International Removals to Canada (2026)
Moving from Europe to Canada is a big step, and the last thing you need is a removal that leaves you chasing shipping lines, translating customs forms and wondering where your belongings are. Flyto Relocation is a European international mover that ships household goods to Canada by sea and air, with one dedicated coordinator looking after your move from your front door in Europe to your new home in Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Calgary or Ottawa. We are rated 4.9 out of 5 from more than 500 reviews, every shipment is fully insured, and our service is genuinely door-to-door. This page explains exactly how we get your things across the Atlantic, what it involves and what you need to know about Canadian customs.
How Flyto works: our hubs, vetted partners, one coordinator
We want to be completely straightforward about our model, because honesty is how we earn a 4.9 rating. Flyto operates its own logistics hubs across Northern, Central and Southern Europe. That is where we collect, pack, consolidate and load your belongings for the ocean crossing. We do not run our own office in Canada. Instead, we work with a network of carefully vetted local partners at destination who handle Canadian customs clearance, delivery and unpacking on the ground.
The advantage of this “hubs plus partners” approach is control where it matters and local expertise where you need it. Your goods never leave the Flyto chain of custody in Europe, and at the Canadian end you get established, insured local movers who know their ports and their provinces. Crucially, you deal with one Flyto coordinator throughout. You are not passed between a European forwarder, a shipping line and an unknown Canadian agent. One person owns your move, answers your questions and keeps everything moving.
Our services to Canada
Whether you are shipping a studio flat or a five-bedroom house, we have a service to match:
- Full container load (FCL) — your own dedicated 20ft or 40ft container, ideal for whole-home moves. Fastest and most private option.
- Shared container / LCL / groupage — you pay for the space you use in a shared container, the cost-effective choice for smaller moves and part-loads.
- Air freight — for urgent items or smaller volumes where you cannot wait for sea transit.
- Professional export packing — export-grade materials, wrapping and crating for fragile and high-value pieces, carried out at our European hubs.
- Storage — secure short- or long-term storage in Europe or at destination if your Canadian home is not ready.
- Door-to-door delivery — collection in Europe and delivery, unloading and unpacking at your Canadian address.
We ship into Canada’s main container gateways — the Port of Montreal and Port of Halifax on the east coast, and the Port of Vancouver for the west. From there our local partners deliver on to your door in Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Calgary, Ottawa and beyond.
What shipping to Canada costs
Every move is different, so we quote each one individually rather than publishing prices that would mislead you. The main drivers of cost are the same across the industry:
- Volume and weight — how many cubic metres you are shipping, and whether that fits a shared container or justifies a full one.
- Service level — FCL versus LCL groupage, sea versus air.
- Access at both ends — narrow streets, upper floors without a lift, and long carries all add handling.
- Packing and extras — full packing, crating for fragile items, storage and insurance value.
- Destination coast — routing matters. Shipments to the east coast (Montreal, Halifax) are typically the most direct and economical from Europe, while west coast delivery to Vancouver or an inland city such as Calgary involves a longer sea leg or onward domestic transport, which affects both time and price.
Tell us your inventory and postcodes and we will give you a clear, itemised quote with no invented figures and no surprises.
Customs and paperwork for Canada
Bringing your household goods into Canada is well-defined, and your Flyto coordinator prepares the documents with you. The key form is the CBSA Form BSF186, the Personal Effects Accounting Document (formerly the B4). You complete it at your first point of entry, listing the goods you are importing. For anything arriving separately — the bulk of a sea shipment usually follows later — you use Form BSF186A, the “goods to follow” list.
One point deserves emphasis: everything you intend to import must be listed at your first entry. You cannot add items to the goods-to-follow list afterwards, so a complete valued inventory prepared in advance is essential. We help you build that list properly.
The good news for people relocating: as a settler or returning resident, your used personal and household goods generally enter duty- and tax-free, provided you owned and used them before your move (typically for at least six months). Note that if you sell or give away exempted goods within twelve months of import, the duty and taxes can become payable.
Pets: the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) sets the rules. Dogs and cats aged three months or older generally need a rabies vaccination certificate, issued and signed by a licensed veterinarian, in English or French, identifying the animal and the vaccine. Dogs from countries CFIA treats as high-risk face additional requirements such as an import permit and microchip. Check the current CFIA rules for your country before you travel.
Immigration status: to import goods as a settler you must be entering to establish residence. Have your documentation ready — permanent residence, Express Entry confirmation, a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) nomination, or a work or study permit — as CBSA will want to confirm your status at entry.
Why choose Flyto
- Rated 4.9 from 500+ reviews — a track record built on doing what we say.
- Fully insured — comprehensive marine transit cover so your belongings are protected across the ocean.
- One coordinator, start to finish — no being handed off between companies.
- European hubs plus vetted Canadian partners — Flyto control in Europe, trusted local expertise at destination.
- English and French friendly — we handle correspondence and Canadian paperwork in both official languages.
- Genuine door-to-door — from packing in Europe to unpacking in Canada.
How long it takes
Transit time depends mainly on your destination coast and service. As a general guide, sea freight from Europe to the east coast ports of Montreal and Halifax is the quickest ocean route, usually a few weeks port to port. Shipments to Vancouver on the west coast take longer, and inland delivery to a city such as Calgary or Ottawa adds onward domestic transport. On top of the sea leg, allow time for European collection and packing, customs clearance on arrival and final delivery. LCL groupage takes a little longer than a dedicated FCL container because it waits for consolidation. Air freight is the fastest option by far when timing is critical. Your coordinator gives you a realistic schedule with your quote.
Frequently asked questions
Do you handle the whole move door-to-door, or just the shipping?
The whole move. We collect and pack in Europe, ship by sea or air, and our vetted Canadian partners clear customs and deliver, unload and unpack at your new address.
Does Flyto have an office in Canada?
No, and we will never pretend otherwise. Flyto runs its own hubs across Europe and works with carefully vetted local partners in Canada for delivery and clearance, all coordinated by one Flyto contact.
Will I pay duty on my household goods?
Usually not. Used personal and household goods you owned and used before moving generally enter Canada duty- and tax-free for settlers and returning residents, declared on CBSA Form BSF186 with a BSF186A goods-to-follow list.
Which Canadian cities and ports do you cover?
We ship through the ports of Montreal, Halifax and Vancouver, and deliver to cities including Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Calgary and Ottawa, plus other destinations on request.
Can I ship a partial load rather than a full container?
Yes. Our shared-container LCL groupage service lets you pay only for the space you use, which is ideal for smaller moves and part-loads.
Is my shipment insured?
Yes. Every Flyto shipment to Canada is fully insured with comprehensive marine transit cover, and your coordinator helps you value your inventory correctly.
Get your quote for Canada
Ready to move to Canada with a mover that tells you the truth and looks after the details? Share your inventory and destination and your dedicated coordinator will put together a clear, itemised quote.
Start your free removals quote to Canada