EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT
SWI AS AN IMPORTER
Single
Window
Initiative
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT
SWI AS AN IMPORTER
Single
Window
Initiative
What shipments does SWI affect?
All shipments into Canada
What do you need to do?
On top of any licences and certificates, your shipment
invoice needs to include:
What happens if you don't adapt to SWI?
At best: your shipments
will be delayed
At worst: your shipments
will not clear customs
Who needs to know about SWI?
Anyone shipping to Canada
What's changing with SWI?
The quantity of goods information
on your shipment invoice needs
to be more detailed than before
(for regulated goods, other
information may also be required)
When do you need to act?
Soft launch starts
January 1, 2019,
with full compliance mandatory by
April 1, 2019
1
2
3
4
5
6
Executive Summary
Six reasons to keep reading about the Single Window Initiative (SWI)
What is SWI?
Single Window Initiative (SWI) will make it
easier—and faster—to import into Canada.
How? SWI creates a single port of access for multiple government agencies and dozens of programs, so import data can be shared easily across agencies.
Why does your business need to know about SWI?
SWI will make it
faster to clear
your goods through customs (and help
enhance supply chain security, too)
What information
you need to provide with your shipments—and in some cases, when you need to provide it—will change
To avoid possible delays at the border, you'll need to work with your vendors and suppliers to make sure you've got the information you need to clear customs on time
Does SWI Apply to Your Business?
How will things
be different?
No matter what you import, with SWI
all importers must
quantify their goods at the case, weight, and item level
(or equivalent UOM)
Cases
Total Quantity
Whether your goods are on a pallet or shipped in cases, the largest unit of measure they're bundled in must appear on
your invoice
Total Weight/Volume
What is the total weight/volume of
your shipment?
Put it on your invoice
Type and Quantity
Whether your master pack contents are counted in multiples, dozens, or gross, your invoice must specify both the type and quantity of inner and outer packages on a pallet
or in each case
Weights
Items
3-Level Unit of Measure
Other than the Unit of Measure,
WHAT OTHER CHANGES
should importers
be prepared for
with SWI?
Complete invoices, complete certificates,
and complete licences are an excellent start!
...Timing of information may be different
If you already include complete invoices
—and if your goods are regulated, complete certificates and complete licences—
with your shipments, MOST of the information required to clear your imports through SWI will already be provided.
Pre-SWI, it's been okay to submit some information AFTER your imports
have been released by customs.
Under SWI, that information will be required BEFORE your imports
can be released.
...New and/or
additional information may be required
Some regulated goods may
require new information—not needed
pre-SWI—to clear your imports.
Over and above the mandatory fields
that should be covered by your complete invoices, certifications, and licences,
SWI includes some new and conditional fields. These are specific to individual
HS codes at the description level, and depend on the applicable
government agency.
HOWEVER...
AND...
THIS MEANS:
Taking advantage of
SWI's promised faster clearance speed will depend on timely, complete, and correct documentation
As your business and supply chain partners adjust to SWI's new information requirements, you can expect to hear from your customs broker more often
to address any missing elements required to clear your imports quickly.
Your customs broker will work with you during the roll-out and soft launch periods to make sure your business—
and your documentation—is
ready for April 2019.
OGD PARS + OGD RMD
become IID or LPCO for
PGA-regulated goods under SWI
Whoa! Lay off the alphabet soup already—
what the heck does that even mean?!
Are your goods regulated by any of
the Participating Government Agencies
(PGAs) detailed below? Have your
pre-SWI imports been cleared using the
Pre-Arrival Review System (PARS) and/or Release on Minimum Documentation (RMD)? Under SWI, your PGA-regulated imports will be cleared using the Integrated Import Declaration (IID) or Licence, Permit, Certificate, and Other Documents
(LPCO) Image instead.
If your goods are NOT regulated by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Natural Resources Canada, or Transport Canada,
your non-PGA imports will continue to clear under Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) PARS and EDI RMD, even after April 1, 2019.
Sidebar: What's OGD?
It's Canada Border Services' acronym
for Other Government Departments.
Under SWI, OGDs become PGAs—
it's just a shiny new set of letters to describe the same thing!
9 and 39
The number of participating government agencies (PGAs) and government programs to be connected through SWI
UOM
Unit of Measure (UOM)
—how imported goods are quantified—will apply to
all imports to three levels
2-WAY
Data harmonization between Canadian and United States government agencies via SWI
SWI Fun Facts:
When does SWI
come into force?
ROLL-OUT STARTS
If they haven't already, customs brokers will start rolling out Single Window Initiative (SWI) to prepare their systems—and their customers—ahead of the soft launch (and earn certification for SWI compliance)
ASAP
If they haven't already, customs brokers will start rolling out Single Window Initiative (SWI) to prepare their systems—and their customers—ahead of the soft launch
(and earn certification for SWI compliance)
SOFT LAUNCH
Customs brokers and their customers should be using Single Window Initiative (SWI) to process all imports. Pre-SWI legacy service options will remain open during the soft launch period to allow backup options for imports that encounter technical issues related to SWI
January 1, 2019
April 1, 2019
That's when the Single Window Initiative comes into full force. By this time, all imports must be processed through SWI. Pre-SWI legacy service options will no longer be available after April 1, 2019
HARD LAUNCH
Top 6 Import Categories
Importing regulated goods?
Learn more about the
Products and participating government agencies most impacted by SWI
Regulated foods (meat products; fish and seafood; shell eggs and processed egg products; dairy products; processed fruit or vegetable products; honey and maple products; and fresh fruit and vegetables); Non-regulated foods; Plants and plant products; Live animals; Animal feed (and pet food); and Soil and fertilizer
1. Food Products
(and Plants, and Animals)
Participating Government Agencies:
Other Participating Government Agencies, and
Applicable Government Programs / Regulations:
For Food:
For Plants, and Animals:
For more information on the matching criteria for CFIA, visit:
https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/prog/sw-gu/regcom-marreg/cfia-acia-eng.html
EnerGuide and ENERGY STAR products;
Explosives; and Kimberley Process (for rough diamonds)
2. Natural Resources
Participating Government Agency:
Applicable Government Programs / Regulations:
For more information on the matching criteria for NRCAN, visit:
https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/prog/sw-gu/regcom-marreg/nrc-rnc-eng.html
Vehicles (passenger, motorcycle, commercial, recreational, and age-exempt); Marine vessels; Planes; Tires; and Parts
3. Transportation
Participating Government Agency:
For more information on the matching criteria for TC, visit:
https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/prog/sw-gu/regcom-marreg/tc-eng.html
Textiles; Steel; and Agricultural products
Participating Government Agency:
Applicable Government Programs / Regulations:
Free Trade Agreements, including:
4. Products with
Import Controls
For more information on the matching criteria for GAC, visit:
https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/prog/sw-gu/regcom-marreg/gac-amc-eng.html
Vehicles (passenger, motorcycle, commercial, recreational, and age-exempt); Marine vessels; Planes; Tires; and Parts
3. Transportation
Participating Government Agency:
For more information on the matching criteria for TC, visit:
https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/prog/sw-gu/regcom-marreg/tc-eng.html
Vehicles (passenger, motorcycle, commercial, recreational, and age-exempt); Marine vessels; Planes; Tires; and Parts
3. Transportation
Participating Government Agency:
For more information on the matching criteria for TC, visit:
https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/prog/sw-gu/regcom-marreg/tc-eng.html
Engines and vehicles with emissions; Hazardous waste and recyclable materials; Ozone-depleting substances; Wildlife; Pearls, precious stones and metals; Clothing and textiles; Furniture and bedding; Musical instruments; and Miscellaneous manufactured items
5. Products with Environmental Impact
Participating Government Agency:
Applicable Government Programs / Regulations:
For more information on the matching criteria for ECCC, visit:
https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/prog/sw-gu/regcom-marreg/eccc-eccc-eng.html
Pharmaceuticals; Controlled substances;
Natural health products; Cosmetics; Essential oils and perfumes; Blood, tissue, organs, and cellular products;
Organic and inorganic chemicals; Pesticides and insecticides; Radiation emitting and Medical devices
Participating Government Agency:
Applicable Government Programs / Regulations:
6. Drugs, Chemicals,
and Health Products
For more information on the matching criteria for HC, visit:
https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/prog/sw-gu/regcom-marreg/hc-sc-eng.html
Beyond the top 6 import categories
most impacted by new SWI information
requirements, other import categories—
and Participating Government Agencies—include:
For more information on the matching criteria for CNSC, visit:
https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/prog/sw-gu/regcom-marreg/cnsc-ccsn-eng.html
For more information on the matching criteria for DFO, visit:
https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/prog/sw-gu/regcom-marreg/dfo-mpo-eng.html
For more information on the matching criteria for PHAC, visit:
https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/prog/sw-gu/regcom-marreg/phac-aspc-eng.html
Still Have Questions?
This infographic isn't meant to provide the exhaustive answers to everything about the Single Window Initiative.
Some details are subject to change due to the testing and certification period. Stay tuned for more information.
Give your favourite customs broker a call for personalized service tailored to your business' needs
New and/or
additional information may be required
Some regulated goods may
require new information not needed
pre-SWI to clear your goods.
Over and above the mandatory fields
that should be covered by complete invoices, certifications, and licences,
SWI includes some conditional fields.
These are specific to individual HS codes
at the description level, and depending
on the applicable government agency.
AND:
Questions?
CONTACT US
SOURCES:
www.aacb.com