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Transporting gear to Canada for short survey project
Posted by jitterboogie on August 17, 2018 at 4:52 pmHey Board,
I’m building a proposal and wanted to see if anyone here has recently transported, declared, cleared customs and returned from Canada with Survey GPS equipment. I’ve shipped via FedEx in the past, and I’m familiar with that process, too well in fact.
Any information is greatly appreciated. I’m leaving my current company and got this awesome task thrown into my lap as a parting gift. Yea!
Thanks to anyone that can contribute some information.
jitterboogie replied 5 years, 8 months ago 6 Members · 8 Replies- 8 Replies
From what I’ve heard; you’re looking at paying a lot of money (duty) to take expensive gear across the border…
You might look at renting, when you get there.
good Luck!
I hope everyone has a great day; I know I will!- Posted by: RADAR
From what I’ve heard; you’re looking at paying a lot of money (duty) to take expensive gear across the border…
You might look at renting, when you get there.
good Luck!
Thought about that. With the corporate culture I’m leaving, it will be hard to convince the wielder of the whips that renting gear when we own millions of dollars worth of stuff will be a task I’ll pass along to the new meat, er, uh, I mean my replacement. 😉
I have been going to Canada each year for the last 4 years. The problem I have had is not so much the equipment but rather me. They said I needed a work visa, as it looked like I was going there to do work. Each time I managed to talk my way in…I was doing photo control work on government projects. So much for NAFTA supposedly enabling engineers to work on both sides…
first year, I flew to Toronto. Arrived 1 AM, they saw my equipment and told me to go in the office. I had a letter from the Provincial government saying they needed me to do the work, etc. Took me about an hour, but I got in.
Second year, I drove with my wife and we stayed one night at Niagara Falls, then I dropped her off at Billy Bishop airport in Toronto, and she flew home for $125, had no problem crossing since we just looked like typical tourists going to Niagara Falls
Third year, I crossed at International Falls, they saw my gear and cans of paint (for targets, I had a few on the US side as well). Same deal, had to convince them to let me cross.
Also last year I flew myself to Toronto’s Billy Bishop airport. I had to file an international flight plan, let them know my arrival time, etc. I was told to wait in the plane when I landed until Canada customs came out to check. I didn’t have any equipment, though. So i landed, and called them to let them know I was there. They just said go ahead, no problem, so I didn’t even get checked. Flying back to the US was a bigger hassle, I landed at Niagara Falls airport in NY and had to wait an hour for a US Customs guy to get there from the land crossing and check out the plane, etc.
This year, have not yet gone but the project is WAY up north, about 65?øN, will fly directly there and hopefully will not have any problem.
I have worked in many countries, all of the third world countries have not really been a problem. Actually, the biggest problem I had was going to St Thomas US Virgin Islands. Send the gear by fedex, they held it up for a week saying I needed to pay duties, etc. I was working for the US government, you would not think it would be an issue, but it was. In the meantime, I hung out at the hotel by the pool….Lesson learned from that was NEVER send by fedex, always take the equipment on the flight, either as carry-on or as checked baggage.
I took my gyro-theodolite to Peru in a large wooden crate that I built to hold it, about 24X18X36. Just strolled right through like nothing was happening, nobody said anything.
Equipment nowadays is so much smaller than a few years ago, I almost always put my R10/R8 into my checked bag, and carry on a total station in a backpack if I need one. I put the rover pole and tripod if needed into a golf bag.
Going to Guyana next month, I don’t anticipate problems there but you never know….
My experience has been much like John has explained. I have worked on several Environmental cleanup projects and Soil Stabilization projects in Ontario and in Alberta. You are allowed a two-week work-related visit without the work permit, per 6 month period. You will need proper paperwork (including passport), qualifications and credentials (corporate lawyer writes mine) showing why you are working in Canada, and be prepared to be asked: “Why you are performing work in place of a local Canadian”. Be prepared to wait at the border for at least an hour during questioning. It has always been about the work and not about the gear. I understand paying the work permit, is only a few hundred dollars; I suggest you get it.
Get your proper work permits.
from what I hear Deportation can be messy, loss of more than just equipment.
I have no recent experience with Canada, but I do know that the NAFTA and Tariff fights have effected all USA neighbors.
BTW: immigration agents are often capricious … and their supervisors give them full decision making powers
Why I was driving the medical lab truck, we had to have an invoice showing value and it all had to be pre filed with customs, both ways. I think they have now changed that to electronic manifests ONLY and you can’t just show up at the crossing. Prepare for possible border delays both ways, usually longer coming back to USA. Some of the rules are to prevent you taking gear across the border either way and not bringing it back without paying duty, thus everything you take in has to be listed and it must all be there on the return. It can be done, but get all your paperwork in order for both you and equipment and be prepared to answer questions.
SHG
- Posted by: Shelby H. Griggs PLS
Why I was driving the medical lab truck,
When I was driving the medical lab truck,
I knew the why. Money for time. 😉
Thanks everyone for your feedback, it’s always appreciated.
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