Exporting to the United States - A Guide for Canadian Businesses
Archived information
Archived information is provided for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes. It is not subject to the Government of Canada Web Standards and has not been altered or updated since it was archived. For updated information on the new Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) and it's benefits, refer to CUSMA and small and medium-sized enterprises.
Table of contents
- 1. Before you head South
- 2. Preparing to export to the U.S.
- 3. Entering your chosen U.S. market
- 4. The legal side of exporting to the U.S.
- 5. The basics of export financing
- 6. Business travel to the U.S.
- 7. Labelling, marking and standardization
- 8. Packing and shipping your goods
- 9. The Canada-US border
- 10. Dealing with U.S. customs
- Appendix A: Glossary of international trade terms
Is this guide for you?
Yes, it is, if your business has a product or service that you feel could compete in the United States. Even if you are already exporting to the U.S., we think you will find information, tips and resources here that will help you succeed more quickly and easily in the U.S. market. To take just a few examples, the guide examines:
- tools you can use to analyze U.S. markets and their characteristics;
- the effects of NAFTA on Canadian exporters;
- financing your exports to the U.S.;
- managing cross-border travel;
- border security and its effects on Canadian exporters; and
- U.S. Customs procedures and regulations, and how to deal with them.
The guide does assume that you already have some basic knowledge of exporting. If you feel you need a better grounding in the subject, we would like to recommend the Step-by-Step Guide to Exporting.
The U.S. market is vast, complex and highly competitive, and can be intimidating to enter. But thousands of Canadian enterprises — small, medium, and large — have been very successful south of the border. More join them every year and there is no reason that your company cannot be among them.
Please note
The information provided in the guide is not exhaustive. To ensure that your needs are met, always consult specialists such as the trade commissioners of the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service; you will find contact details at Contact the Trade Commissioner Service. For general information and assistance, you can call a Canada Business Network Information Officer at 1-888-576-4444 or visit the Canada Business Network website.
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