How does moving from the US to Canada work? Moving household goods to Canada requires specific cross-border logistics. The process involves
Moving to Canada is more than just driving a truck across a line. As your logistics partner, we coordinate directly with the CBSA (Canada Border Services Agency) to ensure your shipment complies with all entry regulations.
A detailed Bill of Lading accompanies every shipment. This legal document acts as your receipt and contract, ensuring that every item loaded in the US is accounted for upon arrival in Canada. We handle the carrier responsibilities, so you don’t face unexpected border delays.
Beyond our local team at ARAGON MOVING SYSTEMS, our international division specializes in overseas shipments. We don’t just ensure high-quality international shipping—we also provide full-service solutions to make your move fast and efficient. This includes handling language barriers, navigating customs regulations, and ensuring seamless coordination with precise timing. Our experienced international movers have assisted thousands in relocation and packaging, offering expert guidance you can rely on. With our team managing all the details, you can trust that your shipment will arrive safely.
Our trusted agents in Canada have in-depth knowledge of local laws and customs regulations, ensuring your belongings remain secure and arrive on time. You can stay informed throughout the process by coordinating with them to track your shipment.
Aragon trucks depart from the U.S. every two weeks, making it easy to schedule a shipment at a time that works best for you. With top-tier transport vehicles and experienced professionals handling your move, you can have peace of mind knowing your belongings are in safe and reliable hands.
| Shipping to Canada | Price Range (Approx.) | Movers USA to Canada Details |
|---|---|---|
| LCL- Small Move | $2,500 – $4,500 | Includes packing, transport, and delivery. |
| 20 FT Contianer- Medium Move (2-3 Bedrooms) | $7,900 – $12,900 | Comprehensive service for mid-sized households. |
| 40 FT Container-Large Move (4+ Bedrooms) | $10,200 – $15,000+ | Ideal for larger families with full packing. |
| Packing Services | $90 – $800 | Professional packing materials and labor. |
| Furniture Assembly/Disassembly | Incleded | Expert handling for all types of furniture. |
| Special Items (Pianos, Artwork) | $100 – $600 | Secure transport for fragile or valuable items. |
| Storage Services | $150 – $500/month | Safe and secure storage options are available. |
Apart from your belongings, we specialize in transporting your vehicle across the border. With custom packaging and shipment suited to your car, we take special care to ensure your vehicle is safe and sound.
Deciding on a reputed and quality moving company is a crucial choice. The company you choose needs to have tons of experience, be honest and reliable, and care for your goods as much as you do. With our agents in Canada, fortnightly trucks, customs knowledge, and some of the hardest-working professionals in the business, we have become one of the premier transportation services for people looking to move to Canada from US. Each day, movers at AMS help relocate firms and homeowners to new places and experiences, and tomorrow, maybe we can help you, too.
Complete Form BSF186 (formerly B4): Prepare two copies of your “Goods to Follow” list. This is crucial for tax exemptions.
Value Your Inventory: Assign a replacement value to your items for insurance and customs declarations.
Separate Essential Documents: Keep passports, visas, and car titles with you. Do not pack them in the moving truck.
Filter Restricted Items: Ensure no firearms, live plants, or fresh food are packed.
Alcohol & Tobacco: Do not pack alcohol or tobacco in the moving truck. These must accompany you in person to avoid significant delays and additional taxes for the commercial carrier.
Review the Bill of Lading: On moving day, verify the inventory list with our foreman before the truck departs.
Head to the Port of Entry: You must present yourself at the Canadian border/customs office to declare your residency.
Present Your Documents: Provide the CBSA officer with your passport, visa/PR card, and the stamped BSF186 form.
Release the Shipment: Once your “Goods to Follow” list is stamped, send a copy to our dispatch team. Only then can our bonded truck legally cross into your new home and deliver.
1. Preparation & Inventory
Create a detailed inventory of all goods you are bringing into Canada. This is required for your ‘Goods to Follow’ list (Form B4).
2. Engage a Bonded Carrier
Use a bonded carrier like Aragon Movers. Your goods are transported in-bond to a bonded warehouse, awaiting customs clearance, while you travel to Canada separately.
3. Declare Residency & Clear Customs
Upon arrival in Canada, present your passport, visa, and detailed inventory list to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officers at your port of entry to declare residency and receive clearance.
4. Release and Delivery
Once your shipment is cleared by the CBSA, the bonded carrier is notified and your household goods are released for final delivery to your new Canadian address.
Canada is renowned for its exceptional quality of life. It offers public healthcare services, an excellent education system, high personal safety, breathtaking nature, advanced infrastructure, and a successful blend of diverse cultures.
Canada is considered friendly to immigrants from the United States due to its open immigration policies and points-based system, which favors skills and education.
Canada excels in political stability, strong rule of law, low crime rates, a high-quality public healthcare system, a diverse and robust economy, strict gun control laws, and a tolerant, multicultural society.
Canada offers a variety of breathtaking landscapes: the snow-capped Rocky Mountains, clear lakes like Louise and Moraine, dense forests, the roaring Niagara Falls, wild ocean shores, and wildlife-rich nature reserves.
Montreal’s charm comes with a specific logistical challenge: the famous winding exterior staircases. Moving heavy furniture/appliances up these structures requires specialized equipment and experienced crews to prevent damage. We also plan routes carefully to account for Montreal’s strict seasonal street parking rules and winter snow-clearing operations, ensuring safe access to your new home year-round.
As the nation’s capital, Ottawa has many regulated zones and government buildings. We are familiar with the specific truck routes and restrictions in the capital region (NCR). Whether you are moving to the suburbs of Kanata or the historic ByWard Market area, we plan the logistics to avoid peak traffic on bridges between Ontario and Quebec, ensuring an efficient delivery.
Famous for its stunning views, Vancouver also requires specific moving preparations. Due to the region’s frequent rainfall, we use moisture-resistant packing materials and reinforced wrapping to protect your furniture during loading and unloading. If your move involves Vancouver Island, we factor in ferry schedules and additional transit times to ensure your delivery stays on track. Our drivers are also skilled in navigating the steep driveways common in North Vancouver and West Vancouver.
Toronto is Canada’s bustling economic hub, but its density presents unique moving challenges. Whether you are moving to a downtown condo or a Victorian home in The Annex, access can be tight. Our team is experienced in navigating Toronto’s narrow streets and coordinating parking permits for moving trucks. For high-rise moves, we manage elevator reservations and, when necessary, utilize shuttle services (smaller vans) to ferry your belongings from the main truck to your front door.
The BSF186 Form (Formerly B4E): Your Key to Duty-Free Entry. To avoid paying taxes on your used household goods, you must complete the BSF186 Form (Personal Effects Accounting Document).
This document serves two purposes: it lists the items you are bringing with you, and critically, it declares the “Goods to Follow” the furniture and boxes arriving later on our truck.
You must present this form to a CBSA officer upon your arrival in Canada to have your inventory stamped. Without this stamped document, your shipment cannot clear customs duty-free.
A bonded carrier is a transportation company that has posted a bond with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to guarantee that they will comply with customs regulations. This allows them to transport goods across the border that have not yet been cleared by customs.
The cost varies greatly depending on the volume of goods, distance, and services required. A small apartment move might cost between $3,000 and $5,000, while a larger family home can exceed $10,000. Contact us for a precise quote.
No, you do not travel with the moving truck. You must cross the border separately and formally ‘land’ as an immigrant or present your work/study permit to a CBSA officer at a port of entry to activate your status before your goods can be officially imported.
Eli Nagli has over 25 years of experience in the international moving industry, specializing in cross-border logistics and customs regulations. He is the head of international operations at Aragon Movers and has personally overseen thousands of successful overseas relocations.
