The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is reminding importers of their responsibility for ensuring the information included in your import declaration accurately reflects the food that will be imported into Canada.
Know your food
Review your SFC licence to ensure that it covers the appropriate food commodity(ies). Refer to Annex A of What to consider before applying for a Safe Food for Canadians licence for more information on food commodities, including examples of foods in each sub-commodity. To add commodities to your licence, update your profile in your My CFIA account.
To declare your imports, consult the Automated Import Reference System (AIRS) to determine your food’s import requirements, then select the appropriate Harmonized System (HS) code, Other Government Department (OGD) extension and end use. If the HS code and OGD extension declared relates to a commodity not covered by your licence, your transaction will be rejected.
Customs brokers
If you are using the services of a customs broker, discuss which code(s) best represent(s) your product(s) and should be listed in the declaration by the broker on your behalf.
Transaction rejections
If your transaction is rejected, you may experience delays and have your related food shipment(s) held at the border until the error is addressed and the import transaction is resubmitted.
For more tips or additional information on transaction rejections, refer to Importing food into Canada with a Safe Food for Canadians licence.