How to import goods on Canada's Import Control List (ICL)

Canada’s Import Control List identifies goods that may require a permit before they can legally enter Canada. Checking it early can help you avoid delays and ensure compliance.

Canada’s Import Control List (ICL) is one of those compliance requirements that many importers do not think about until a shipment is delayed, flagged, or held at the border.

Administered by Global Affairs Canada (GAC), with assistance at the border from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), the ICL identifies goods whose importation is controlled and that must be imported under the authority of a permit.

In this article, we explain what Canada’s Import Control List is, what kinds of goods it covers, and what you need to do to import those goods.

What is the Import Control List?

Canada’s Import Control List (ICL) is a list of goods whose importation is controlled under the Export and Import Permits Act (EIPA).

Goods on the ICL must be imported under the authority of a permit, whether through a General Import Permit or a Specific Import Permit, depending on the goods and the applicable program.

What goods are on the ICL?

The Import Control List covers a wide range of goods. Depending on the product and tariff classification, ICL-controlled goods can include:

• Supply-managed agricultural products (dairy, poultry, and eggs)
• Certain beef and veal products
• Wheat, barley, and their products
• Certain steel and aluminum products
• Firearms, weapons, and related goods
• Certain military arms and munitions
• Toxic chemicals and their precursors (including Chemical Weapons Convention-scheduled substances)
• Certain textiles and clothing products (including some imports tied to tariff preference levels or origin quota entitlements)

• Certain vehicles originating in China, including electric vehicles

How to import ICL-controlled goods

1. Confirm the tariff classification and whether your goods are controlled

Whether your goods are controlled often depends on the specific tariff item and how they are described in the ICL. You should confirm the tariff classification first.

2. Determine whether a General Import Permit or Specific Import Permit applies

Under the EIPA, your imports on the ICL are authorized either through a GIP or a Specific Import Permit. If you are importing certain agricultural goods or certain textile and clothing goods tied to preferential duty claims, you may need a specific permit.

3. Use GAC’s permit system and understand any allocation requirements

Import permit applications are handled through GAC. For many tariff rate quota (TRQ) goods, you need an allocation before you can obtain a permit for the lower within-access duty rate, since those permits are normally issued only to allocation holders.

4. Make sure the permit is in place at the right stage

For TRQ agricultural goods, you must obtain a specific permit by final accounting to receive the within-access rate of duty. If you do not, your goods are generally assessed at the higher over-access rate. In some cases, such as sufferance warehouse situations, you must obtain the specific permit before release.

For non-TRQ ICL goods, the CBSA may detain your shipment and reject release if the required permit authority is missing or if your permit information is invalid.

5. Work with your customs broker early

Because Import Control List compliance depends on tariff classification, product scope, origin, and permit timing, it’s best to review the requirements with your customs broker before your shipment moves.

At Cole International, we offer trade consulting and customs brokerage services to help Canadian businesses understand import requirements and streamline the clearance of their goods.

Reach out to one of our trade professionals to check whether your imports are on the Import Control List and to prepare for import and clearance requirements.