How to Ship Personal Effects from Canada Overseas: Step by Step
Moving abroad with boxes of your own belongings? Here is how ocean shipping of personal effects from Canada works, from the quote to departure.
Many people leaving Canada for a year or for good do not need a whole container. A few dozen boxes of clothes, books, kitchenware and personal items can travel by sea in a shared container (LCL groupage), which usually costs far less than a dedicated container or air freight. This article explains how a personal effects shipment with A1 Freight Forwarding works and what you need to prepare.
1. Check the destination and get a price
Personal effects are accepted for many destinations, but not for all: each country has its own customs rules, and the carrier confirms which routes can take used household goods. Start with the quote calculator at the top of this page. Choose your Canadian city, the destination country and city, and the type of cargo. Enter the number of boxes and their size and weight; the calculator shows the price and whether personal effects can travel on that route.
Shipments leave from our receiving warehouses in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. If you live elsewhere in Canada, choose your city in the calculator: it shows the route from the nearest gateway.
2. Pack the boxes properly
Ocean cargo is handled several times: at the warehouse, in the container and at the destination terminal. Use new, strong double-wall cartons, fill them completely so they do not collapse, and seal every seam with packing tape. Heavy items such as books go in small boxes; light items in larger ones. Number every box and write the same numbers on your packing list.
Do not pack anything the carrier does not accept: vehicles and parts with fuel, food, plants, animals, medication, weapons, dangerous goods (aerosols, batteries, paint, flammable liquids), cash, jewellery and other valuables. If you are not sure about an item, ask us before you pack it.
3. Fill in the packing list
The packing list is the main customs document for personal effects. It names the shipper and the receiver and lists every box: what is inside, quantity, dimensions, weight and value. Be specific: "winter clothes, 2 coats, 6 sweaters" is useful; "personal items" is not. The total customs value of a shipment may not exceed CAD 2,000.
Our packing list can be filled in on screen or printed and filled in by hand. Sign it before you upload it.
4. Upload your passport
For personal effects we need a clear copy of the photo page of the shipper's passport. The passport must be valid (not expired), and the name in it must match the shipper's name on the booking and on the packing list. We accept a passport from any country, but no other ID. The carrier and destination customs both rely on this copy, so make sure it is sharp and fully readable.
5. Book and deliver the cargo to the warehouse
When you accept the quote, you receive a booking page with everything that is still missing. Upload the documents there. We check them and send you the warehouse address and delivery instructions. You bring the boxes to the warehouse yourself or with a local mover: A1 does not offer pickup from your home. The warehouse measures and weighs the cargo; the final price follows those measurements.
6. Insurance (optional)
Cargo insurance for personal effects is arranged through Marsh Canada (CargoCover). To request it, sign the insurance coverage form and complete the valued inventory, then upload both on your booking page before departure. The blank forms are on our Useful Links and Forms page.
7. At the destination
The receiver, or an agent acting for them, clears the shipment through local customs and collects it from the destination terminal or warehouse. Rules differ by country: some ask the receiver to be present in person, some charge duty on personal effects, and some require extra documents for returning residents. Check the rules of the destination country before you ship and keep copies of the packing list and passport at hand.
Quick checklist
- Price checked in the calculator, personal effects accepted on the route.
- Strong boxes, numbered, sealed, nothing from the not-accepted list.
- Packing list filled in, total value no more than CAD 2,000, signed.
- Copy of a valid passport, same name as the shipper.
- Insurance forms signed, if you want insurance.
- Boxes delivered to the warehouse on the agreed date.
Tell us where your cargo needs to go.
Share the origin, destination and shipment details. We will review the route and reply by email.