Importing goods into Canada: The relevance of customs brokers!

If you have a small company in Canada and are interested in importing goods, one of the first tasks is to understand requirements, rules and regulations, as set by Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). Talk to known importers, and they will agree that this is not an easy task. Most of them prefer to work with customs brokers. A customs broker is licensed by CBSA, and while there is no law that states that businesses or importers have to hire one, working with known names, such as Clearit customs brokerage, does have many benefits.

In this post, we are discussing more on things related to customs brokers in Canada.

The need for a customs broker

Importers can choose to handle all importing requirements and customs declarations on their own. However, the whole process of importing, tariff classification, following standard rules and regulations, is complex and requires time, effort and understanding of various requirements. Any mistake with paperwork or payment of duties and taxes can have serious implications, and in many cases, goods are seized by customs officials because documentation was not done.

A customs broker is responsible for handling everything related to clearance of goods, paperwork and other aspects. You can also take their help for customs consulting, before you order goods from a specific country, or start a new business. They can also help with compliance matters and other aspects that importers need to know about.

Finding the right customs broker

For many importers, customs brokers are trusted partners and extended arm of their respective businesses. They rely on their customs brokers for everything, including ways to save on importing costs, staying compliant, and classification of tariffs. They can also handle record-keeping needs. Find a customs broker you can rely on. Check whether they can answer all your questions and if they specialize in both imports & exports in Canada. Also, don’t miss out on the range of shipments they deal with. The best customs brokers handle transportation of goods via air, sea, and land, and they can get goods customs clearance in as little as 20 minutes.

As an importer, you have to rely and take help from a customs broker at different points of time, primarily because customs rules and regulations change every now and then. Ask relevant questions, and make sure to forge a relationship. Eventually, customs brokers are responsible for simplifying importing for your company in the long run.

Paul Petersen