Global Affairs Canada · Import Control List
Farm goods under quota
Within the quota, farm goods need a permit for that shipment (dairy, poultry, eggs, and beef from countries without a trade agreement that covers it) or General Import Permit 20 (wheat, barley). Over the quota, they come in under General Import Permit 100 at the over-access rate. Wheat, barley and beef that qualify for most of Canada's preferential rates pay none, or less.
To import farm goods under quota
On every shipment
- Within the quota: the permit for that shipment. Wheat and barley use General Import Permit 20 instead, until the quota is reached. Beef and veal need one only from countries without a trade agreement that covers beef.
- Over the quota: General Import Permit 100. The goods pay the over-access duty, unless a preferential rate removes it: wheat, barley and beef that qualify for most of Canada's trade agreements or the Least Developed Country tariff, and beef under the Commonwealth Caribbean tariff, pay none.
Every year
- Dairy, poultry and eggs: apply for the year's allocations. Only Canadian residents can hold them, and each lasts one quota year. A few quotas are first come, first served and need none.
Find your route
Pick the one that matches the goods.
Dairy, poultry and eggs
A permit for each shipment, mostly from an allocation. Within the quota. Without one, General Import Permit 100, at the higher duty.
Beef and veal
A quota permit only from countries without a trade agreement that covers beef. None from the US, Mexico, Chile or the EU. From the UK, CPTPP and Canada's other agreements that cover beef: General Import Permit 100, with no over-access duty. From other countries: a quota holder's permit for each shipment, or General Import Permit 100 at the over-access duty, which beef that qualifies for the Least Developed Country or Commonwealth Caribbean tariff doesn't pay.
Wheat and barley
General Import Permit 20. Within the quota, first come, first served. Once it is reached, General Import Permit 100. Wheat and barley that qualify for most trade-agreement rates pay no over-access duty.
Documents you may need
| Document | When you need it | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Shipment-specific permitIssued by GAC for one shipment | Dairy, poultry and eggs within the quota; beef and veal within the quota from countries without a trade agreement that covers beef | If it applies |
| General Import Permit 20Published by GAC; no application | Wheat and barley within the quota | If it applies |
| General Import Permit 100Published by GAC; no application | Over the quota or without a permit for it, at the over-access rate unless a preferential rate removes it; beef from the UK, CPTPP and Canada's other agreements that cover beef | If it applies |
What stops goods at the border
Goods still enter without a quota permit. They come in under General Import Permit 100 and pay the over-access duty, unless a preferential rate removes it.
Also check for these goods
| Also check | Who | Where it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Food, plants and animals | Canadian Food Inspection Agency | Some of the same HS codes |
| Wildlife | Environment and Climate Change Canada | Some of the same HS codes |
Questions
Who can hold a quota allocation?
Only Canadian residents. An allocation expires at the end of the quota year and can't be carried over.
Can I import more than the quota?
Yes, under General Import Permit 100. The goods pay the over-access duty, unless a preferential rate removes it.
Sources: Global Affairs Canada, CBSA, Justice Laws
- General information on the administration of TRQs for supply-managed products, Global Affairs Canada, modified 2026-07-30
- Memorandum D19-10-2: Administration of the Export and Import Permits Act (importations), CBSA, modified 2026-10-22
- Import Control List, C.R.C., c. 604, Justice Laws, current to 2026-10-19
- Customs Tariff 2026, chapter 2: meat and edible meat offal, CBSA, modified 2026-01-01
- Customs Tariff 2026, chapter 10: cereals, CBSA, modified 2026-01-01
- Customs Tariff 2026, chapter 11: products of the milling industry, CBSA, modified 2026-01-01
- Electronic Commerce Client Requirements Document, chapter 23: Integrated Import Declaration, CBSA, modified 2026-08-25
- Notice to importers 883: beef and veal imports, Global Affairs Canada, modified 2024-10-03
- Notice to importers 1164: CPTPP beef and veal, Global Affairs Canada, modified 2026-07-03
Reviewed November 10, 2026.
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