Canada Lists 3 Types of Goods Travellers Can Import Without Paying Customs Duty

• Canada's government announced the specific categories of goods that travellers can bring into the country free of customs duty
• One of the key conditions relates to where the goods were manufactured, specifically whether they originate from Canada, the USA, or Mexico
• The Canadian government's official website outlines the exact wording of the duty exemption rules for incoming travellers

Canada has outlined the categories of goods that travellers may bring into the country without being required to pay customs duty, offering clarity on what qualifies for exemption at the border.

According to information published on the Canadian government's official website, three categories of goods are exempt from customs duty:

Canada: Types of goods that qualify

1. -Goods intended for personal use
2. Goods that carry a "Made in Canada, the USA or Mexico" label
3. Goods that bear no marking or label indicating they were produced outside Canada, the USA, or Mexico

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The official text on the Canadian government's website states:

"No duty is payable on goods imported for personal use, if it is marked as 'made in Canada, the USA or Mexico', or if there is no marking or labelling indicating that it was made somewhere other than Canada, the USA or Mexico."

However, it is important to note that Canada has introduced additional charges on certain goods imported from the United States as part of its response to U.S. tariffs on Canadian products.

The new measure, which took effect on September 8, 2026, means that some U.S.-made goods entering Canada may attract an additional tariff known as a surtax or counter tariff.

This means the surtax is an extra charge placed on specific goods from the United States, rather than a general customs duty that applies to every U.S. product entering Canada.

What the rules mean for travellers

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The personal use condition means that goods intended for resale or commercial purposes would not qualify under this exemption. On the question of origin, the rules essentially cover two scenarios: items that explicitly confirm they were made within the Canada-USA-Mexico trade zone, and items that carry no country-of-origin information at all.

Travellers who are uncertain about whether an item qualifies are encouraged to consult Canada's official border services guidance before arriving at a port of entry.

Canada lists countries eligible for work permits

Meanwhile, Legit.ng recently reported that Canada had published the full list of countries and territories whose citizens may be eligible to apply for a work permit at a port of entry instead of applying before travelling.

The list covers visa-exempt countries and territories, including several European, Asian, and Pacific countries, while most African countries are not included.

Source: Legit.ng