Clearit.ca's Blog on Customs Brokerage and News Updates

As a customs brokerage and consultancy, we have an ear to the ground on what’s happening and how to navigate the situation with care. So we thought it would be a good opportunity to sit down with our Founder & President, Adam Lewis, virtually (of course!) to chat about the impact that the global pandemic has had on the import, logistics, and supply chain industry.  Meet Adam Lewis! We’re talking about the impact that COVID-19 has had C...

Early in the process of importing commercial goods into Canada, it is important to have an understanding of the information required by Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). Depending how far along you are in the import business, you may be familiar with Canada’s ACI eManifest program.  If you have not yet heard of the ACI eManifest program, we have previously covered the basics in a recent article: What is The ACI eManifest Program?  Her...

When running a successful importing business, it’s critical that you look for places in which you can streamline. Today, we’ll be looking at one of the programs put in place by Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to help importers smooth out the importing process. Like with any kind of business ops, “streamlining” essentially means saving time and money, which can help your bottom line and push your business forward.  “Truly world-cl...

You’ve done your market research, sourced a product, built a business plan… now what? Most Canadian or non-resident importers will source their commercial goods overseas, as the cost of manufacturing is much lower. In turn, driving your profit margins!  This is a relatively tried and true formula, that has been employed by businesses -- small and large, alike -- to keep production/sourcing costs low and ensuring business viability. So, al...

Getting into the business of importing cosmetics can be extremely profitable, as the margins are quite generous. Like with any other type of product imports, there are certain specifications for imports that must be complied with.  As per a study by retail tech company, Vend HQ: “Beverage manufacturers, jewelry stores, and cosmetics had some of the highest profit margins, with 65.74%, 62.53%, and 58.14%, respectively.”  So, it’s cer...

Taking on a new entrepreneurial business journey is exciting! You’ve built out an idea, you figured out your target market, and you got your cousin Bill to design a logo for you. Alright, not too sure about that last one, but growing a DIY business can be incredibly profitable if done correctly! It’s certainly natural to make mistakes while working on a first-time business, but the goal is to minimize the amount of mistakes overall. On the...

As a business owner looking to do temporary imports, if you’re wondering about ATA Carnets, rest assured that you are on the right track. When we chat about imports on the blog, we don’t often talk about the businesses that have a specific need for a temporary set up.  Examples of this kind of need would be if you need to bring in prototypes or product samples without being slapped with hefty duties. These imports are exempt because they ...

Whether you’re just jumping into imports for the first time, or you’re a well-established business that has been importing for decades, your operations would likely benefit from working with a customs broker.  Click here for our piece: What You Need To Know Before Working in Imports & Exports This is surely not the first time, nor will it be the last, that we will define what a customs broker is on this blog! We aim to educate thos...

Organizations of all sizes use customs brokers to help with the movement of their commercial goods; from independent importers to global enterprises. The complexity behind importing and exporting goods often calls for a heavy time and resource investment, which makes opting for a customs broker the ideal choice for businesses, so you can focus on further developing your core competencies.   Customs brokers make sure your required documentati...

* Before we begin, a quick note that all tariffs and/or duty rates are constantly revised. They are subject to change without notice. For further info on this topic, visit the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) website to stay updated. * Canada’s classification for imported goods comes from the Harmonised Commodity Description and Coding System. People doing imports into Canada have to ensure that they have a complete description of their go...