Shipping Charges and Canada Customs Duties: Are you new to online shopping? If you're on the Canadian side of the border and thinking of shopping on U.S. sites, hidden costs may catch you by surprise. Shipping Charges to Canada: UPS offers reasonable shipping rates to Canada. Shipping charges are determined by weight, size, distance, speed and number of items. Don't forget to factor in the exchange rate for the shipping charges as well as for the cost of the merchandise. Your credit card company may also add a charge for currency conversion. The shipping charges and methods of shipment aren't the total of the costs you'll have to pay to get that package across the Canadian border though. If goods are coming across the border, you will also have to consider, and be ready to pay, Canada customs duties, taxes and custom brokerage fees. Canadian Taxes: Just about everything individuals import into Canada is subject to the Goods and Services Tax (GST) of seven percent. The GST is calculated after customs duties have been applied. You will also have to pay the applicable Canadian Provincial Sales Tax (PST) or Quebec Sales Tax (QST). In Canadian provinces with a Harmonized Sales Tax (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador), you'll be charged a flat 15 percent, rather than separate GST and PST. Customs Brokers Fees: Fees for customs brokers services are the charges that can really catch you by surprise. Courier companies and postal services use customs brokers to get packages processed through Canada Customs at the Canadian border. Fees for that service will be passed along to you. For example - Canada Post automatically applies a $5.00 processing fee ($8.00 for Priority Post) for each package to clear Canada Customs. Customs brokers fees for courier companies vary, but are usually a good deal higher than Canada Post's fee. Since 1985, UPS Customhouse Brokerage has been providing outstanding value and service, backed by the solid reputation of UPS. UPS handles your shipment every step of the way, including customs clearance. Eliminating third-party brokerage means routine customs clearance stays routine -- quick, smooth, and very reliable. Customs clearance begins while your shipment is still in transit. UPS is electronically linked with customs in the United States, Canada, and major countries throughout Europe, Asia, and the Americas. You can visit this page at UPS.com to learn more: http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/resources/select/sending/customs/index.html Canada Customs Duties: Because of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), Canadians do not have to pay duty on most American and Mexican manufactured items. But be careful. Just because you buy an item from a U.S. store does not mean it was made in the United States. It's quite possible it was imported into the United States first and, if so, you will be charged duty when it comes into Canada. Duties on goods vary widely, depending on the product and the country in which it was manufactured. Other charges and duties may also apply depending on the item, for example excise duty and excise tax on luxury items such as jewelry. In general, on goods ordered from a foreign retailer there is no assessment unless Canada Customs can collect at least $1.00 in duties and taxes. If you have questions about Canada customs and duties, please call a Canada Customs office. For answers to your enquiries, or to locate your nearest customs office, please call their information line. From within Canada, call: - 1 800 461-9999 (toll free) From outside Canada, call: - (204) 983-3500 or (506) 636-5064 (long-distance charges apply) Personal service: If you call during office hours (8 a.m. to 4 p.m across Canada), you can speak directly to an agent. Anytime, anywhere: If your enquiry is of a general nature, our 24-hour phone service automatically answers all incoming calls and provides recorded information on many common topics.