Canada Import Duties & Taxes Explained
We here at PLA are so excited to share our products and resources with our Canadian customers. Our PLApro.ca website is now live and available to Canadian lash and nail artists!
We want to be totally transparent about how much PLA products cost when shipping internationally. Keep reading for more information about how purchasing from an American company and shipping to Canada works — and how we make up for heavy taxes with a special Canadian discount!
Canadians probably already know this, but for those that don’t, we are going to break it down for you.
Import Duties To Canada 101
There are three main tax models you should know about when importing into Canada. These are the GST, HST, and PST.
Virtually anything shipped to Canada will be subjected to the Goods and Services Tax (GST). This is a standard 5% rate and will apply to almost everything mailed to Canada. There are a few exemptions, but these will likely not apply to anything purchased from PLA.
Depending on which province you work in, the GST might be the standalone 5% rate or it might show up as part of the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST). There are five provinces that utilize the HST; these are Ontario, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador. The HST rate is 13% (except for Ontario, where it is 15%). So if you work in any of these provinces, the HST is the only tax you’ll need to consider.
Canada Import Tax Breakdown
Finally, some provinces collect their own specific tax in addition to the GST. This is called Provincial Sales Tax (PST) in British Columbia and Saskatchewan, Retail Sales Tax (RST) in Manitoba, and Quebec Sales Tax (QST) in Quebec. These range from about 6-10% and are separate from the GST.
Check out the chart below for a quick overview of how these three taxes work in each province!
For more information about duties and shipping your order into Canada, visit our resources page on the Canadian PLA website. All shipping, Canada duties, and taxes will be shown at checkout.
We understand that these rates can make importing international goods difficult and much more expensive. That’s why we offer all PLA products at a discount to Canadian customers!
So a big thanks to all of our Canadian customers, and happy lashing!