B4 and B4A problem

[dollyparoo]

I landed yesterday after doing a soft landing a few weeks ago, at which time I bought a house. Now I have a B4/B4A form problem. This forum has been so helpful, I hope you can help with this.

I am in Canada on a three year work permit, with intent to seek permanent residency when I accumulate enough points. Under current rules, I can continue extending the work permit as necessary, but my goal is to become a citizen. As such, I am moving all my household belongings at considerable cost (I have a family of 5).

When I landed yesterday, I had my B4 and B4A forms all ready to go, as advised by my international moving company. The agent at customs wouldn't even look at them. He said since we're on a work permit, we can't import anything. After a little back and forth, he did agree to give us the forms for registering our cars (which I already knew were exempt from import, but we needed to register). Now, our moving company is saying they won't bring our truck full of belongings without the B4A form processed. The agent insisted all we had to do was show our work permit, but the moving company is insisting we have to import everything using the B4A form, which leaves us in moving limbo.

Who is correct? And what should we do now?

 

[thementor]

B4A is specifically for “Goods to Follow” and should be submitted at the port of entry when you first arrive, even on a soft or permanent move. Your moving company is correct. They legally need the processed B4A to deliver your shipment duty-free AFAIK.

By the way, where was your car manufactured? Since April 2025, Canada applies a 25% surtax on non-CUSMA-compliant U.S.-made vehicles - curious if you ran into that.

 

[steaky]

B4A is specifically for “Goods to Follow” and should be submitted at the port of entry when you first arrive, even on a soft or permanent move. Your moving company is correct. They legally need the processed B4A to deliver your shipment duty-free AFAIK.

By the way, where was your car manufactured? Since April 2025, Canada applies a 25% surtax on non-CUSMA-compliant U.S.-made vehicles - curious if you ran into that.

They can also submit the completed forms at a CBSA office in the downtown area of a city. Check with CBSA before you go.

 

[dollyparoo]

B4A is specifically for “Goods to Follow” and should be submitted at the port of entry when you first arrive, even on a soft or permanent move. Your moving company is correct. They legally need the processed B4A to deliver your shipment duty-free AFAIK.

By the way, where was your car manufactured? Since April 2025, Canada applies a 25% surtax on non-CUSMA-compliant U.S.-made vehicles - curious if you ran into that.

So what should I do? They flatly refused to do it.

The car is exempt from importation because we are on a work permit, we are not permanent residents. There are no taxes until we import it. Fortunately, that's pretty clear and there were no questions about that.