Importing Hotel Amenities from India to Canada: A Practical Guide

To import hotel toiletries from India into Canada, a business must act as importer of record, with a Business Number and an import-export program account. A licensed customs broker usually prepares the entry with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), and accounting and payment run through CARM, the CBSA Assessment and Revenue Management system. Duty depends on tariff classification and origin, and GST is generally payable.

This guide covers the roles, documents, ports and winter care that matter for hotel amenities. It is general information, not customs or tax advice, and procedures change; confirm the current position with your customs broker. For regions and products, start with our Canada hotel amenities hub.

Who does what

Role	Who it usually is	Main tasks
Exporter and manufacturer	Harrods Health	Production, packing, export clearance in India, commercial documents
Importer of record	Distributor, hospitality supplier or hotel group	Responsible for the import, duties and taxes, and compliance
Customs broker	Licensed broker appointed by the importer	Classification advice, customs entry, CARM accounting under delegation
Freight forwarder	Appointed by either side, depending on terms	Booking, routing, port handling, inland transport
CBSA	Canada's border agency	Release of goods, assessment of duties and taxes

The Incoterm you agree decides where our responsibility ends and yours begins. Agree it before the first order, along with who books freight and insurance.

Business Number and importer accounts

Importers in Canada need a Business Number from the Canada Revenue Agency with an import-export program account. Non-resident importers can be possible in some situations, but it is more complex, so most hotel ranges come in through a Canadian distributor or a hotel group's own Canadian entity.

CARM and your customs broker

CARM is CBSA's system for assessing and collecting duties and taxes on imports. Importers register in the CARM Client Portal and can delegate access to a customs broker, who then prepares and submits entries and accounting on their behalf. CARM also changed how financial security works for release before payment, so ask your broker what security arrangement suits your import volume.

For a first shipment, involve the broker early. They will want product descriptions, composition information and the commercial invoice in advance so they can advise on classification.

Classification, origin, duty and tax

Every product is classified under Canada's Customs Tariff, which follows the international Harmonized System. Shampoo, hair conditioner, shower gel, body lotion and hand wash can sit in different headings, and the classification sets the duty rate. Origin matters too. No comprehensive trade agreement between Canada and India currently applies, so ask your broker which tariff treatment applies to your goods. We do not quote duty rates.

GST is generally payable on imports. How harmonized sales tax and provincial sales taxes apply depends on the province and the importer's status, so ask your broker or accountant.

Documents we supply

• Commercial invoice with the details CBSA requires, including product descriptions, quantities and values
• Packing list by carton and pallet
• Bill of lading or air waybill
• Certificate of origin if your broker asks for one
• Product specifications, INCI lists and safety data sheets for the forwarder if requested

More on our process is on the fulfilment and export page.

Regulatory points to clear before shipping

Customs clearance is not the only gate. Labels should already carry the mandatory English and French information, metric net quantity, INCI list and dealer details, because relabelling in a Canadian warehouse is slow and costly. The manufacturer or importer must notify Health Canada with a Cosmetic Notification Form within 10 days after first sale, which in practice the importer usually files with information we supply. Hand wash should be cosmetic with no germ-kill claims, since antibacterial products need an NPN or DIN. Our quality and certifications page lists the documents available.

If you also ship the same range to the US, its registration system differs; see our guide to MoCRA for hotel toiletries.

Choosing a port

Sea freight from India can reach Canada on either coast. As a general rule:

• West Coast ports suit British Columbia and, by rail inland, Alberta and the Prairies.
• The St Lawrence and East Coast ports suit Quebec, Ontario and Atlantic Canada.

Your forwarder can compare routes, sailings and inland costs for your destination. For a distributor serving the whole country, a single port and a central warehouse is often simpler than splitting shipments.

Treated wood packaging

Wooden pallets and crates entering Canada must meet the international standard for wood packaging, which means heat treatment or another approved treatment and the official mark on the wood. Non-compliant wood can be refused or ordered for treatment at the importer's cost. We ship on treated, marked pallets.

Winter freeze protection

Canadian winters are the biggest product risk in this lane. Shampoo, shower gel and hand wash usually recover from cold, but lotions and conditioners are emulsions and can separate or change texture after freezing and thawing. Gels can also turn hazy.

• Ask your forwarder about freeze-protected or heated service for winter inland legs.
• Avoid leaving containers or trailers standing in yards in deep cold.
• Move stock into heated storage on arrival, off the floor and away from exterior doors.
• Check a sample from each batch after a cold journey before it goes to rooms.
• Time deliveries for remote and fly-in lodges before the coldest weeks.

Common first-shipment problems

Most delays on a first shipment come from a short list: a commercial invoice with vague product descriptions, a broker brought in after the goods have sailed, an importer not yet set up in CARM, labels missing French or the dealer's address, and untreated wood in the packing. Each is easy to prevent if it is checked before the container is booked. We send draft documents ahead of shipping so your broker can review them.

Planning lead time

We do not quote delivery days because they depend on the route, the season and approvals. The stages to plan for are: brief and samples, scent approval, bilingual artwork and review by your consultant, Hotlist and claims checks, production, export clearance, sea transit, Canadian customs, inland transport and receiving. Add buffers before ski season and the summer peak, and more in winter when freeze protection limits options. Placing the next order before stock runs low avoids air freight.

Frequently asked questions

Can Harrods Health be the importer of record?

Generally the importer of record is a business that brings goods into Canada, often your distributor or the hotel group itself. Non-resident importers are possible in some cases, but ask your customs broker how it would work for your shipments.

What duty applies to hotel toiletries from India?

It depends on the tariff classification and origin of each product. No comprehensive trade agreement between Canada and India currently applies, so ask your customs broker for the current position. We do not quote duty rates.

Do hotel toiletries need freeze protection?

In winter, yes, it is worth planning. Lotions and conditioners are emulsions and can separate after a freeze. Ask your forwarder about freeze-protected service and store stock in heated rooms on arrival.

Which port should we use?

Usually a West Coast port for British Columbia and Alberta, and the St Lawrence or an East Coast port for Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada. Your forwarder can compare routes for your destination.

Planning a first shipment? Start a brief on our private-label hotel toiletries page.