Taxation and customs for smartphone imported from China

[actonis]

Dear forum members,

Very soon I will arrive in Canada as a temp worker.
I look at the prices for the smartphones and they look a lot for me.
I was thinking once I enter Canada to order some kind of Lenovo (a800/a820/a850) from Aliexpress from China (Chines version of ebay or amazon). It will cost me 200-250 CAD with free shipping.

My question is, because I will import electronics from abroad will I have to pay taxes + customs, or anything else.
For example in my home country if I order this I will pay 18% tax on property + 5% customs of the original price paid.

What is the procedure in Canada?

At last but not least will those phones work in Canada, or I will have to decode them?

Thanks

 

[steaky]

3G and 4G smartphones are usable in Canada.

Why don't you buy them before your arrival in Canada? I think every visitor of Canada can bring certain personal belongings tax and duty free. See the CBSA website and its publication for details.

 

[mrbeachman]

You are looking at wrong places. You can get quality cheap phones in Canada.

For example Quad Core Moto G can be had for $150. Galaxy S3 can be found for $200
Nexus 5 is also cheap here.

And no, you won't pay tax. It is your personal property.

 

[actonis]

3G and 4G smartphones are usable in Canada.

Why don't you buy them before your arrival in Canada? I think every visitor of Canada can bring certain personal belongings tax and duty free. See the CBSA website and its publication for details.

The problem is in the frequencies... I am living in Europe and phone made for EU market might not work in Canada.
I currently have Nokia C7 bought from T-Mobile USA http://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_c7-3394.php, I decode it to work in my country, but after I make search on the internet I found that my phone works in GSM for 2G and HSDPA for 3G so I guess in order to be able to work in Canada I will have to go with Rogers only they offer GSM in Alberta.

 

[actonis]

You are looking at wrong places. You can get quality cheap phones in Canada.

For example Quad Core Moto G can be had for $150. Galaxy S3 can be found for $200
Nexus 5 is also cheap here.

And no, you won't pay tax. It is your personal property.

Can you give me link as to where to look.
I looked at the telecom companies like Wind, Rogers, Bell and they look pricey... They are ok if you sign 2 year plan, but since I will be temp worker, I have to be prepared for the worst... that I might lost the job and get home... so I don't want to have long term contracts.

I looked at kijiji but they sell second hand phone... which I have no problem... but I am not phone master so somebody can easly sell me not genuine or broken phone... therefore I will like the convenience buying it from a store, online-shop...

 

[mrbeachman]

Sure. Be aware that these deals don't last long, but they are often replaced by another deal.

Moto G from Koodo. - $150

It seems like you also get a $100 gift with purchase.

https://shop.koodomobile.com/koodo-cell-phones/android/moto-g/prodKHMOXT1032.html


This Galaxy S3 is $300, but you get a store gift card which you can often apply towards the purchase price making this phone $150

http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-CA/product/samsung-koodo-samsung-galaxy-s3-16gb-smartphone-blue-on-a-300-koodo-tab-sgh-i747m/10233673.aspx?path=69e9bbb6015df24b7fea3abb381ea9d2en02

 

[actonis]

Thanks