I am immigrating to Canada. How do I bring my belongings with me?
The resettlement seminar will address a wide range is issues including what you can and cannot bring into Canada, what is good for you to carry along and what would be better if bought in Canada. This type of information is country specific and depends on which country you are immigrating from.
This information is helpful for you if you are moving to Canada for the first time to make this country your permanent home, or if you are coming to Canada for temporary employment for a period of more than 3 years.
If this is your situation, you can bring in your personal and household effects free of duties if you owned, possessed, and used these goods before you arrived in Canada.
There may be some conditions for settlers to import goods. This may be universal in Canadian Government terms but may be country specific in many cases.
Goods that accompany You and Goods to Follow
Before you arrive, you should prepare 2 copies of a list (preferably typed) of all the goods you intend to bring into Canada, showing the value, make, model, and serial number (when applicable). Divide the list into 2 sections: the goods you are bringing with you, and the goods to follow (unaccompanied)
You have to present this list to the customs officer when you arrive in Canada, even if you are not bringing in any goods at that time.
Include what you are bringing in or plan to bring in later. You must assign a value, in Canadian dollars, to your items. You can be general with personal clothing, (that is, you can just write "personal clothing") and for most household items. You should provide specific dollar and item information for goods such as computers and electronic items that have a serial number and other more expensive goods should also be described in detail.
There is a prescribed form you need to fill. This form may be sent to you by email if you send in a request or contact any of our partner offices world wide.
With the exception of wedding gifts, bride's trousseau, alcoholic beverages and tobacco products described in the Tariff Item No. 9807.00.00 Exemption Order, all household and personal effects imported or to be imported must have actually been owned, possessed, and used abroad by you prior to the date of your arrival in Canada.
When goods to follow arrive, they will be released to you when you present CBSA a copy of the original Form B4. The customs inspector will initial beside the items being released and date-stamp the form.
Only goods that were declared and listed as goods to follow on your original Form B4 are eligible for duty- and tax-free importation at a later time. There is no time limit for importing goods to follow that were listed on your Form B4.
