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Entering Canada to Study or Work

BSF5068 Rev. 07

This publication is an overview of the laws, restrictions, entitlements, rights and obligations of individuals entering Canada to study or work for a period of no more than 36 months. The information provided was accurate when it was published; however, legislative provisions and requirements can change at any time. The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) makes every effort to provide timely updates to this publication and its Web site.

If you have information about suspicious cross-border activity, please call the CBSA Border Watch toll-free line at 1-888-502-9060.

At your service

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) operates at some 1,200 service points across Canada and 39 locations abroad. It employs approximately 13,000 public servants who handle over 12 million commercial releases and more than 95 million travellers each year.

The CBSA's role is to manage the nation's borders by administering and enforcing over 90 domestic laws that govern trade and travel, as well as international agreements and conventions.

The CBSA delivers innovative border management through a network of dedicated professionals who work strategically with domestic and international partners to ensure Canada remains secure and responsive to new and emerging threats. The CBSA also intercepts, detains and removes those persons who pose a threat to Canada or who have been determined to be inadmissible.

Border services officers are at Canada's entry points to help you when you arrive in Canada. We are committed to providing efficient, courteous service. At designated bilingual offices, we will serve you in the official language of your choice. If you require more detailed information that is not provided in this publication, please call the Border Information Service (BIS) at one of the telephone numbers listed in the section called "Additional information."

Table of Contents

Is this publication for you?

You will find this publication helpful if you are a foreign national about to enter Canada to study or work for a period of no more than 36 months. You must produce documentation from Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), such as a temporary resident visa (where required), a study permit or a work permit, before being given the benefits of a temporary residence in Canada. Generally, you have to contact a Canadian embassy or consulate to obtain these documents before you arrive in Canada.

In certain situations, citizens and permanent residents of the United States and residents of Greenland and Saint-Pierre & Miquelon can apply for a permit at a CBSA office located at a port of entry. More information is available on CIC's Web site at www.cic.gc.ca.

This publication is not intended for individuals who have applied for, or who have been granted, permanent resident status in Canada or who will be working in Canada for more than 36 months. In such cases, see the publication called Settling in Canada, which is available by calling BIS or on our Web site at www.cbsa.gc.ca under "Publications and forms."

Should you change your immigration status with CIC after arriving in Canada, or decide to work for a period longer than 36 months, it is important that you notify the CBSA immediately since this may affect your resident status. Please refer to the publication called Settling in Canada for more information or contact BIS at one of the telephone numbers listed in the section called "Additional information."

Personal and household effects

When arriving in Canada for the first time, you can temporarily import your personal and household effects free of duty. These items include furniture, tableware, silverware, appliances and motor vehicles. Though these goods are not normally subject to duty and taxes at the time of importation, the CBSA may require that you post a refundable deposit. The following conditions apply:

  • The goods cannot be used by a resident of Canada;
  • You are not permitted to sell or otherwise dispose of them in Canada; and
  • You must take all non-consumable items with you when you leave the country at the end of your temporary residence.

As long as you are a temporary resident, your motor vehicle does not have to meet Transport Canada's safety and emission standards. However, a provincial safety test may be required if the vehicle registration has to be changed to the province of residence.

Alcoholic beverages

If you meet the minimum age requirements of the province or territory where you enter Canada, you can include limited quantities of alcoholic beverages in your personal entitlement. These items must be in your possession when you enter Canada. Minimum ages for the importation of alcoholic beverages as prescribed by provincial or territorial authority are as follows:

  • 18 years for Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec; and
  • 19 years for Yukon, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador.

You are allowed to import only one of the following amounts of alcohol free of duty and taxes:

  • 1.5 litres (53 imperial ounces) of wine;
  • 1.14 litres (40 ounces) of liquor;
  • a total of 1.14 litres (40 ounces) of wine and liquor; or
  • 24 × 355 millilitres (12 ounces) cans or bottles (maximum of 8.5 litres) of beer or ale.

Note
The CBSA classifies "cooler" products according to the alcoholic beverage they contain. For example, beer coolers are considered to be beer; wine coolers are considered to be wine. We do not consider beer and wine products not exceeding 0.5% alcohol by volume to be alcoholic beverages.

You can bring in more than the free allowance of alcohol except in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories. However, the quantities must be within the limit set by the province or territory where you will enter Canada. If the value of the goods is more than the free allowance, you will have to pay both customs and provincial/territorial assessments. For more information, check with the appropriate provincial or territorial liquor control authority before your arrival to Canada.

Tobacco products

You are allowed to import, free of duty, all the following products:

  • 200 cigarettes;
  • 50 cigars or cigarillos;
  • 200 grams (7 ounces) of manufactured tobacco ; and
  • 200 tobacco sticks.

Duties will be levied on excess quantities. In some cases, provincial or territorial limits and assessments may apply.

Currency and monetary instruments

If you are importing or exporting monetary instruments equal to or greater than CAN$10,000 (or the equivalent in a foreign currency), whether in cash or other monetary instruments, you must report this to the CBSA when you arrive or before you leave Canada. For more information, please refer to the publication called Crossing the Border with $10,000 or More? that is available on our Web site at www.cbsa.gc.ca under "Publications and forms."

Firearms and weapons

Canada's firearms legislation helps make the country safer for both residents and visitors. Before you attempt to import a firearm or weapon, contact the Canada Firearms Centre for information.

The following requirements apply to the importation of firearms and weapons:

  • You must be at least 18 years of age;
  • You can import non-restricted and restricted firearms provided all documentation and other requirements are met; and
  • You generally cannot import prohibited firearms or any type of prohibited weapons or devices, including silencers, replica firearms, switchblades, pepper spray and other weapons.

You must declare all weapons and firearms at the CBSA port of entry. If not, you could face prosecution and the goods may be seized. For more detailed information on importing a firearm into Canada, please refer to the publication called Importing a Firearm or Weapon Into Canada, which is available on our Web site at www.cbsa.gc.ca under "Publications and forms," or call BIS at one of the telephone numbers listed in the section called "Additional information."

For information about applying for a Canadian firearms licence or to obtain an application for an Authorization to Transport Restricted Firearms and Prohibited Firearms (Form CAFC 679) in advance, please contact the Canada Firearms Centre:

Canada Firearms Centre
Ottawa ON K1A 1M6
Telephone: 1-800-731-4000 (toll-free in Canada and the United States)
506-624-5380 (from all other countries)
Fax: 613-957-7325
E-mail: cfc-cafc@cfc-cafc.gc.ca
Web site: www.cfc-cafc.gc.ca

Explosives, fireworks and ammunition

You require written authorization and permits to bring explosives, fireworks and certain types of ammunition into Canada. For more information, contact Natural Resources Canada:

Explosives Regulatory Division
Natural Resources Canada
1431 Merivale Road
Ottawa ON K1A 0G1
Telephone: 613-948-5200
Web site: www.nrcan.gc.ca

Food products, plants and animals

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has a mandate to safeguard Canada's food supply and the plants and animals upon which safe, high-quality food depends. Since 2003, the CBSA has been performing inspection functions of food, plant and animal products on behalf of the CFIA at all ports of entry into Canada. These controls, restrictions and prohibitions on the entry of plants, animals and their products, including food, mean you will need certificates or permits to import some of these goods.

Many products do not require a mandatory inspection, but if the goods you are importing need to be inspected, or if other actions are required, you may have to pay a fee.

Other Government of Canada departments and agencies such as Environment Canada as well as some provinces have special requirements for the importation of food products, plants and animals. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) alone has import and export requirements for some 30,000 wild animals (including fish), plant species and their products.

Without the proper documentation, we may seize, dispose of or order the removal of some food products, plants or animals. Other imports may require treatment before they can stay in Canada. Importers are responsible for all costs related to disposal, quarantine or treatment.

For more information, call BIS at one of the telephone numbers listed in the section called "Additional information" or visit our Web site at www.cbsa.gc.ca. You can also call a CFIA Import Service Centre toll-free at the following numbers:

Eastern Canada: 1-877-493-0468
Central Canada: 1-800-835-4486
Western Canada: 1-888-732-6222

For information on Environment Canada's import requirements, refer to the CITES Web site at www.cites.ec.gc.ca.

Food products

Canada has complex requirements, restrictions and limits on the importation of meat, eggs, dairy products, honey, fresh fruits and vegetables and other food from around the world. For example, root crops may be regulated and potatoes are prohibited. You can avoid problems by not bringing these kinds of goods into Canada.

You can import certain meat and dairy products from certain states in the United States. Before entering Canada with these products, contact BIS at one of the telephone numbers listed in the section called "Additional information," or refer to the Automated Import Reference System (AIRS) on the CFIA Web site at www.inspection.gc.ca.

The CFIA and Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada have set limits on the quantity and/or dollar value of certain food products you can bring into Canada duty-free or that you can include in your personal exemption. Unless you have an import permit from Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada for quantities over and above the established limits, you will have to pay duty based on a rate ranging from 150% to 300% of the value of the goods.

The following are some examples of the limits that apply to personal importations of food products from the United States:

  • 2 dozen eggs;
  • 20 kilograms of dairy products not exceeding $20 in value (e.g. cheese and butter);
  • 3 kilograms of margarine or butter substitutes; and
  • 20 kilograms of edible meats and meat products, including turkey and chicken.

Within this limit, more CFIA and Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada restrictions apply as follows:

  • a maximum of one whole turkey or 10 kilograms of turkey products;
  • a maximum of 10 kilograms of chicken; and
  • a maximum of 5 kilograms of edible meats and meat products from cattle, sheep, goat, bison and buffalo.

Note

All meat and meat products have to be identified as products of the United States.

You also need permits to import some types of food controlled by CITES, such as caviar. However, if you are bringing caviar into Canada as a tourist souvenir or as part of your personal or household effects, you can have a maximum of 250 grams without a CITES permit. For more information, contact the CITES office at one of the telephone numbers listed in the section called "Endangered species."

Plants

Plants are potential carriers of insects and disease. For this reason, border services officers help the CFIA control the entry into Canada of plants, including the earth, soil, sand or all other related matter in which they are planted or packed.

Houseplants are defined as plants commonly known and recognized as such, which are grown or intended to be grown indoors. Bonsai plants are not considered to be houseplants. If you are importing houseplants from the continental United States as part of your baggage or household effects, you do not need phytosanitary certificates or import permits. For all other plants from the United States, you may require a phytosanitary certificate from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and an import permit from the CFIA.

To import plants from other parts of the world, you may require an import permit from the CFIA in advance. You may also require a phytosanitary certificate issued by the phytosanitary authorities of the country of origin (e.g. plant protection/quarantine authorities).

You need permits to import orchids and cacti controlled by the CITES. For more information, contact the CITES office at one of the telephone numbers listed in the section called "Endangered species."

Animals

Since animals may harbour pests or diseases that are harmful to people, other animals, crops and forests, the CBSA assists the CFIA and other government departments and agencies to control the entry of animals into Canada.

The CFIA is responsible for food health and safety, and for protecting Canada's agricultural and forestry industries from certain pests and diseases. It controls, restricts and prohibits the entry into Canada of many plants, animals and products made from them, including food. You need certificates or permits for some of these goods before you can import them.

You may import kittens and puppies younger than three months old from the United States without submitting any documentation; however, these animals must be examined by a CFIA-authorized veterinarian if they appear unhealthy. If you use an assistance dog that is certified as a guide, hearing or other service dog, you can import it without any restrictions as long as you are accompanying the dog to Canada.

You may import cats and dogs from the United States that are older than three months if you are accompanying the animals and you provide a certificate signed and dated by a licensed veterinarian for each pet. The certificate must clearly identify the animal by breed, age, sex, colouring and any distinguishing marks. It must also show that the animal has been vaccinated against rabies within the last three years. Animal tags are not accepted in lieu of certificates.

You need permits to import certain animals controlled by CITES, such as butterflies. If you plan to import animals other than cats and dogs from the United States, or animals of any kind from other countries, contact BIS at one of the telephone numbers listed in the section called "Additional information" or refer to the AIRS section on the CFIA Web site at www.inspection.gc.ca. Also check the CITES Web site or contact the CITES office at one of the numbers listed in the section called "Endangered species."

Endangered species

Canada signed CITES, an international agreement to protect wild animals and plants and their parts or derivatives from over-exploitation in international trade. CITES operates through a system of import/ export permits. However, you can import certain goods controlled under CITES (except for live animals) without a CITES permit if they are for non-commercial purposes only and are part of your clothing or accessories and are contained in your personal baggage. It is always best to check whether the goods you intend to import are exempt. For more information, contact the CITES office:

Telephone: 1-800-668-6767 (toll-free number in Canada)
819-997-1840 (local calls and international calls)
Fax: 819-953-6283
Web site: www.cites.ec.gc.ca

Prohibited goods

You cannot import prohibited goods such as obscene materials, hate propaganda and child pornography into Canada.

Used or second-hand mattresses

You cannot import used or second-hand mattresses into Canada unless you have a certificate that verifies the mattresses have been cleaned and fumigated in the country of export. A letter, or any other document that clearly demonstrates that this requirement has been met, is acceptable if it is signed by a person qualified in cleaning and fumigating.

Before moving to Canada

It is important that you prepare a list (in duplicate) of all the goods you are bringing into Canada that indicates their value, make, model and serial number where applicable.

When you arrive in Canada

When importing your personal goods, you may be issued a Temporary Admission Permit (Form E29B) by the border services officer. In certain circumstances, a refundable security deposit may be required.

If you ship your goods by a commercial carrier, you may choose to have the goods cleared at the first point of arrival in Canada or have them sent in bond to the CBSA office nearest to your Canadian residence. The carrier will notify you when the goods arrive and then you can clear them through border services.

In both cases, you are required to provide adequate identification and proof of your status in Canada (i.e. documentation issued by CIC such as your work permit or study permit), along with a list of goods you are importing. If you are entering Canada to work, you should provide a letter of introduction from your employer.

While you are in Canada

Personal exemptions

You are eligible for the same personal exemption entitlements that apply to residents of Canada. These allow you to import certain goods duty- and tax-free after a short trip abroad. You can find complete details in the publication called I Declare, which is available on our Web site at www.cbsa.gc.ca or by contacting BIS at one of the telephone numbers listed in the section called "Additional information."

Renewing your temporary admission permit (goods)

Temporary residents are reminded to pay attention to the date when the temporary admission permit for their goods is due to expire. A few days before it expires, visit your local CBSA office and arrange for a renewal. The border services officer will want to know if you still have in your possession all the non-consumable goods you brought with you to Canada and whether you have changed your address or telephone number.

Leaving Canada

Once you have completed your studies or work in Canada and you are about to return to your permanent place of residence, advise the nearest CBSA office when and how your personal effects will be exported from Canada. The border services officer will tell you what steps you should take. Be sure to leave a forwarding address with them. Any refunds you are entitled to will be mailed to the address you provide.

Additional information

If you have any questions, contact the Border Information Service (BIS) line. This is a 24-hour telephone service that automatically answers all incoming calls and provides general border services information.

You can access BIS free of charge throughout Canada by calling 1-800-461-9999. If you are calling from outside Canada, you can access BIS by calling 204-983-3500 or 506-636-5064 (long-distance charges will apply). If you call during regular business hours (8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. local time, Monday to Friday, except holidays), you can speak directly to an agent by pressing "0" at any time during the recording.

You can also visit our Web site at www.cbsa.gc.ca.

Date Modified: 2007-12-13

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