Moving furniture into Canada

[Bingoye]

We got our PR last year and were landing from Etobicoke office last December.

However when we fill in the forms we did not tell the officer that we would move some furniture to Canada from our home country.

Now we came back to our country and want to move some furniture to Canada. Anyone could give us some suggestion how we should do?

Thanks a lot.

 

[subodhp]

We got our PR last year and were landing from Etobicoke office last December.

However when we fill in the forms we did not tell the officer that we would move some furniture to Canada from our home country.

Now we came back to our country and want to move some furniture to Canada. Anyone could give us some suggestion how we should do?

Thanks a lot.

For any undeclared item in your goods to follow list, you would have to pay duty/tax. Customs cares about big ticket items and depending upon furniture size it would definitely get scrutinised.
https://travel.gc.ca/returning/customs/declare

You could try explaining that item is used, but chances are slim.

Note added later: this assumes you have done a non soft landing before. Ignore above if it was a soft landing (likely so based on timelines you posted) i.e. landing with no intent to settle

 

[Bingoye]

For any undeclared item in your goods to follow list, you would have to pay duty/tax. Customs cares about big ticket items and depending upon furniture size it would definitely get scrutinised.
https://travel.gc.ca/returning/customs/declare

You could try explaining that item is used, but chances are slim.

Thanks for your quick feedback.

However may I declared our goods when we arrived at Canada second time boarding?

 

[steaky]

Thanks for your quick feedback.

However may I declared our goods when we arrived at Canada second time boarding?

I would ignore what the previous poster said. You can prepare the settlers effects form, declare the used goods and submit it to the CBSA when you arrive in Canada the second time.

 

[pxlxyp]

Hi! I have a similar issue that just happened today:

I got my PR and soft landed in Canada in Dec 2017. After which, I did my Masters in London, UK and lived there till July 2019. It was only today that I landed in Canada as a settler with my husband. I handed the officer a list of goods to follow (BSF 186 form) as I had boxes being shipped from London to here. However, the officer said I should have provided this list when I first landed or within a year from my landing. I'm really worried as I declared alot of goods with the shipping company and am very worried that I will have to pay taxes for my own personal belongings that are coming. Is there any way I can get this without having to pay import taxes?

Thank you.

 

[Hurlabrick]

Hi! I have a similar issue that just happened today:

I got my PR and soft landed in Canada in Dec 2017. After which, I did my Masters in London, UK and lived there till July 2019. It was only today that I landed in Canada as a settler with my husband. I handed the officer a list of goods to follow (BSF 186 form) as I had boxes being shipped from London to here. However, the officer said I should have provided this list when I first landed or within a year from my landing. I'm really worried as I declared alot of goods with the shipping company and am very worried that I will have to pay taxes for my own personal belongings that are coming. Is there any way I can get this without having to pay import taxes?

Thank you.

That CBSA officer is wrong and you should escalate to his supervisor. Go back to the airport and licate the CBSA office (or book a meeting at an office) and discuss this with them.

Landing as PR (which you did on soft landing) is or can be a dofferent event to Landing as Settler, which is when you do your lists, there us no time limit between events.

See the CBSA official rules and guidelines here

Http://cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publications/dm-md/d2/d2-2-1-eng.pdf

In particular page 4, number 10. There is NO 1 year time limit mentioned.

 

[subodhp]

I was answering for a pr who has done a non soft landing. Looking at the timelines posted on first reply, now it seems like it might have been a soft landing.

Agree that you don't have to declare goods to follow during soft landing when you don't have intent to settle (despite some custom officers wrongly claiming so)

 

[Hurlabrick]

Hi! I have a similar issue that just happened today:

I got my PR and soft landed in Canada in Dec 2017. After which, I did my Masters in London, UK and lived there till July 2019. It was only today that I landed in Canada as a settler with my husband. I handed the officer a list of goods to follow (BSF 186 form) as I had boxes being shipped from London to here. However, the officer said I should have provided this list when I first landed or within a year from my landing. I'm really worried as I declared alot of goods with the shipping company and am very worried that I will have to pay taxes for my own personal belongings that are coming. Is there any way I can get this without having to pay import taxes?

Thank you.

I 'spoke' to a CBSA agent I know on another forum. He confirmed the CBSA officer is wrong and said this is the way to get the promlem sorted. I will paste his reply here:



I would use the link at the end and make a complaint online as these do actually get actioned (experience factor).

In the narrative basically say I was entering Canada on X date at X place. I informed the officer that I was becoming a Permanent Resident but not establishing a residence. According to D2-2-1 paragraph 10 I cannot be treated as a settler under tariff item 9807.00.00 and therefore no goods to follow list is required at time of entry and any goods in my possession are to be treated as visitors goods under tariff 9803.00.00.
It was my intention to establish a residence at a later date but the officer told me that I should have done the Goods To Follow List within 12 months.
If a person is allowed to do a landing as a PR and can return home for nearly 3 years then how is it possible to supply such a list when you would be buying and accumulating goods which would still qualify under tariff item 9807.00.00

https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/contact/com-eng.html

 

[zardoz]

We met the same issue at the POE with a CBSA officer that didn't understand the nuances of "Settler". We got round the problem a different way, and managed to avoid a direct confrontation. However, as stated, there is NO time limit between gaining PR status and first entry as a "settler".

In fact, a PR could be in compliance with the residency obligation requirements, by accompanying their Canadian citizen spouse for many years, before finally coming to Canada as a first time settler.
Their entitlement to the "Settler Tariff" would remain.

 

[pxlxyp]

That CBSA officer is wrong and you should escalate to his supervisor. Go back to the airport and licate the CBSA office (or book a meeting at an office) and discuss this with them.

Landing as PR (which you did on soft landing) is or can be a dofferent event to Landing as Settler, which is when you do your lists, there us no time limit between events.

See the CBSA official rules and guidelines here

Http://cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publications/dm-md/d2/d2-2-1-eng.pdf

In particular page 4, number 10. There is NO 1 year time limit mentioned.

Thank you all for your response!!! I really hope to get this settled asap. Would it be better to go there directly or I can do it online? If I do it online I won't be able to get the BSF186 forms stamped.

It was surprising that not one but 2-3 of them had no idea and kept telling me the same thing. So I plan to go back to the airport CBSA office to inform them of this and bring my forms with me. Can you advise what to do after I get the papers stamped? My boxes are due to arrive next week.

Thanks so much!!!!

 

[Hurlabrick]

Thank you all for your response!!! I really hope to get this settled asap. Would it be better to go there directly or I can do it online? If I do it online I won't be able to get the BSF186 forms stamped.

It was surprising that not one but 2-3 of them had no idea and kept telling me the same thing. So I plan to go back to the airport CBSA office to inform them of this and bring my forms with me. Can you advise what to do after I get the papers stamped? My boxes are due to arrive next week.

Thanks so much!!!!

I would follow the online route suggested, they should then tell you how to get your forms stamped.

My CBSA contact was quite adamant that there is no time limit and was horrified that some of his colleagues 'still believe this'.

 

[Bingoye]

I would ignore what the previous poster said. You can prepare the settlers effects form, declare the used goods and submit it to the CBSA when you arrive in Canada the second time.

Thanks for your post. Do I have to ask the office for the settlers effects form? What form is it?

 

[Hurlabrick]

Thanks for your post. Do I have to ask the office for the settlers effects form? What form is it?

You do NOT need any special form, tgat is CBSAs job. Just do a list with CAD senpcondhand values for each item and have 2 copies

 

[pxlxyp]

I would follow the online route suggested, they should then tell you how to get your forms stamped.

My CBSA contact was quite adamant that there is no time limit and was horrified that some of his colleagues 'still believe this'.

It truly is horrifying and potentially could affect ALOT of new immigrants coming in!
I just sent in a complaint with the necessary information. Hopefully it can be resolved. Thanks again for all your help!

 

[pxlxyp]

Update: CBSA called me today!!

They apologized and said some officers might be new so they're not informed of such things. Sure

He said to come to the CBSA office at the airport to get my papers stamped. Question - after they get stamped? Should I send it to the shipping company? Or hold on to them till my boxes arrive?