A Non-Resident Importer, or NRI, is a company outside of Canada, for business purposes, acts as an Importer of Record and assumes responsibility for payment of Canadian duties and taxes.
While acting as an NRI in Canada comes with many benefits, it requires time and energy to ensure you are qualified and properly set up to do so.
Canada’s Non-Resident Importer Program
The NRI program allows foreign or U.S.-based businesses to ship goods to Canada while enjoying the same advantages as Canadian importers – without having to have physical facilities in Canada.
As an NRI, you can take advantage of the following:
- More control over your supply chain
- Reduced supply chain expenses
- Increased selling advantage
- An NRI is subject to Canada’s Customs Act and related regulations, which are administered by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). Also keep in mind, depending on the nature of the goods, certain Other Government Department (OGD) requirements may apply; for example, many food products are subject to Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) import requirements.
Before shipping to Canada, consider the following:
- Who will act as the Importer of Record – the company responsible for the payment of duties and taxes at the border – you or your customer?
- If you are the Importer of Record – and located outside of Canada – you will need a Business Number (BN).
- Consider your Canadian Tax implications as outlined by Canada Revenue Agency.
- Determine if you must register for GST/HST number.
- Are you still ready to proceed? Then contact us today to set-up your NRI account.
LCS Customs Brokers Is Your Ideal Non-Resident Importer Partner, become A Non-Resident Importer Today…
Increased sales potential, more control, improved efficiency – becoming an NRI definitely has its advantages. An NRI not only makes clearing customs seamless, it can also go a long way in making your business more profitable. Give us a call today to find out how.
Should You Become A Non-Resident Importer?
- Do you currently or would you like to sell your goods to buyers in Canada?
- Would you like to appear as a domestic supplier without having a physical presence in Canada?
- Would you like to use Canadian warehouses and distribution services rather than set up your own?
- Would you like to simplify potential sales to your buyers by offering a purchase price that includes delivery, duty and tax, and therefore eliminating extra cost surprises?
- Would you like to have control over all costs for transport, customs brokerage and duty, and therefore effectively eliminating supply chain markups?
- Would you like to relieve your customers from the burden of declaring your goods at the Canadian border?
- Would you like to offer samples and warranty shipments free of charge to your customers?
If you answered yes to any of the above questions, you would benefit from being a Non-Resident Importer.