International Parcel Delivery | Blog

Shipping Online orders from Canada? Important Things to Consider

Written by Timothy Byrnes | March 18, 2017
Shipping international parcels from Canadais becoming more important for Canadian companies who are competing in the global marketplace.

Canadian Shippers are seeking new parcel shipping for online orders from Canada to the Japan, China, France, Germany, UK, EU, Mexico and around the world.

 

Book a shipment, get a quote and information on rates, customs clearance processes and restrictions for sending your international shipment from Canada.

Visit our other industry leading blogs for more specific information regarding international shipping to and from Canada (or contact our team for information).

Discover faster delivery and lower cost than via the post for international orders

Learn more from Jet's Logistics Experts :

Disclaimer: The information in this blog is for general information only. Producers, shippers, exporters, importers should confirm their processes with their customs brokers, carriers and regulating authorities.

Shipping international parcels from Canada

Thing to consider

Choose the type of carrier: Postal versus Private

Shipping International Online Orders via Canada Post

Canada Post offers the lowest cost for internationalparcels under 2 kg. Canada Post is especially useful for personal shipments. While the tracking with parcel post shipments has improved, the quality of service with Canada Post to international destinations can be inconsistent.

Jet Worldwide assists online shipping - via Shopify and other platforms - direct to the UK, EU, Japan and all major world economies from Canada.

Shipping via FedEx , UPS Canada

FedEx and UPS are the dominant carriers in North America. From Canada, they offer express and ground delivery to the USA as well as international express. Their service is reliable with advanced tracking.

VAT prepayment for online orders shipped to the UK

VAT prepayment for online orders shipped to European Union

Shipping Parcels from Canada via Resellers

Using a "company who uses another company" seems counter intuitive. The value of a reseller is most often price as even medium sized companies cannot get meaningful discounts with the mega carriers. Furthermore, smaller shippers often are not able to get the support they need. Jet Worldwide resells the services of the large carriers to complement our agent network and leading parcel delivery solutions.

Jet Worldwide has been delivering international parcel delivery solutions from Canada for over 35 years!

Shipping international shipments via Purolator from Canada

Although Purolator is the leading carrier in Canada, they partner with other carriers for their international parcel deliveries, such as UPS.

Export Requirements from Canada

The most common requirement for shipping from Canada is filing an export declaration for shipments valued over $2,000.

Note: Shipments sent from Canada to the USA do not require a CERS Export Declaration.

It is important to understand the basics of valuation, customs classification using the Harmonized System, invoice requirements, and export requirementsbefore shipping.

Basic Paperwork Requirements for International Parcels from Canada

All international parcels must be accompanied by a commercial invoice. The information required includes:

  • Shipper name, address and contact details
  • receiver name, address and contact details
  • Item(s) being sent (be as specific as possible)
  • Value (specify the currency)

We recommend also adding why the shipment is being sent (e.g. gift, commercial sample, warranty replacement, etc) and the country of origin of the item.

For specific requirements, it is best to check with the receiver before shipping your parcel.
 Payment of Duty and Taxes
Any fees related to clearance - including import duty and taxes - are charged to the receiverof the shipment. There are times, for example when sending samples to a potential customer, when it would be preferred to have the fees charged to the shipper in Canada.
 
If you wish to pay the import duty and taxes on your shipment in Canada, the shipment should be sent "Delivery Duty Paid" (using the shipping term DTP). The postal service does not offer this option.
Country of Origin and Free Trade Agreements
Canada has free trade agreements with most of their trading partners. Read about Canada's Free Trade Agreements.
 
The basic element of all trade agreements is the reduction or elimination of tariffs for Canadian origin goods. Some, like NAFTA / USMCA require a certificate of origin while others, such as CETA - require a statement on the commercial invoice.
 
Wth NAFTA/ USMCA, CETA, CP-TPP, Chile and Korean Free trade agreements, Canadians can take advantage of duty free entry for their qualifying Canadian origin goods.. This duty free status extends to parcel clearance as well.
 
Most low value orders shipped to the UK and Europe can be cleared duty free but are subject to value added tax. See links above for information.
 

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