Compliance
Export Compliance Guide
Certification, tariffs, and visa support for exporting to Canada
Goods sold or imported into Canada are subject to tariffs and must meet the certification and labelling requirements below. Certification marks are tied to specific models and factories, which is why Canadian buyers ask for them before ordering.
Visa support
We issue Visa Invitation Letters and can support Canadian Government invitation letters to help your team obtain Canadian visitor visas.
Electrical & electronic products
Must be certified to the Canadian Electrical Code by a body accredited by the Standards Council of Canada (CSA, UL, Intertek, TÜV SÜD, and others). A Chinese CCC mark or a CE mark is not accepted. Certification is tied to specific models and factories.
| Certification agency | Core mark | Valid Canadian variation | What it proves |
|---|---|---|---|
| CSA Group | CSA | CSA or CSA/US | Tested to Canadian national benchmarks. |
| UL Solutions | UL | cUL or cULus | Evaluated by UL to meet Canadian codes. |
| Intertek | ETL | cETL or cETLus | Evaluated by Intertek to meet Canadian codes. |
| TÜV SÜD | TÜV SÜD | cTÜV SÜD or cTÜV SÜDus | Evaluated by TÜV SÜD to meet Canadian codes. |
Wireless products (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, cellular, radio)
Also require ISED radio equipment approval, a separate regime from electrical safety. Please confirm details with an accredited lab.
Medical devices (MedTech)
Class II, III and IV devices need a Health Canada Medical Device Licence plus an MDSAP certificate (a plain ISO 13485 is not enough). Class I devices are licence-exempt but the importer/distributor holds a Medical Device Establishment Licence. Classification can differ from the US and EU — obtain Health Canada’s opinion early.
Pressure vessels, boilers & fittings (oil & gas, industrial)
Require design registration with provincial authorities (a CRN — Canadian Registration Number). Alberta has its own regime, which matters for an Edmonton show.
Gas-fired & oil-fired appliances and equipment
Require certification to the relevant CSA standards, plus provincial rules.
Food, agricultural inputs, fertilizer, pesticides, seeds
Require CFIA registration or import permits; pesticides also need Health Canada’s PMRA approval.
Consumer products
The Canada Consumer Product Safety Act sets mandatory requirements and bans (e.g. children’s products), with labelling in English and French.
Textiles, packaging & consumer labels
Require bilingual (English/French) textile fibre and consumer labelling.
Industrial machinery
The machine itself often has no federal type approval, but its electrical components, safety guarding, and workplace standards decide whether Canadian buyers can use it.
Semiconductors, AI & sensitive technology
No certification as such, but security and procurement scrutiny can block sales regardless of paperwork.