Moving to Canada During The COVID-19 Pandemic
1st Move International remains open for business according to BAR guidelines and we continue to strive to provide customers with the highest level of service possible during these unusual times.
We remain available to offer help and advice for anyone moving to Canada and have taken numerous measures to ensure that both our staff and our customers are protected throughout the shipping process.
Contents:
Why Choose 1st Move International?
Unique COVID Safe Packing
We have created and pioneered a unique protective packing system designed to fully protect your personal effects during shipment from knocks, bumps, and from any 3rd parties handling individual items. Our zero-touch packing system means that once your personal goods leaves our depot it will not be touched by anyone until you personally unpack them at the door of your new home.
Price Guarantee
We guarantee that you will only pay for exactly what you ship and not a penny more! Once we have your goods we craft an individual and custom sized shipping pallet and carefully pack, protect, and palletise your goods.
This process allows us to take an extremely accurate billing measurement that can be confirmed through each stage of the supply chain - including you personally. Read more about how our packing system allows us to offer smarter pricing here.
Weekly Shipping
When it's packed, it's gone! Unlike other international removals companies, we don't hang around.
We don't wait for more customers to fill a shared container so as soon as your goods are received and packed, they are loaded alongside commercial goods with guaranteed weekly sailings.
Fully Insured
Our unique packing systems offer the safest way to ship your goods overseas. Reducing the risks involved in manhandling of individual items ensures an exceptionally low claim levels for each and every international move.
Insurance is underwritten by insurance giants Royal Sun Alliance and details can be found on our moving insurance page here.
Over 20 Years of Experience
1st Move International has been operating for over 20 years and our dedicated team has helped ship thousands of people to Canada.
Our Move Co-ordinators will be there to guide you through every step of the moving process, on hand to answer any questions and offer advice should you need it.
Packing For Your International Move to Canada
We are the only international removals company to employ this system of packing and we have been doing so for the last 20 years. Our palletised shrink-wrap packing is proven to:
- Give your belongings unparalled protection in transit to Canada
- Drastically reduce handling of individual items
- Speed up customs clearance
- Provide a COVID-safe method of shipping your goods overseas
See how it's done in the short video below.
Recognitions
We are established members of:
- the British Association of Removers (BAR)
- the British International Freight Association (BIFA)
- the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Association (FIATA)
Looking for a quote? Use our quote form to receive an estimate for your move.
UK to Canada Shipping Options
Dedicated Container
Full container load shipping, or "FCL", is for large or full home moves and gives you sole use of a 20ft or 40ft container.
Your goods will be picked up from your home in the UK and brought to our main depot where we load it on to your own sole use container. That container is then delivered to the shipping line within 1 week in time for the next available sailing to Canada date.
Shared Container
Less than container load, or "LCL", is designed for those smaller house moves. Professionally packed using our unique COVID Safe Shrink-Fast packing system and shipped on the next available weekly sailing to Canada.
Avoid the delays: Unlike other movers our robust packing systems allow us to share containers with major manufacturing and exporting companies giving us unbeatable weekly sailings direct from the UK utilising the world’s premier shipping lines.
Get a free quote for your move to Canada today.
Collection & Delivery (door to door)
A collection service is offered throughout the whole of the UK and onward delivery can be arranged with our overseas agents in Canada, allowing for a full door to door service.
International Removals Costs from the UK to Canada
How Much Does It Cost to Move to Canada?
It’s definitely a big country so moving costs can vary depending on your final destination and the distance from the main arrival ports of Montreal, Toronto or Vancouver. International moving costs are based on the size or volume of your move, the bigger the move, the higher the cost. Collection, packing and destination charges will also affect the final price, so please ask us for a quote.
- 3 bed house: Montreal £1066.00 - Toronto £1340.00 - Vancouver £2269.00
- 4 bed house: Montreal £1915.00 - Toronto £2278.00 – Vancouver £3507.00
- Small moves in our shared container prices start from £165.00 per cubic metre
| Destination Port | 20ft Container |
40ft Container |
|---|---|---|
| Montreal, Canada | £1,066 | £1,915 |
| Toronto, Canada | £1,340 | £2,278 |
| Vancouver, Canada | £2,269 | £3,507 |
Important information about these moving costs
The costs above are as a guideline only. They do not include UK collection or packing costs. Prices shown are Port to Port only and there will be additional charges at destination for customs procedures, handling, and onward delivery to your door. To get an accurate quote specific to your own personal needs simply complete our moving quote form.
Shipping Dates and Transit Times to Canada
We offer guaranteed weekly sailings from the London UK to Canada. Port to port transit times are currently Vancouver 30 days, Toronto 12 days and Montreal 10 days.
For more detailed schedules with specific dates and vessel names, please see our Canada shipping schedule page.
| Destination | Next Sailing | Transit Time |
|---|---|---|
| Montreal | Under 1 Week | 10 Days |
| Toronto | Under 1 Week | 12 Days |
| Vancouver | Under 1 Week | 30 Days |
Customs and Quarantine Requirements in Canada
COVID-19 & Entry Requirements
Due to the COVID-19 situation Canada has some tighter restrictions on people arriving into the country. In order to travel to Canada from the UK you must be exempt from their current travel restrictions which means you must be either a permanent resident or be part of a permanent residents immediate family, a temporary foreign worker or an international student. In addition, all people entering Canada are required to self-isolate for 14 days after arrival.
Please read the full entry requirements on the Canadian Government website here.
Clearance & Declarations
Essential Documents
Our destination agents will require several documents to smoothly process your goods on arrival in Canada. These include:
- A BSF186 form.
- Your Visa or Residence Confirmation
- Your passport.
Through the entry ports of Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver we can offer delivery services throughout Canada to include Dawson, Whitehouse, Prince Rupert, Edmonton, Victoria, Calgary, Regina, Winnipeg, Thunder Bay, Toronto, Hamilton, Halifax, St John, Sept-lies, Iqaluit; and all other towns in: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan or Yukon Territory
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Restricted Goods
The Canadian Border Services Agency imposes strict rules on what goods are and are not allowed to be brought into the country. Here is a list of goods that are either prohibited or require permission to import.
- Firearms and other weapons require special licenses to possess in Canada and all weapons must be declared to customs.
- Food, plants, animals and related products must be declared.
- Explosives, fireworks, and ammunition are restricted and require import permits.
- Vehicles must meet several requirements before they are allowed to be imported.
- A number of foreign consumer products may not meet Canadian safety standards.
- Counterfeit goods.
- Used mattresses or cushioning from used mattresses.
For more detailed information on both prohibited and restricted goods to Canada, see our blog Shipping to Canada: What you can and can't bring.
More information can also be found on the Government of Canada's information page here. If you are unsure about the restriction status of any of your goods, please ask your Move Co-ordinator.
Shipping Your Car to Canada
Our sister company AutoShippers provide container car shipping services from the UK to all main Canada ports on a weekly basis. For more info on how to ship your car to Canada, visit AutoShippers.
Useful links
Real customer reviews
We are the only UK international removals company who offer COVID safe packing solutions when shipping household goods from the UK.
Once packed, your pallets are photographed and pictures of your shipment will be posted immediately to our Facebook page.
You can see a gallery of our latest customer shipments here.