 12 months after importation for duty-free import.
• Any single item of household goods or personal effects, including automobiles, that were acquired after March 31, 1977, and are valued at more than $10,000 are subject to regular duty and taxes on the excess amount.
  • Seasonal residents may import household items and personal effects duty free under the following conditions:
    • The shipment can include household furniture and furnishings for a seasonal residence, excluding construction, materials, electrical fixtures or other goods permanently attached to or incorporated into a seasonal residence and tools and equipment for the maintenance of a seasonal residence.
    • The goods must have been owned and used prior to arrival.
    • The goods cannot be sold for at least 1 year.
    • The goods are for the personal use of the owner of the goods or their family and are not for any commercial, industrial or occupational purpose.
    • Proof of purchase or a copy of a lease agreement is required for any person who is not a resident of Canada but owns a residential property or has leased a residence for at least 3 years for personal use.
    • Only one shipment of this type is allowed.
• The copy of the will or letter from the executor of an estate must state that the owner of the goods is the beneficiary of the named items for duty-free import (duty-free inheritances).
• Diplomats can import household goods and personal effects duty and tax free.
• The Canadian Government adopted ISPM-15 (International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures Publication 15) Guidelines for Regulating Wood Packaging Material in International Trade (aka NIFM-15) to standardize the treatment of wood packing materials used for the transport of goods.
• ISPM -15 requires that wood packaging either be heat-treated or fumigated with methyl bromide and marked with the internationally recognized International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) mark, or in lieu of the mark, the consignment must be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate specifying the treatment used.

 

Motor Vehicles

Documents Required

• Copy of passport (photo page only)
• Original proof of ownership (can be sent with the vehicle)
• OBL
• Previous registration
• Proof of insurance
• Must pass Canadian safety and pollution standards test

 

Specific Information

• The car must comply with Canadian standards.
• All vehicles are inspected by the Canadian Agricultural Inspection Agency upon arrival into Canada.
• The vehicle must be owned and used for more than 6 months in order to qualify for tax and duty relief.
• For returning residents, a tax and duty exemption applied to the first $10,000 of the vehicle’s value.
  • Anything in excess of $10,000 will be charged applicable duty and taxes.
• For work permit / student visa holders, duty and tax will be waived for the duration of the permit.
  • The vehicle will be imported on a temporary basis for the duration of the work permit / student visa must be re-exported upon departure from Canada.
• All cars / motorbikes should be clean on arrival and free of any soil or containments.
• It is recommended to include proof of cleaning (receipts) with the shipping documents.
  • Steam cleaning may be required.
• The vehicle cannot contain household goods and personal effects items.
• Motor vehicles imported into Canada cannot be licensed in Canada unless cleared through Canadian Customs.

 

Pets

Documents Required

• Vaccination record
• Veterinary health certificate

 

Specific Information

• The veterinary health record certificate must identify the animal by breed, age, gender and color.
• Check with agent for specific information prior to import.

 

Antiques, Artifacts, Carpets, Paintings

• No documents are required if the items are part of the household effects shipment.
• Proof of age will be required if item is over 100 years old.
• The items are permitted duty-free entry if the following conditions are met:
  • The works of art are part of a bona fide household removal.
  • The works of art are not for sale or other disposal.
• Antiques and works or art imported into Canada for resale, are subject to different regulations.

 

Wedding Trousseau / Gifts

• Wedding “trousseau” means goods acquired for use in the household of a newly married couple, but does not include vehicles, vessels or aircraft; wedding “gifts” means goods of a non-commercial nature received by a person as personal gifts in consideration of that person’s recent marriage or the anticipated marriage of that person within three months of the person’s return to Canada.
• Wedding trousseau and gifts may be imported duty and tax free providing:
  • A bride’s trousseau / gifts owned by, in the possession of, and imported by a recently married person or a bride-to-be whose anticipated marriage is to take place within 3 months of the date of her return to Canada or has taken place no more than 3 months prior to arrival in Canada.

 

Restricted/Dutiable Items

• Alcohol (a detailed list including type, size, and quantity is required and an import permit must be obtained prior to importation; duties and taxes apply)
  • Import permit must be obtained from the Provincial Liquor Control Board.
• Do not ship wine between October 1 and March 31 to avoid the possibility of freezing.
• Tobacco products are subject to duties and taxes.
• Foodstuffs can cause extensive delays / additional charges (importation is discouraged)
• Meat (authorization is required; importation is discouraged)
• Pornographic materials
• New items (a bill of sale may be required by Customs)
• Hunting trophies (restrictions apply, especially for endangered species; a CITES Certificate may be required; check with agent before shipping).
• Firearms (strict regulations apply; check with agent for details)
• Any one item valued at $10,000 or over is subject to duties and taxes.

 

Prohibited Items

• Live plants
• Narcotics, drugs, incitements
• Fruits and vegetables
• Live ammunition and explosives

 

Consignment Instructions

Recommended: Contact the destination agent to ensure all requirements have been met prior to import, especially for differences regarding air / sea shipments.

 

Helpful Website(s):

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/menu-eng.html

http://www.state.gov/p/wha/ci/ca

http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/roadsafety/safevehicles-importation-index-443.htm