Moving from Dubai to Canada
Moving a home from Dubai to Canada typically costs AED 22,000–34,000 door to door in a 20 ft container and AED 8,500–17,000 as a shared-container part load (market ranges last checked October 2026). To bring your goods in duty-free, list them as "goods to follow" and declare that list at your first point of entry, even if nothing travels with you.
By Movers Dubai editorial teamLast checked against Canada Border Services Agency (opens in a new tab)
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Dubai to Canada moving costs
Typical door-to-door market ranges, compiled from public price pages of international movers and container marketplaces.
| Job | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Dubai to Canada, 20 ft container | AED 22,000–34,000 per shipment |
| Dubai to Canada, shared container (part load) | AED 8,500–17,000 per shipment |
Inland cities such as Calgary cost more than Toronto or Vancouver, because of the rail leg from the port.
Canadian customs: goods to follow (BSF186)
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) lets settlers and returning residents bring personal and household goods in duty- and tax-free, but only goods on the list you declare when you land.
Make the list before you leave Dubai
Prepare two copies of a list of everything you are importing, with the value, make, model and serial number where there is one. Split it in two: goods you bring with you, and goods to follow. Goods that arrive later only qualify if they are on that original list. Your mover's packing inventory is a good starting point.
Declare it at your first point of entry
Give the list to the border services officer at the first place you enter Canada, even if you have no goods with you. The officer completes form BSF186, the Personal Effects Accounting Document, gives it a file number and hands you a copy. Keep that copy: the agent needs it to clear the container later. You can fill in BSF186 before you arrive to speed this up.
Ownership rules
Settlers must have owned, possessed and used the goods before arriving. Former residents returning to Canada must have owned and used them abroad for at least six months, unless they lived abroad for five years or more, and any single item worth over CAN$10,000 pays duty on the amount above that.
Things to leave out or check first
CBSA restricts food, plants, soil-contaminated goods, firewood, firearms and used mattresses, among others. Clean garden tools and outdoor furniture well before packing. If you sell or give away duty-free goods within a year of import, duty becomes payable.
Planning a move from Dubai to Canada
Most moves go by sea to a Canadian port, then by rail or road to the new city. Ask the mover which port it will use for your city and whether the quote runs to your door or stops at a depot. The sea vs air freight guide explains transit choices, and the international moving guide covers export packing in Dubai.
If you are getting married within three months of arriving, wedding gifts you already own can also come in duty-free, so list them too.
Questions for a Dubai to Canada mover
- Which Canadian port and inland route will my shipment take?
- Can you give me the inventory in a format I can use for the goods to follow list?
- What do you need from me after I land: the BSF186 copy, passport, entry documents?
- Which destination charges are included, and how long is the quote valid?
What changes the cost of a move to Canada
- City
- Inland cities need a rail leg and cost more than port cities.
- Volume
- Part loads suit small homes; a sole container is better value as volume grows.
- Storage
- If your Canadian home is not ready, storage at the destination depot is charged until delivery.
- Inspections
- A CBSA or agriculture inspection adds handling and storage costs at the port.
Dubai to Canada moving questions
What people ask about shipping a home from Dubai to Canada.
How much does it cost to move from Dubai to Canada?
Typical door-to-door market ranges, last checked October 2026: AED 22,000–34,000 for a 20 ft container and AED 8,500–17,000 for a shared-container part load.
What is the goods to follow list?
The part of your list of personal goods that will arrive after you, usually by sea. You declare it when you first enter Canada so those goods can later clear duty- and tax-free.
Do I need to declare goods to follow if I arrive with only suitcases?
Yes. CBSA says to give your list to the officer at your first point of entry even if you have no goods with you; the officer then completes form BSF186.
Can I fill in BSF186 before I land?
Yes. CBSA says you can complete BSF186 before arriving to speed up clearance.
Sources for this page
Last checked: .
Official pages
Where the price ranges come from
How the ranges are built: Dubai moving costs.
Moving from Dubai to Canada?
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