Your guide to shipping products from the Philippines to Canada

Shipping goods to Canada from the Philippines can enhance your services, expand your horizons and grow your company – but the process can seem complicated. We've put together this guide to make things easier for your business requirements.

We take a look at everything you need to know to ship products from the Philippines to Canada, including required documentation and some of the best delivery services out there.

We’ll also take a look at how Wise can reduce your shipping costs, with transparent pricing and no exchange rate markups!

We'll be looking at

What is the essential know-how on exporting goods from the Philippines to Canada? What are the essential requirements for importing goods from the Philippines to Canada? Are there any restrictions on shipping goods from the Philippines to Canada? What are the typical costs of shipping goods from the Philippines to Canada? How to reduce costs on transactions between the Philippines and Canada Shipping companies for exporting from the Philippines to Canada CEVA Logistics Yusen Logistics UMAC Forwarders Express Inc. Essential local know-how when shipping from the Philippines to Canada

What is the essential know-how on exporting goods from the Philippines to Canada?

There are a few things to think about before exporting goods to Canada.

he Philippines National Trade Repository® requires you to get a permit before sending your first shipment.¹

You’ll also need to pay customs and duties for your export – and these costs can depend on the value, type, and weight of your goods. The Canadian government applies Goods and Services Tax (GST) to most products. This is set at 5%, but some shipments are exempt.²

If your goods are worth less than 3,300 CAD, informal clearing may apply. This policy exempts you from paying GST, but you may still need to pay taxes and duties on goods over 20 CAD.²

There are a few options for sending your goods to Canada, including Delivery Duty Unpaid (DDU) and Delivery Duty Paid (DDP). DDU assigns import costs like duty or taxes to the receiver, whereas you’ll pay all fees if you use DDP.³

What are the essential requirements for importing goods from the Philippines to Canada?

Properly pack your shipment before sending it. You’ll also need to declare its value for tax and import purposes.

In the Philippines, you need to register with the Client Profile Registration System® (CPRS) and the Bureau of Customs® (BOC) before sending your export. You’ll need to submit a few key documents, including:

• export declaration
• commercial invoice
• packing list¹

You may require additional documents or information for your shipment, including a bill of lading and an export license. Canada Border Services Agency® (CBSA) may require an insurance policy and customs declaration to import your goods into the country.²

Are there any restrictions on shipping goods from the Philippines to Canada?

There are some products you can’t export from the Philippines and you may need additional permits or licences for certain goods. For example, you need permission from the National Food Authority® in the Philippines if you want to export rice.²

Canada prohibits the import of certain goods and the CBSA doesn’t let companies import animals, plants or raw meat.²

Some couriers may also have their own restrictions on what you can or cannot send abroad. For example, UMAC Forwarders Express® prohibits the export of drugs, perishables, precious metals and currency.⁴

What are the typical costs of shipping goods from the Philippines to Canada?

You’ll have to pay a few fees for your shipment. These costs can depend on a number of factors, such as:

• weight of goods
• size and shape of goods
• insurance
• customs duty and import tax

The method you choose to send your shipment affects its cost. Land freight is typically cheaper than air freight – so you’ll need to think about how delivery fits into your budget.

You need to consider currency conversion costs when paying for your shipment in Philippine pesos (PHP).

Many banking providers add a markup to the standard mid-market exchange rate – meaning you could end up spending more than expected for your shipment.

International payments in the SWIFT network may require you to pay intermediary bank fees and these costs can add up!

How to reduce costs on transactions between the Philippines and Canada

Reduce costs between CAD and PHP with the Wise business account!

Opening a business account at Wise is free, online and easy! With Wise, you don’t lose money to monthly subscriptions or have it held up as minimum balance. You pay only for what you use. Here’s what you get for the essential and complete version for a one-time fee of 55 CAD:

Features	Essential features - without registration fees	All features for a one time payment of 55 CAD
Send money to over 70 countries	✅	✅
Wise Business Card	✅	✅
Holding and converting money across 40 currencies at the mid-market rate	✅	✅
Minimal fees starting at 0.48%	✅	✅
Local account details to receive payments in over 20 currencies	❌	✅
Direct debit to make recurring payments	❌	✅

You can always upgrade from the essential features to avail all Wise business features for a one-time payment of 55 CAD

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It only takes a few minutes to set up your multi-currency account, and make the most of the mid-market exchange rate.

Step 1. Enter information relevant to yourself and your business.
Step 2. Share essential information about your business. This includes

• Business registration
• The business registered and trading addresses
• The industry you’re in
• Online presence
• Name, date of birth, country of residence - for all stakeholders
• Documents proving ownership of the business

Step 3. Enter essential information to verify your identity
Step 4. Set up and make a transfer as indicated on your account. Alternatively, you could pay the one-time fee and get account details in over 10 currencies.
Step 5. Wise sends you a confirmation email within 10 working days.

In case you add team members to the business account, they will need to be verified too.

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• Trustpilot Canada: 4.3/5 stars with 256,776+ reviews
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Shipping companies for exporting from the Philippines to Canada

Let’s take a look at some popular shipping companies for exporting your goods to Canada, including the cheapest shipping from the Philippines to Canada.

CEVA Logistics

CEVA Logistics® specializes in corporate shipments for all company types, such as businesses in energy, healthcare, technology, and retail.⁵

CEVA Logistics offers a range of shipping services, including:

• air, ocean, road, and rail freight
• contract logistics
• project logistics
• CEVA Lead Logistics
• Finished Vehicle Logistics (FVL)
• customs brokerage⁵

You can find CEVA Logistics offices across Canada, including Calgary, Ottawa, Lachine, Richmond, Winnipeg, and Mississauga.⁶

Yusen Logistics

Founded in 1955, Yusen Logistics® works with a range of businesses and companies across the world. The provider is best recommended for industries like aerospace, food, retail, automotive, healthcare and technology.⁷

You can access a range of services, including supply chain solutions, end-to-end transportation and warehousing and distribution.⁷

Let’s take a look at where you can find Yusen Logistics in the Philippines and Canada.

Country	City/Province	Services Accessible
Philippines	Paranaque City	Head office Order management Warehousing and distribution
	Cavite	Freight forwarding Warehousing and distribution
	Pampanga	Freight forwarding
	Laguna	Freight forwarding Head office
	Cebu	Order management Freight forwarding Warehousing and distribution
	Subic Bay Freeport Zone	Freight forwarding Customs house brokerage
	Clark Freeport Zone	Warehousing and distribution
	Davao City	Freight forwarding⁸
Canada	Toronto	Head office Freight forwarding Warehousing and distribution Domestic transportation Customs house brokerage
	Vancouver	Freight forwarding Warehousing and distribution Domestic transportation Customs house brokerage
	Montreal	Freight forwarding Domestic transportation Customs house brokerage⁸

You can also use Yusen Vantage Focus to access digital shipping rates, quotes and bookings, including an advanced tracking system for all your shipments.⁹

UMAC Forwarders Express Inc.

UMAC Forwarders Express offers freight forwarding services in the Philippines, helping customers send shipments worldwide.

The delivery provider specializes in Balikbayan box deliveries. This is a corrugated box often used to send items overseas to and from the Philippines.¹⁰

You can access UMAC Forwarders Express branch locations across the Philippines and Canada. Let’s take a closer look.

Country	City	Services Accessible
Philippines	Marikina City	Head office Freight forwarding
Canada	Toronto	Freight forwarding
	Delta	Freight forwarding
	Winnipeg	Freight forwarding
	Edmonton	Freight forwarding
	Calgary	Freight forwarding¹¹

It’s important to note that you can’t send more than a dozen commercial goods at once with UMAC Forwarders, so this service may be best suited to smaller shipments.⁴

Essential local know-how when shipping from the Philippines to Canada

Your shipping company may not deliver on certain public or regional holidays and you’ll need to build these delays into your delivery times.

This may include holidays like Good Friday and Labour Day. Some provinces also celebrate additional holidays, such as Family Day. These dates may or may not impact the delivery of your goods, so be sure to check with your shipping company.

If you need your goods on a specific date, make sure to think about how weekends and holidays will impact your shipment.

Conclusion

Shipping goods abroad can help your business reach new customers and secure unexplored frontiers.

Make sure to apply for the necessary permits and licences for your shipment – and always look into any fees and duties you’ll need to pay before importing your goods.

To start reducing your shipping costs today, check out Wise.

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**Sources**

1. Philippines Customs
2. DHL
3. Jet Worldwide - Shipping parcels from the Philippines to Canada
4. UMAC Forwarder Express - Prohibited items
5. CEVA Logistics - Services
6. CEVA Logistics - Contact
7. Yusen Logistics - Global Logistics
8. Yusen Logistics - Branches
9. Yusen Logistics - Yunsen Vantage focus
10. UMAC Forwarder Express - Services
11. UMAC Forwarder Express - Branches

Sources verified on 25 June 2024