When a parcel entering Canada shows a customs status, it means the shipment is with the Canada Border Services Agency or awaiting information the carrier needs to complete clearance. In most cases nothing is wrong; the parcel is simply in a queue.
What triggers a hold
- Incomplete or vague descriptions. "Gift", "sample" or "goods" on a customs declaration invites a manual review. A specific description clears faster.
- Missing or mismatched value. The declared value must match what was actually paid, including shipping.
- Restricted or regulated goods. Food, plants, supplements, alcohol, cosmetics and anything battery-powered can require additional review or a permit.
- Duty and tax collection. Some parcels simply wait until charges are calculated and, where applicable, paid.
- Random inspection. A share of shipments is examined with no trigger at all.
Who can move it along
You generally cannot contact CBSA to speed up a specific parcel. The carrier is the party that communicates with customs, so the request goes through them — and often through the shipper, since the shipper holds the commercial documentation.
Duties, taxes and brokerage
Three separate charges get confused constantly. Duty depends on what the item is and where it was made. GST, and provincial tax where applicable, is charged on most imported goods. Brokerage is the carrier's own fee for handling clearance, and it is not a government charge. Thresholds and rates change, so verify the current figures with CBSA before you ship or buy.
Refusing a parcel to avoid charges does not automatically cancel them, and return shipping is rarely free.