CBSA clarifies rail carrier reporting for in-transit shipments in Customs Notice 26-16

CBSA states in Customs Notice 26-16 that rail carriers reporting domestic in-transit cargo moving between points in Canada through the United States (CAN-US-CAN) must now select "Rail In-transit Manifest" in the Movement Type Code field of the ACI/eManifest cargo transmission, the same movement type used for other in-transit movements, instead of transmitting the cargo as an import with "in-transit Canadian origin goods" in the special instructions field.

Global Affairs Canada sets 2026-2027 TRQs for wheat, barley and their products

Global Affairs Canada states in a message to industry that the 2026-2027 tariff rate quotas for wheat, barley, wheat products and barley products covered by Items 161 to 191 of the Import Control List become accessible on August 1, 2026, administered on a first-come, first-served basis. The annual levels applying from August 1, 2026 to July 31, 2027 are 226,883 tonnes of wheat, 399,000 tonnes of barley, 123,557 tonnes (grain equivalent) of wheat products and 19,131 tonnes (grain equivalent) of barley products.

CBSA: GIP 83 aluminum import reporting of smelt and cast countries mandatory October 1, 2026

The Canada Border Services Agency states in Customs Notice 26-15 that, when the Order Amending the General Import Permit No. 83 — Aluminum Products comes into force on October 1, 2026, importers must submit the country of largest smelt (CLS), country of second-largest smelt (C2S) and country of most recent cast (CRC) to the CBSA via the Single Window Initiative Integrated Import Declaration; until then submission is optional. The requirements apply to all aluminum HS codes in Global Affairs Canada's SWI IID Regulated Commodities Data Element Matching Criteria Table, and cover goods containing primary aluminum for CLS and C2S and all goods covered by GIP 83 for CRC.

Global Affairs Canada replaces steel goods import notice, adjusts TRQ volumes from June 28, 2026

Global Affairs Canada's Notice to Importers Serial No. 1163, effective June 13, 2026, replaces Serial No. 1160 and sets out the policies and procedures for administering the tariff-rate quotas on certain steel goods in item 82 of the Import Control List, above which a 50% surtax applies. The Third Amending Surtax Order, effective June 28, 2026, adjusts TRQ volumes for the Hot-Rolled Sheet, Cold-Rolled Sheet, Hot-Rolled Bar, Structural Steel and Stainless Steel Billets and Blooms classes from non-FTA partners and the Hot-Rolled Sheet, Steel Plate and Cold-Rolled Sheet classes from non-CUSMA FTA partners, and reassigns certain tariff classification numbers from the Hot-Rolled Sheet to the Cold-Rolled Sheet class.

Extension of Operational Measures to Support Expedited Release of Commercial Goods in the Courier Low Value Shipment (CLVS) Program

CBSA opens applications for 2026/27 Arctic Shipping Electronic Commercial Clearance pilot season

CBSA states in its Customs Notice that the Arctic Shipping Electronic Commercial Clearance (ASECC) pilot program runs for the 2026/27 season from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027, and that carriers must submit Business Profile Application form BSF786 by May 15, 2026 to participate. Applications received after that date are reviewed case by case only if submitted four weeks before departure from the foreign port. Consolidated shipments are prohibited from the pilot and must report to the nearest designated C/VESS location, and each voyage requires a separate Part 2 package submitted seven days before departure from the foreign port.

CBSA reminds private boaters of entry and reporting requirements for Canadian waters

The Canada Border Services Agency reminds private boaters that all travellers entering Canada by boat must report to the CBSA without delay, and that boaters who enter Canadian waters for the day without landing, anchoring, mooring, coming alongside another boat or embarking or disembarking people or goods are not required to present themselves. Private vessels carrying 30 or more passengers must seek clearance at a designated marine reporting site and advise the local CBSA office in writing at least 72 hours before arrival. Failure to report may result in detention, seizure or forfeiture of the boat and/or monetary penalties, with a minimum fine of $1,000.

Canada designates Port of Québec as first port of arrival for international marine containers

Canada and the CBSA announced on April 24, 2026 that the Port of Québec will be granted the designation to become a first port of arrival capable of receiving international marine containers. The CBSA is working with the Québec Port Authority and terminal operator QSL to meet the conditions for the appropriate designation, licensing and container examination facility requirements, and will provide detection technology and border services officers. The announcement does not state the date the designation takes effect.

CBSA reminds importers that bat specimens require a CFIA import permit

CBSA states in Customs Notice 26-08 that imports of bat specimens in any form must be declared on the commercial invoice and import declarations and require a Permit to import Animal Products and By-Products issued by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency through MyCFIA before the shipment reaches Canada. The requirement covers fruit and insectivorous bats in the Order Chiroptera, whether whole, skeletal, body parts, tissue, cell lines or DNA, and whether or not encased in resin, plastic or a picture frame or preserved in formaldehyde, under the Health of Animals Regulations.

CBSA to raise certain fees 25.3% for inflation and apply GST/HST to traveller clearance service charges on April 1, 2026

CBSA states in Customs Notice 26-04 that, effective April 1, 2026, applicable fees not adjusted since April 1, 2019 increase by a compounded 25.3% for inflation, including customs broker licence issuance and renewal (from $600.00 to $751.65), the customs broker professional examination application fee (from $200.00 to $250.55), customs special services charges, including the Courier Low Value Shipment Program, and Kings and frontier warehouse storage charges. Also effective April 1, 2026, CBSA will apply GST/HST to service charges for the clearance of travellers under cost recovery agreements, following a review and a Canada Revenue Agency ruling.

CBP moves to electronic refunds on Feb. 6, 2026, ending paper checks for customs refunds

CBP states that the U.S. Department of the Treasury will stop issuing paper checks for all CBP refunds on Feb. 6, 2026, unless the recipient has an approved waiver under 31 C.F.R. § 208.4, and that two upgrades to the ACE Secure Data Portal prepare users for the electronic refund process. The changes, outlined in the Interim Final Rule: Electronic Refunds, follow Executive Order 14247 on modernizing federal payments. The first upgrade adds a secure online tool for authorizing electronic refunds and the second simplifies the application process for creating importer accounts.

CBSA publishes January 1, 2026 Departmental Consolidation of the Customs Tariff (T2026)

CBSA states in Customs Notice 25-31 that the January 1, 2026 Departmental Consolidation of the Customs Tariff (T2026) is now available on the CBSA website in various formats. T2026 reflects scheduled duty rate reductions under individual free trade agreements and the substitution of certain tariff classification pre-ambles and tariff classification numbers in chapters 28, 29, 73 and 81. Changes are marked by a change bar in the PDF version, by the number 1 in the change column of the Access files, and are not marked in the HTML version; concordance tables are also provided.

Canada's Global Affairs sets 2025-2026 TRQs for wheat, barley and products under ICL Items 161 to 191

Global Affairs Canada states that the 2025-2026 tariff rate quotas for wheat, barley, wheat products and barley products covered by Items 161 to 191 of the Import Control List become accessible on August 1, 2025, administered on a first-come, first-served basis. The annual TRQ levels applying from August 1, 2025 to July 31, 2026 are 226,883 tonnes for wheat, 399,000 tonnes for barley, 123,557 tonnes (grain equivalent) for wheat products and 19,131 tonnes (grain equivalent) for barley products. Questions are directed to wheat.barley-ble.orge@international.gc.ca.

Canada requires MID and IOR data on export permits for U.S. sugar-containing product TRQs

Global Affairs Canada states that, starting February 16, 2025, applicants for export permits for products exported to the United States under the WTO and CUSMA Sugar-Containing Product Tariff Rate Quotas must provide Manufacturer (MID) and Importer of Record (IOR) information. For shipments with multiple MIDs, applicants must designate the primary MID, the manufacturer who performed the most work, and it must match the MID on the import documents submitted to CBP. The IOR must be entered as an IRS number (NN-NNNNNNNXX), a CBP assigned number (NNNNNN-NNNNN) or a Social Security Number (NNN-NN-NNNN).

Canada's Global Affairs amends GIPs No. 80 and 81 to require country of melt and pour for steel imports

Global Affairs Canada states in Notice to Importers SER 1133 that, effective November 5, 2024, importers using General Import Permit No. 80 – Carbon Steel and General Import Permit No. 81 – Specialty Steel Products must provide country of melt and pour information at the time of importation as a term and condition of the permits. The requirement covers carbon steel under HS headings 7206-7217, 7225-7229, 7301-7302, 7304-7306 and 7308, and specialty steel under HS headings 7218-7224, 7312-7313 and 7317.

Canada's Global Affairs announces 2023-2024 tariff rate quotas for wheat, barley and products

Global Affairs Canada states that the 2023-2024 tariff rate quotas for wheat, barley, wheat products and barley products covered by Items 161 to 191 of the Import Control List become accessible on August 1, 2023, administered on a first-come, first-served basis. The annual levels applying from August 1, 2023 to July 31, 2024 are 226,883 tonnes for wheat, 399,000 tonnes for barley, 123,557 tonnes (grain equivalent) for wheat products and 19,131 tonnes (grain equivalent) for barley products. Questions are directed to wheat.barley-ble.orge@international.gc.ca.

Global Affairs Canada updates NEICS code list for sugar-containing products exported to the U.S. under WTO-SCP quota

Global Affairs Canada states that the list of NEICS codes for sugar-containing products exported to the United States under the WTO sugar-containing products quota has been updated to reflect the unification of the former "Retail" and "Bulk" pools. The notice covers products classified under HTSUS (2020) subheadings 1701.91.54, 1704.90.74, 1806.20.75, 1806.20.95, 1806.90.55, 1901.10.74, 1901.90.69, 2101.12.54, 2101.20.54, 2106.90.78 and 2106.90.95, for export within Canada's allocated share of the in-quota quantity under CUSMA Annex 3-A, Chapter 3, Article 3.A.5, subparagraph 2(b).

Global Affairs Canada updates EICS commodity codes effective January 1, 2022

Global Affairs Canada states that certain Export and Import Controls System (EICS) commodity codes change effective January 1, 2022, following World Customs Organization HS code updates and related Customs Tariff updates, and that permit and certificate applications with an entry or exit date after December 31, 2021 for the affected goods must use the new commodity codes.

Global Affairs Canada sets August 15 deadline for brokers to move to New EICS

Global Affairs Canada states in Notice to Importers/Exporters Serial No. 1058 that Legacy EICS will be decommissioned on August 15, 2021, at 11:59pm ET, and that brokers must obtain new individual sign-in credentials and begin using New EICS before that time to avoid interruptions to their access to the permit system. Company PKI certificates used for Legacy EICS will no longer be valid as of that date and are replaced by individual user log-in credentials and a new web user interface.

Canada re-adds carbon and specialty steel to Import Control List under GIP No. 80 and No. 81

Global Affairs Canada states in Notice to Importers No. 1032 that, effective November 2, 2020, item 80 (Carbon Steel Products) and item 81 (Specialty Steel Products) of the Import Control List have been re-added following their deemed removal on November 1, 2020, and the associated HS codes amended. Carbon steel covers HS headings 7206-7217, 7225-7229, 7302 and 7304-7306; specialty steel covers HS headings 7218-7224, 7301, 7308, 7312-7313 and 7317. The changes do not limit the quantity of carbon or specialty steel that may be imported into Canada, and the new items have no deemed removal date.

Global Affairs Canada clarifies import permit rules for milk protein substances

Global Affairs Canada states that imports of milk protein substances (MPS) with a milk protein content of 85% or more by weight, calculated on the dry matter, that do not originate in a NAFTA country, an EU country or other CETA beneficiary, Chile, Costa Rica or Israel are subject to import controls under Canada's Export Import Permit Act, and that only products qualifying as originating products under the concerned trade agreement are exempt from the import permit requirement. Goods shipped via a third country must meet Article 14 (Transport through a third country) to qualify; otherwise an import permit is required.

Global Affairs Canada: barley products TRQ fills October 18, 2017, ending GIP No. 20 use

Global Affairs Canada states in Notice to Importers Serial No. 903 that the barley products tariff rate quota will be filled on October 18, 2017, and that 11:59 p.m. local time that day is the cut-off for accounting for imports of barley products under a within access commitment tariff item. The notice covers Items 183 to 191 of the Import Control List, namely barley products under heading numbers 11.02, 11.03, 11.04, 11.07, 11.08, 19.01, 19.04 and 23.02 of the Customs Tariff schedule.

Global Affairs Canada: wheat products TRQ to be filled October 13, 2017, ending GIP No. 20 use

Global Affairs Canada states in Notice to Importers Serial No. 902 that the wheat products tariff rate quota will be filled on October 13, 2017, and that 11:59 p.m. local time that day is the cut-off for accounting for imports of wheat products classified under a "within access commitment" tariff item. The notice covers Items 162 to 181 of the Import Control List, namely wheat products under heading numbers 11.01, 11.03, 11.04, 11.08, 11.09, 19.01, 19.02, 19.04, 19.05 and 23.02 of the Customs Tariff.