What are Trade Compliance Customs Audits?
Trade compliance refers to importers and exporters meeting the rules and regulations governing the movement of commercial goods into and from Canada. Importers and exporters are responsible for reporting accurate information on their shipments to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). To ensure compliance with reporting requirements, the CBSA conducts customs audits either randomly or by targeting specific products.
Canada’s Border Security Agency is responsible to ensure compliance with importers & exporters. One
of these methods is by performing random and prioritized verification type audits. Each January & July
specified commodities are identified for audit and are made public by the CBSA. Certain products are
chosen for review of tariff classification, while others are based on validation of their values or origins &
free trade certification.
What To Do If Selected for an Audit
Many factors determine if imported products are selected for audit. For instance, your product may just simply be on the latest list of audit targets.
Whatever the reason, please contact us at 1-800-763-2255 or send us an email immediately if your company receives notification of a customs audit. We can advise you as to how best to proceed and guide you through the process. However, in order for us to act on your behalf during your audit, you will have to sign and submit the Letter of Authorization accompanying CBSA’s audit package.
Customs audits have been steadily increasing in recent years. Therefore, we recommend importers and exporters establish a compliance plan to ensure accurate records are maintained. We offer several services to assist in creating a compliance plan and minimizing the risk of CBSA fines and penalties.