How to Import from Alibaba to Canada

Updated: 2026-10-18 — This guide was rewritten. Unsupported delivery-time, duty-rate and brokerage-fee ranges were removed, a link that was wrongly labelled as a CBSA resource was replaced, and the duty, tax and surtax sections now cite official Canadian sources.

Alibaba helps you find suppliers and place orders. It does not take over your obligations as the importer. Before you pay a deposit, you still need to check the supplier, confirm the product can legally be sold in Canada, lock the specification, agree shipping terms and decide who will clear the goods through customs.

This guide is for businesses importing commercial goods from China into Canada. Personal purchases and regulated products such as food, health products or vehicles have additional rules.

The process in ten steps

Write a specification that suppliers can quote against.
Check that the product can enter and be sold in Canada.
Set up your importer accounts before the goods ship.
Verify the supplier.
Compare quotes on the same terms.
Approve a sample and freeze the specification.
Work out the landed cost, including duty, surtax and GST.
Put everything in a purchase order.
Inspect the goods before the balance payment.
Book freight, prepare documents and clear customs.

1. Write a specification suppliers can quote against

A message like “send me your best price” gets you prices that cannot be compared. Give every supplier the same written specification:

materials, components, grade and finish;
dimensions, tolerances, weight and colour references;
logo artwork and the printing or decoration method;
performance and safety requirements;
unit packaging, carton construction, carton marks and pallet requirements;
inspection criteria and defect definitions;
required documents, test reports, labels and instructions.

If quantity, tooling or packaging is still open, ask for those costs on separate lines. The price on an Alibaba listing is a starting point, not the price of your version of the product.

2. Check that the product can enter Canada

There is no general “Alibaba import licence”, but a specific product may be prohibited, need a permit, or fall under a Canadian regulator’s rules on safety, labelling, electrical certification, textiles or chemicals.

Before ordering, write down:

the likely Canadian tariff classification;
whether a permit or other authorization is needed;
which product rules apply, including bilingual labelling where it is required;
which test reports or certificates must exist before shipment;
who will be the importer of record.

The CBSA guide to importing commercial goods, listed under Sources below, walks through these checks in order. A supplier saying it has shipped the item to Canada before does not prove that your version complies.

3. Set up your importer accounts before the goods ship

As of 2026-10-18, the CBSA states that you need a business number and an import-export program account (RM account) before you import commercial goods. Duties and taxes on commercial imports are assessed and paid through the CBSA Assessment and Revenue Management system, known as CARM, and businesses manage this in the CARM Client Portal.

If you want goods released before duties and taxes are paid, the CBSA’s Release Prior to Payment program requires enrolment and financial security. A licensed customs broker can handle much of this for you. Set it up before the cargo leaves China, not after it arrives.

4. Verify the supplier

Platform badges and transaction history are screening signals, not due diligence. Ask for the legal company name and business licence. Then check that the company on the contract, the holder of the bank account, the factory and the exporter are the same business. If they are not, get a written explanation.

Is it a manufacturer, a trading company or both?
Has it made your type of product for buyers in Canada or similar markets?
Will production happen at the factory it has shown you?
Do the test reports match the exact model, material and applicant?
Can it meet your packaging and inspection requirements?
Does the payment account match the company on the contract?

For custom or higher-value orders, a factory audit or third-party verification before you pay for tooling is a sensible step.

5. Compare quotes on the same terms

A usable quote names the specification, quantity, unit price, tooling and sample charges, packaging, Incoterm with a named place, payment terms, production time and how long the price is valid. If something is missing, ask for a revised quote instead of guessing.

An EXW price and an FOB price cover different costs, and neither can be compared directly with a delivered price. Ask what is excluded: inland transport, export clearance, testing, inspection, insurance, destination charges, brokerage, duty and taxes.

Be careful with DDP offers that do not say who the importer of record is, which customs broker will be used or what value will be declared. A cheap delivered price is not worth an inaccurate declaration made in your name.

6. Approve a sample and freeze the specification

A pre-production sample becomes the reference for mass production, so keep it. Record every approved change in the purchase order or specification sheet, not only in chat. If the material, colour, artwork or packaging changes, the supplier should get your written approval first.

7. Work out the landed cost

Landed cost = product + tooling and setup + packaging + testing and inspection + origin charges + international freight + insurance + destination charges + customs brokerage + customs duty + any surtax + GST or HST + local delivery.

As of 2026-10-18, the CBSA calculates duty on the value for duty. In most cases this is the price you paid the seller, with permitted adjustments, converted into Canadian dollars at the exchange rate on the date the goods began their direct journey to Canada.

The duty rate depends on the tariff classification and the tariff treatment for the country of origin. In Canada the first six digits of the classification number are the international HS code and the next four digits are Canadian. Look up the rate in the current Canadian Customs Tariff, or ask your broker to confirm it.

GST is charged on the value for tax, which is the value for duty plus the duty and other applicable duties and taxes. The CBSA gives this worked example: goods worth US$100 at an exchange rate of 1.37 have a value for duty of CAN$137.00. Duty at 4% is $5.48. GST at 5% on $142.48 is $7.12. The total is $12.60. Your rates will differ; the example shows the order of the calculation.

Businesses registered in CARM can estimate duties and taxes in advance with the Duties and Taxes Calculator in the CARM Client Portal. Do not apply one “China duty rate” to every product, and do not reuse a U.S. landed-cost calculation for Canada.

Surtaxes on certain goods from China

As of 2026-10-18, steel and aluminum goods that originate in China and are classified under a tariff item listed in Schedule 2 of the China Surtax Order (2024) carry a surtax of 25% of their value for duty, on top of normal duty.

The 100% surtax on electric vehicles from China was repealed with effect from March 1, 2026. Some steel and aluminum goods can qualify for relief under the China Surtax Remission Order. If your product is made of steel or aluminum, ask your broker to check its tariff item against Schedule 2 before you order.

8. Put everything in a purchase order

The purchase order should do more than name the product and quantity. Attach or reference:

the final specification and the approved sample;
the inspection method and defect classification;
packaging, carton and shipping-mark requirements;
required certificates, reports, manuals and labels;
the Incoterm and named place;
payment milestones;
how changes are approved;
remedies for late, short, non-conforming or damaged goods.

Alibaba’s payment protection is easier to use when the online order matches the signed specification. It is much harder to use when the quality standard was never written down.

9. Inspect before the balance payment

A pre-shipment inspection checks quantity, workmanship, function, dimensions, labels and packaging while the goods are still in China and you still hold the balance. Give the inspector the purchase order, the approved sample, the defect list and the test checklist.

An AQL inspection checks a sample, so it reduces risk without proving that every unit is good. If the inspection fails, agree corrective action and a re-inspection in writing before the goods ship.

10. Book freight, prepare documents and clear customs

Courier, air, sea and rail all have a place. The right choice depends on chargeable weight, volume, product restrictions, the destination in Canada, your deadline and destination charges. Ask a freight forwarder for a quote based on your actual shipment rather than a generic transit-time table.

Give the forwarder the carton count, packed dimensions, gross weight, pickup and delivery addresses and a clear product description. Say whether the goods contain batteries, liquids, magnets or wood packaging. Confirm whether the quote is port-to-port or door-to-door and get the exclusions in writing.

A commercial shipment usually needs:

a commercial invoice showing the buyer, seller, a complete description of the goods, quantity, selling price, currency, terms of sale and country of origin;
a packing list with carton and weight details;
a bill of lading, air waybill or courier transport document;
any permits, certificates or test reports the product needs;
classification and origin information for your broker.

The CBSA requires a sales receipt or invoice from the seller to support the value you declare, including a complete description of the goods, the selling price and the terms of sale. Words such as “parts”, “sample” or “gift” are not a substitute for an accurate description and value.

Should you use a customs broker?

Many importers use a licensed customs broker, especially for their first shipments. The broker prepares the entry and deals with the CBSA, but you remain responsible for the accuracy of what is declared. The CBSA publishes a list of licensed customs brokers.

Ask the broker what information it needs from you, what its fee covers and what you must register before the goods arrive. Do this before the goods are dispatched.

Checklist before you pay the production deposit

The supplier and the payment account holder are verified and match.
The product and packaging specification is complete.
A sample is approved, or there is a written sample plan.
You know which Canadian product rules apply and what evidence is needed.
A provisional tariff classification has been checked by your broker.
Your business number and import-export account are in place.
Quotes are comparable and use a named Incoterm place.
The landed-cost worksheet uses current freight quotes and official duty information.
Inspection, document and change-control requirements are written into the order.

If a cost, quantity, lead time or requirement is still unclear, ask the supplier, broker, forwarder or regulator for a current written answer instead of relying on a figure from an old article.

How to Import from Alibaba to Canada: A Step-by-Step Guide