Canada and Switzerland's close bilateral relations and shared values have led to strong economic connections - that require reliable parcel shipping solutions. Shipping Switzerland from Canada is offered from a variety of carriers.
In this post, we review things to consider when shipping between Canada and Switzerland
Disclaimer: The information in Jet Worldwide online content, including this post, is for general information only
For individuals shipping small parcels and personal items to Switzerland, Canada Post is usually the best option.
Canada Post Services to Switzerland include:
Parcels sent via Canada Post are imported and delivered via Swiss Post
Shipping to Switzerland via FedEx and UPS Canada
FedEx and UPS are North America's largest carriers and - along with DHL -offer reliable express delivery from Canada to Switzerland.
UPS and FedEx Canada Shipping options to Switzerland include:
Purolator is a leading domestic carrier in Canada. Purolator provides delivery from Canada to Switzerland via other carriers, including UPS.
The default option for shipping internationally from Canada is delivery duty unpaid. Common carriers use the term EXW which essentially assigns all import related costs (duty, taxes, and other fees) to the receiver/ importer. Shippers from Canada can choose to pay the import fees on behalf of the receiver via a Delivery Duty Paid (DDP) options that many carriers offer. See our blog on IncoTerms and shipping terms for packages and online orders.
The disadvantage of paying import fees on behalf of the receiver is that the bulk of the import fees are often from a value added tax that the importing business may otherwise be able to claim back.
Swiss customs rules general processes are consistent with WTO rules and include duty assessment based on published rates according to harmonized system (HS Codes) and CIF value(cost of item + insurance value + freight cost).
Value Added Tax
In addition to duty, most items imported to Switzerland are subject to a value added tax ( VAT) of 8%. Tax is assessed on the CIF value (mentioned above). Import duty rates vary but range from 3 to 12% for commonly imported items.
Paperwork and Swiss Customs
Having the proper paperwork is important when sending your parcel to Switzerland.Important items include complete consignee details, a clear description and value.Swiss customs, while efficient, can be demanding with respect to the paperwork requests.
Note: Parcels can be subject to additional fees if it cannot clear customs due to missing, unreliable or incomplete customs documents.Fees for storage can be assessed for parcels that are held until the missing information is received or until the recipient or customs authorities take the decision concerning customs clearance.
Can Gifts be imported to Switzerland Duty Free from Canada?
In general goods sent from Canada to Switzerland via courier valued less than CHF 50 (around $60 CAD) can be cleared duty free.
Gifts sent from private individuals living abroad to private individuals in Switzerland are duty-free up to a goods value of CHF 100.00.
Notes on sending gifts to Switzerland from Canada:
See graphic above regarding import clearance to Switzerland
It is important to note that, when assessing value, Swiss Customs considers the transport cost as part of the good’s value.
Shipping parcels containing items to being repaired in Switzerland
For goods that have been repaired abroad and are returning to Switzerland, VAT is only charged on the new material and the labour costs.However, these two elements must be clearly stated on the commercial invoice.
Switzerland and Canada have a Free Trade Agreement via the European Free Trade Association/ EFTA (of which Switzerland is a member). Qualifying Canada origin goods can be imported duty free to Switzerland when accompanied by a qualifying origin declaration.
The origin declaration referred to in Articles 16 and 17 of Annex C to the Canada EFTAgreement is set out below:
The exporter of the products covered by this document [customs authorization No ...] declares that, except where otherwise clearly indicated, these products are of Canada/EFTA preferential origin.
When the origin declaration is completed by an approved exporter within the meaning of Article 17 of Annex C, the exporter's customs authorization number shall be included. A customs authorization number is required only where the exporter is an approved exporter.
Footnote 2: Canada/EFTA preferential origin" means qualifying as originating under the rules of origin of the Free Trade Agreement between Canada and the States of the European Free Trade Association ( Iceland , Liechtenstein , Norway and Switzerland ).
Footnote 3: The place and date of completion of the origin declaration may be indicated elsewhere on the invoice or on another document that describes the originating products and includes the origin declaration.
Footnote 4: Articles 16 and 17 of Annex C provide certain exceptions to the requirement of the exporter's signature.
Jet Worldwide provides a receiving address for goods ordered online in Switzerland. Swiss consumers can order from Canadian Amazon, e-bay, kiji, and Canadian retailers and have the orders shipped to Jet. Jet can store the orders to consolidate and save shipping costs and then ship via low cost economy express or Canada Post to Switzerland.
Switzerland origin goods shipped FROM Switzerland TO Canada
Canadian companies can more easily take advantage of duty free import to Canada for goods that qualify as being of Swiss origin. There is useful low value exemption to the proof of origin requirement.
The value for duty amount for all of Canada's free trade agreements (including EFTA-Canada FTA/ Switzerland) for which the proof of origin / certificate of origin is waived is less than $3,300 CAD.
Read More: Certification of origin and when it is needed
For imports not exceeding $3,300 to Canada, the requirement for proof of origin is waived. The requirement on the importer to maintain records (for example, commercial invoice and B3) applies even if the CBSA does not require a certification of origin or if a requirement for a certification of origin has been waived.
For Personal effects to Switzerland For personal effects, all the goods have to be mentioned on the invoice in detail with the individual values along with a written confirmation from consignee, that the goods are used and are older than 6 months.. Items must be used.
Shipping of excess baggage to Switzerland:Generally, it is simpler and easier to ship your personal effects as excess baggage when you travel. Carrier excess baggage fees for a couple of bags is most often less expensive than shipping separately without having to manage the entry requirements (discussed above).
Shipping a box or several boxes:Jet Worldwide provides solutions shipping of international personal effects Switzerland from Canada via economy air. Get a shipping quote international from Canada via Jet.
Shipping a household/ container level:For shipping a full household, it is best to contact a moving specialists to arrange for packing and ocean transport.