How long does it take for Canada Post to deliver to England?

How long does it take for Canada Post to deliver to England?

As England is a relatively short hop by aircraft over the Atlantic, Canada Post can deliver mail and parcels there within a few business days. For a less expensive but more time-consuming option, there is sea freight. While Canada Post is a natural choice for Canadian shippers, a range of other couriers with varying levels of services and prices are also available for shipments from Canada to England.

Beyond finding an economical option for a delivery to England – which Secureship can help you with, which saves time and money in the process – remember any shipment from Canada is international. And that means foreign countries impose rules on imports and often levy duties and taxes on them, all of which this blog covers.

Table of Contents

• Shipping with Canada Post vs. Secureship
• Peculiarities of International Shipments
• Duties and Taxes
• Conclusion

Shipping with Canada Post vs. Secureship

Walking into a Canada Post office with a parcel for shipment is a natural choice for many Canadians. And by selecting air freight, the parcel could arrive at its destination anywhere from 4 - 12 business days depending on the level of service you select. However, if you choose Secureship to arrange your shipping, it can all be organised from your office or home and includes parcel pick-up at your door. And it can be done in very little time from your keyboard.

And there are other perks. Because of Secureship’s bulk buying power with noted carriers, you or your business can save up to 50% of your shipping costs. As well, you save time because the platform guides you through the process of preparing the paperwork for your shipment. Further, if you have any questions about shipping to England or about 140 other foreign countries and territories, our Learning Centre has the articles and answers you need.

Peculiarities of International Shipments

Life is more complicated when you ship a parcel outside of Canada. For starters, foreign countries have rules of what they allow into their territory, and some goods may require permits to enter (for example, medications and foodstuffs), or customs impose limits to quantities of particular goods that may enter in a shipment (typically alcoholic beverages and tobacco products, but others as well). To help you with this, Secureship has assembled a very large collection of Country Shipping Guides with this sort of valuable information, and it includes parcel deliveries to England from Canada.

International shipments also require specific paperwork, the correct completion of which is the sender’s responsibility. Of those required, the Commercial Invoice (CI) is the most important piece of paper your shipment needs. Think of it as the parcel’s passport – without one, no entry. The CI provides customs officials with the information to determine the goods’ admissibility to the country and to assess the correct duties and taxes on them.

Duties and Taxes

Most often, the recipient pays the duties and taxes owed on the shipment, but sometimes they become the sender’s responsibility. Nevertheless, they have an indirect effect on shipping costs, and calculating them may seem complicated. The description below gives a brief overview, but we recommend that you consult Calculate UK Import Duty and Taxes for further details.

Duties

A shipment to England with a value of £135 or less (about $235 CAD – as of June 2024), will be exempt from duty fees (with the exception of alcohol and tobacco products).

Taxes

Canada has a GST and England has a VAT, and they are essentially the same thing. Any import entering England irrespective of its value will incur the value added tax (VAT) of 20%. This means that even if the goods have a nominal value, VAT will be levied on them.

Conclusion

Canada Post can deliver a parcel from Canada to England by sea or air in anywhere from a month to several days, respectively. But whether you use Canada Post or another carrier for your shipment, all foreign countries require paperwork for parcels to cross their borders. And the most important one is the commercial invoice, without which the parcel will be returned to its sender at his or her expense. And like every independent nation, England has importation rules on goods entering its territory that may prevent or limit their entry, and it also imposes duties and taxes on those items. While this may sound complicated or overwhelming, you don’t have to face it alone. Secureship helps you navigate these steps and finds you the best price for your shipment. And all of these services save you a great deal of time and money.