“From China to Canada – Shipping Method
In 2019, China exported $44.5 million worth of goods to Canada. Electrical equipment, boilers, furniture and clothing are the most common exports. Your business may have imported these or other goods from China into Canada. Or you might be planning to trade between the two countries for the first time. Whatever your reason for your interest in shipping from China to Canada, you’re on the right page.
Shipping from China to Canada
FCL by sea
FCL, or Full Container Load, is when your cargo fills an entire 20-foot or 40-foot container. If you’re shipping in bulk, you can save time and money by shipping FCL. FCL pricing is flat whether your container is completely full or not.
LCL by sea
LCL or less than container load means your cargo will not fill the entire container and will be shipped with other boxes or pallets. Please note that when you ship LCL, your cargo needs to be consolidated at the port of origin and unpacked at the port of destination.
This is the reason why LCL shipping takes several days than FCL shipping.
Air Freight from China to Canada
Air freight is suitable for time-critical cargo, or the unit price of the cargo is high, but the quantity of the cargo is small (300-500kg).
Transit time for air freight is indicated by the time required to book a class in Canada, flight time and local delivery time.
With this shipping method, the delivery time and price are more flexible than by sea, because you can choose direct or charter service, with different routes. Generally speaking, experienced freight forwarders will divide China to Canada air freight into three categories:
• Economical Air Freight: The delivery time is 6-13 days, and the price is economical, this mode of transportation is suitable for goods with limited time requirements (no dangerous goods, oversized or temperature controlled goods).
• Standard Air Freight: Delivery time is 4-7 days, reasonable price and shorter time.
• Emergency Air Freight: 1-4 days delivery time, speed priority, suitable for time-sensitive goods (perishable goods).
China to Canada Express
Express from China is a door-to-door service available from major global express companies such as UPS, DHL and FedEx.
Express shipping has several key advantages over air and ocean shipping, including:
The service is “”door-to-door””, which means no third-party logistics is required to transport your goods from the factory to the departure airport, or from the arrival airport to the final destination
Costs are “”all inclusive””, which means the quoted price is final, including any duties and taxes
And as the name suggests, express is the fastest way to get goods from China to Canada
That being said, all this convenience and speed comes at a price, with express being the most expensive of the three shipping methods available. Let us now look at these factors in more detail.
How long does it take to ship from China to Canada?
The transit time of your shipment is affected by location, shipment size, and season. Shipping times are not always the same. Shipping may be delayed depending on market conditions, natural behavior and other events.
Use the table below to estimate the time for each shipping method from China to Canada.
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How much does it cost to ship goods from China to Canada?
The short answer is that it depends. Freight forwarders must consider a number of factors when calculating shipping costs. These include:
the nature of the goods being transported
Whether an ocean or air carrier is delivering the goods
What is the weight of the consignment
The volume and dimensions of the cargo
Choice of delivery method – door to door, port to door, door to port or port to port
If you are not sure whether to ship by air or sea, the weight of the shipment may influence your decision. Freight shipments weighing 100kg or more by air are generally as economical as sea freight and faster than air freight.
On the other hand, goods weighing more than 100 kg are expensive to transport as air freight. Ocean freight from China to Canada is generally less expensive but slower.
If your shipment weighs 35kg or less, you should contact an international courier company for a quote. Freight forwarders will generally not handle shipments below this weight.
Air Freight Fees and Rates from China to Canada
Standard air freight is the cheapest option for shipments weighing between 150 and 500 kg. For very light-sized shipments, charges may be based on dimensional weight rather than actual weight.
Air freight is by far the fastest priced. Express air freight is a bit more expensive.
Shipping rates can vary widely between freight forwarders, and prices change regularly, so be sure to shop around.
For larger cargo sizes and origin/destination pairs, LCL (smaller than container loads) ocean freight costs may actually be cheaper than air freight costs – be sure to check!
Shipping Fees and Rates from China to Canada
Once the cargo weighs more than around 500kg, sea freight becomes a cheaper option. Shipping offers huge economies of scale (some ships can carry 20,000 20-foot containers) — but prices have been rising steadily since the summer of 2020, making shipping less economical than it was before the pandemic. Like air freight, ocean freight rates can vary considerably over time between freight forwarders, so shop around before choosing your freight forwarder.
You can even start shopping right away with our handy shipping calculator. It will give you instant shipping estimates for air and ocean freight.
How can air freight be cheaper than ocean freight?
Each shipping method has its own combination of base and variable costs. Models with lower base costs are cheaper for smaller shipments, while models with lower variable weight costs are cheaper options for larger shipments, even if they start with a higher base cost.
China and Canada customs clearance
Whether you choose to ship your cargo by air or sea, there is one constant for all international shipments – your cargo needs to be cleared through customs. The rules and regulations can be confusing for both novice and experienced shippers. For this reason, many companies choose to hire the services of a freight forwarder to deal with the complexity. A freight forwarder will help minimize the chance of delays affecting your shipment and ensure your shipment complies with Chinese and Canadian shipping laws.
Even with the assistance of a freight forwarder, your business will need to provide important information needed to complete shipping documents. These documents include:
commercial invoice
Packing List
Certificate of Origin
Letter of credit or other payment terms (depending on the contract between the parties involved)
Air waybill or sea waybill
How to Ship from China to Canada
Step 1: Contact a freight forwarder in China
The team at TJ-chinafreight is always on call, with the best price guaranteed through our high volume prices.
Step 2: Get a Shipping Quote from China
We will notify you of all available options based on your load, speed requirements and budget.
Step 3: Buy China Cargo Insurance
Make sure to always protect your investment from catastrophic losses because you think it’s more affordable.
Step 4: Arrange customs clearance
Last but not least, make sure your shipment has the proper documentation to leave China and enter Canada. At TJ-chinafreight we are happy to assist you with any arrangements you may need.”
