Jet Worldwide Blog Posts

Shipping goods internationally can feel overwhelming, but finding the right logistics strategy between Canada and Germany does not have to be complicated. Whether you are an individual sending a personal gift or an e-commerce business expanding into the European Union, understanding carrier options and customs regulations is vital.

The UK is one of Canada’s largest trading partners in Europe with strong historic and cultural history. Even with the departure of the UK from the EU, the strong trade between Canada and the UK continues. Canadian companies rely on low cost shipping solutions for delivery to London, Manchester, Glasgow and all the UK.

Canada Post Overtime Ban and Contract Vote

Canada Post workers are currently under a nationwide overtime ban as part of ongoing strike action. This action follows 18 months of stalled negotiations between the union and Canada Post. The federal government has intervened, ordering union members to vote on the company's final contract offers. This vote, deemed in the public interest, will be overseen by the Canada Industrial Relations Board.

If your business needs to establish a contingency plan for the delivery of your Canadian orders due to these developments, please contact us at: info@jetworldwide.ca.

When shipping international parcels, an important concept to understand is valuation. The declared value is a key determinant of the import process and duty assessment. Over declarations result in needless costs and under-declarations can result in significant fines and legal actions.

Trading between Canada and Mexico continues to flourish thanks to the new NAFTA ( CUSMA/USMCA) that preserves the fundamentals of the trading relationship between the two countries. Furthermore, Mexico has a world class supplier base to help Canadian companies. Canadian companies seek low cost delivery solutions from their Mexican suppliers and customers as do Mexican companies doing business in Canada.

Canada is a common shipping destination for shippers in The UK. As members of the Commonwealth, Canada and The United Kingdom share a common heritage and are strong trading partners. The UK is one of Canada's largest trading partners and Canada is a lucrative market for British companies shipping from the UK to Canada. Indeed from the UK to North America.

What value declaration is correct for international shipments?

The gold standard is the Transaction Value: the actual price paid or payable for the goods. If you sold an item for $400 (including shipping), declare $400 and specify it as the "CIF Value."

Does a high value increase shipping costs?

While the value for customs doesn't change the base freight rate, it directly impacts insurance premiums (usually a percentage of the declared value).

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Why Customs might "up-value" your shipment

If the term "CIF Value" is missing, customs officials may use a formula to add estimated transport and insurance costs to your invoice value. This results in higher duty fees than expected. Always be explicit on your paperwork.

Primary Methods for Customs Valuation

When the Transaction Value isn't applicable, the World Customs Organization (WCO) mandates a specific hierarchy of methods:

1. Identical Goods: Value based on the same items sold to the same country.
2. Similar Goods: Value based on goods with similar characteristics.
3. Deductive Value: Working backward from the resale price in the import country.
4. Computed Value: Sum of production costs, profit, and general expenses.
5. Fall-back Method: A flexible application of the previous methods.

Special Note: US Customs vs. The World

Unlike most countries that use CIF (Cost, Insurance, Freight), US Customs typically uses the FOB (Free on Board) value—which only considers the cost of the goods themselves. Understanding this distinction can save you 15-20% on US import costs.

Essential Shipping Resources

Cross border e-commerce shipments are increasingly transitioning to ocean shipments. Using Section 321 type 86 entries, e-commerce merchants can clear e-commerce orders shipped via individual parcels via ocean freight.