SPS SharePoint HubAnnouncements
Effective August 29, 2025, the U.S. has removed the $800 duty-free threshold on imports into the USA.
As a result, all shipments entering the U.S. now require:
- Formal customs entry
- A Commercial Invoice
- Payment of duties and taxes
- Accurate HS codes and Country of origin declarations
Do you have a Queen's shipments destined for the U.S.?
All shipments, including repairs, returns, samples etc. will require a formal entry to be admitted into the U.S.A. This may require a payment of duties and taxes upon U.S. entry processing.
. The following information will be required for processing:
- HS Code
- Value of goods
- Detailed description of goods
- Country of Origin / Country of Manufacture (not currency)
- Reason for export (Repair, Return, Sample etc.)
Expect delivery delays throughout the month of September as U.S Customs are initiating the new process.
Queen's Logistics is working with U.S Broker to develop a process, more information coming soon
Please contact logistics@queensu.ca for assistance with shipments destined for the U.S.
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Tariff News
US tariffs and Canadian counter-tariffs are now in effect on a wide variety of goods crossing the border between Canada and US.
This includes products delivering to and shipping from Queen’s University (if applicable).
More Information and a list of affected products can be reviewed here,
Information to assist in the Determination of Country of Origin for the Purpose of Marking Goods (CUSMA Countries) Regulations
Tariffs
Goods originating in the US and being imported into Canada may be subject to the Canadian counter-tariffs based on their Harmonized System (HS) classification. In addition to goods being shipped from Queen’s to the US may be subject to US tariffs.
Queen’s Strategic Procurement Services’ (SPS) Logistics team are working closely with the university’s customs broker to apply any applicable exemptions for imports. At this time, the US CBP are not extending exemptions, therefore 25% tariffs upon US Import will be charged, if applicable.
Despite CUSMA Trade Agreement and tariff relief, the tariffs and counter-tariffs on numerous HS Codes could potentially cost you an extra 25% of the shipment value.
We would like to take this opportunity to remind departments of the Ontario government’s Building Ontario Businesses Initiatives Act (BOBIA), where Queen’s is to buy Ontario goods whenever possible for purchases under $121,200 CAD. It is always best to consider buying Ontario/Canada whenever possible to minimize, duty and tariff implications.
The Strategic Procurement Services (SPS) team is reviewing purchases within acQuire and the credit card system and reaching out to departments where there are potential tariff implications. If you have any concerns or have questions regarding certain purchases or information noted on quotes regarding tariffs, we encourage you to reach out to the Business Services & Logistics team at logistics@queensu.ca.
If you have questions on whether exemptions or tariffs apply to your shipments, please contact logistics@queensu.ca with questions.
General Shipping and Export Information
Queen's Logistics Coordinators can assist you in preparing Customs documentation, arranging transport and determining permit requirements to most countries.
Export reporting is required for all shipments valued at $2,000.00 CAD or greater or where the goods are subject to export controls. Any shipment subject to an export permit or license requirement must be reported to the Canada Border Services Agency prior to export.
It is the responsibility of the employee / shipper to determine whether export/import permits are required for their shipment.
Request for assistance can be submitted using the Shipping / Freight Request Form and emailed to the Queen's Logistics Coordinator at logistics@queensu.ca. We may require up to three business days to process your request due to volume of inquiries.
Before you ship/export, you must determine who will be acting as importer of record into the destination Country and who will be paying for the customs clearance, taxes and/or duties.
Shipments to foreign countries will require export documentation and compliance with regulations governing the importation of the goods or equipment into the country to which they are consigned.
Determine if items for export are on the Canadian Export Control List, if the items are on the list you will need an export permit to be issued prior to exporting the goods from Canada.
As an exporter Queens cannot apply for import permits into other countries, therefore it is recommended to ask the consignee or recipient of any import permit or license requirements for the destined country or specific commodity being shipped. Failure to include proper permits with the shipment may result in delays, seizure or forfeiture in the destination country.
Export Permits: You must ensure that the regulations cited under the Export and Import Permits Act for Canada are followed: It is the responsibility of the exporting department/person to ensure that the provisions of this Act are met.
All shipments require a commercial invoice. Three copies of the commercial invoice should be affixed on top of the box or pallet for the drive, another copy contained in the box or crate.
Country of Origin: The country of origin refers to the country in which the item was manufactured, not just where the item is coming from (ie, the country of origin is not Canada unless the item was made in Canada).
It is the Queens employee or shipper's responsibility to pack the shipment suitable for transportation and seek assistance in regard to transportation arrangements by contacting the SPS Logistics Coordinators logistics@queensu.ca
When biohazardous material is to be exported, or transferred from one lab to another within the University or elsewhere in Canada, it is now under the Human Pathogens Toxins Act and Regulations that the Biosafety Officer is informed prior to transfer. The Biosafety Officer will assist Queen's personnel in their regulatory obligation to ensure that the recipient has the appropriate facilities to work with the material.
Please note: You are responsible for compliance: if your export item(s) require export permit(s) and are exported without the necessary permit(s), your item(s) may be seized by customs.
Import Permits: Determine if item(s) for export need an import permit in the destination country(country of import), if an import permit is needed, you may need to notify the importer of your exported item(s) to avoid delays to the shipment upon importation. The permit must be in their hand before the shipment is shipped.
As per the new Venezuela customs regulations effective January 19, 2015, shippers and consignees must be aware of the following changes:
- Any Broker Select Option (BSO) or formal shipments (shipments with a customs declared value above $2000 USD) will require a new Power of Attorney (POA) signed by the consignee if a POA is not already on file with customs. A POA is not required for shipments under $2000 USD if they are not considered BSO/Formal.
- Commodities requiring any licenses/permits will require the license/permit to be issued at least 25 working days before the date of arrival of the shipment. Licenses/permits that are issued less than 25 working days before the date of arrival of the shipment may not be accepted. Below is the list of commodities that have a higher tendency of being subject to licenses/permits.
- SENCAMER Permit:
- Used clothing (not required for personal effects)
- Finished textiles (samples that are not mutilated)
- Footwear
- Vehicles parts (windshield, brakes)
- Sanitary Permit:
- Food and beverages
- Products containing animal or vegetable origin
- Cosmetics
- Pharmaceutical products
- Medicine
It is strongly recommended that prior to shipping any BSO/Formal shipments or commodities requiring a license/permit, shippers contact their consignees in Venezuela to ensure their shipments comply with the new regulations.
Shipments that do not comply with the new regulations may be returned to the shipper at the shipper’s expense; experience clearance delays, and/or are subject to fine and penalties.
The information provided above may change without notice depending on Venezuela Customs interpretation or further regulation of the new Customs Statute.
References:
If you have questions please contact the Queen's Customs and Traffic Coordinator, Ruth Lappan (lappanr@queensu.ca or x74236)
Required Information for all Shipments of Non-Infectious Human Material
The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regulates the importation of human material which includes both infectious and non-infectious substances.
Non-infectious substances do not require import permits; however, since the regulation of these products was moved from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to the CDC, additional documentation is required.
For shipments of non-infectious materials of human origin, the following information must always be provided on the customs documentation regardless of the value of the goods.
- Human origin
- Non-infectious
- Description of the material - blood, serum, plasma, etc.
- Source of the material - bone, tissue, organ, hair, etc.
- End use - diagnostic, transplant, etc.
Example of a good description - 'Human, non-infectious blood sample for diagnostic purposes'.
In addition, a signed statement attesting to the non-infectious nature of the material must be provided separately. The statement must be signed by the importer or the person responsible for the shipment.
This signed certification must contain the complete description of the material and how it is deemed non-infectious - either by rendering non-infectious, or not known or suspected to contain infectious material.
Download the Queen's Non-Infectious Material of Human Origin Statement template (PDF, 62 KB).