Visiting the U.S.

Now that you have settled in Canada, no doubt you will be making trips back to the US to visit family and friends, have a holiday or spend the winter there.  When you return to Canada, you should be aware of the restrictions you have in bringing goods back with you. You will need to fill out Form E311 - Canada Border Services Agency Declaration Card. The amount of goods you can bring back with you depends on how long you were absent from Canada (you don't include the day you left but you include the day you return). Specifically;

24 Hours or More

You can bring back up to C$50 worth of goods without paying any duty (also called your personal exemption). You must bring the goods with you when you enter Canada and the exemption does not include any alcohol or tobacco. If you bring more than C$50 worth of goods, you pay duty on the entire amount (personal exemption is lost).

48 Hours or More

You can bring back up to C$200 worth of goods without paying any duty (also called your personal exemption). You must bring the goods with you when you enter Canada and the exemption does include limited alcohol or tobacco products.

7 Days or More

You can bring back up to C$750 worth of goods without paying any duty (also called your personal exemption). You must bring the goods with you when you enter Canada and the exemption does include limited alcohol or tobacco products.

Alcohol

The restrictions on how much alcohol you can bring back to Canada is1.5 litres or 53 ounces of wine, 1.14 litres or 40 ounces of liquor or 24 cans of beer. Anything above these amounts will be subject to both customs and provincial/territorial assessments.

Tobacco

You are allowed to bring in all of the following amounts of tobacco into Canada without paying duty; 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars, 7 ounces of tobacco and 200 tobacco sticks. Anything above this will be subject to duty.