1. Choose dried shrimp that meets export standards for Canada

Not all dried shrimp clears customs easily. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) controls imported seafood very closely.

• Dryness: The shrimp must be thoroughly dried by machine or in the sun. Damp shrimp easily goes mouldy during the 7–14 day air journey and is likely to be refused by customs for hygiene reasons.
• Clear origin: Choose shrimp with clear labels, expiry dates and ingredients where possible. If it is homemade or bought at a traditional market, make sure it is clean, with no impurities or insects.

2. How to pack against mould and odour

This is the most important step in deciding whether your parcel will be accepted for the flight. Canadian customs is very sensitive to the smell of fresh or dried food.

• Double vacuum-seal: Split the dried shrimp into bags of 500 g to 1 kg and vacuum-seal them tightly. Add a second plastic bag outside in case the inner bag leaks because of pressure changes in flight.
• Use desiccant packs: Put a food-grade desiccant pack inside each bag before heat-sealing. This keeps the shrimp dry so it doesn’t “sweat” and go mouldy.
• Sturdy box: After vacuum-sealing, pack the bags neatly in a strong carton. At Soleil Transportation, basic packing in a carton is included in the service, saving you preparation costs.

3. Declare the HS code and complete CBSA customs procedures

When shipping dried shrimp to Canada, accurate goods information on the waybill is mandatory so the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) can check it.

• Product name: Write it in English or French on the label, for example “Dried Shrimp” or “Dried Baby Shrimp”. Don’t write a vague “Food” or “Gift”, as the parcel will be held for manual inspection.
• Duties: With our two-way Vietnam–Canada service, the rate from $16/kg includes all import duties, so the recipient in Canada doesn’t have to worry about extra charges on door delivery.

4. Choose the right shipping service

Depending on the weight and your needs, you can choose:

• Dedicated air service: Ideal for mixed food parcels, from $16/kg, with an average transit time of 7–12 business days.
• ePacket: If you are only sending a small pack of dried shrimp with a few personal gifts under 2 kg, ePacket from just $8.50 CAD per parcel is a very economical and convenient choice.

5. Track your order and receive it in Canada

After shipping, you’ll receive a tracking number to check online. You can follow your dried shrimp from the warehouse in Vietnam to delivery in any Canadian province, with automatic updates by email or Zalo.

Before shipping, contact Soleil Transportation on +1 888-998-5199 or at info@soleiltransportation.com so our staff can check that your dried shrimp is packed to standard and your shipment goes as smoothly as possible.

To get your herbs and medicinal leaves through the border, preparation and packing must strictly follow hygiene and biosecurity standards. Here is a practical 5-step process to minimise this risk.

Step 1: Select and clean the raw materials

Canadian customs is very strict about insects, mould, soil and pathogens on plants. Even a little soil on a root is enough to have the whole parcel destroyed immediately.

• Remove impurities: All dried leaves, roots and stems used as herbal medicine must be completely free of soil and sand. Don’t send tubers or roots that haven’t been properly cleaned.
• Dry thoroughly: Herbs must be dried until crisp, with no remaining moisture. Moisture inside plastic bags condenses on a long journey and lets mould grow. If customs opens a bag and finds mould, it will be destroyed on the spot.
• Check for pests: Make sure leaves and seeds haven’t been eaten by insects or weevils.

Step 2: Vacuum-seal in small portions

Putting all the medicine in one large sack is the most common mistake that gets parcels held.

• Split into small bags: Divide the herbal medicine into individual doses or small packs (about 100 g to 500 g). This is convenient for the user and lets customs check the contents visually without tearing open a large bag.
• Vacuum-seal: Use thick, purpose-made bags and vacuum-seal them tightly. Removing the oxygen stops mould growing during the 7–14 day air journey to Canada. It also saves a lot of space in the box.

Step 3: Label clearly in English or French

Canadian customs can’t guess what a bag of brown powder or a handful of dried leaves contains. Without a label, they will assume it is a prohibited substance or a harmful plant.

• Product name: On each small vacuum-sealed pack, add a label with the product name in English or French (for example, Dried Herbal Tea, Dried Cleistocalyx operculatus leaves, Dried Polyscias fruticosa root). Include the plant’s scientific name if possible.
• Ingredients: State that it is 100% natural, with no preservatives or harmful chemicals.
• Origin: Write “Product of Vietnam”.

Step 4: Pack in a standard carton

Once each small pack is sealed, arrange them neatly in a strong carton.

• Pack in order: Put heavy packs and hard roots at the bottom and crumbly leaves on top.
• Fill the gaps: Use bubble wrap or kraft paper to fill all gaps so the packs can’t move, knock together and tear the vacuum bags in transit.
• Tape: Seal every edge of the box with wide tape to keep outside moisture out.

Step 5: Declare accurately to customs

When sending herbal medicine to Canada, an honest and accurate declaration on the waybill decides whether your goods clear customs.

• Declare in detail: Don’t write a vague “medicine”, “gift” or “dried goods”. Write “Dried herbal medicine for personal use”.
• Don’t hide anything: Never hide herbs among clothing or other personal items to avoid inspection. Customs scanners will detect them, and deliberate concealment will get your entire shipment confiscated and may even lead to a fine.

Ship to Canada safely with Soleil Transportation

Posting dried leaves and herbal medicine yourself carries many risks if you don’t fully understand Canada’s plant import rules. At Soleil Transportation, we help customers check that labels are compliant and advise on the best way to pack before the flight.

• Fast transit: Air shipping from Vietnam to Canada takes just 7–14 days (7–12 business days on average), so herbs keep their medicinal properties and don’t go mouldy from long storage.
• Great rates: Shipping from Vietnam to Canada starts at just $16/kg, including import duties and basic packing in a carton.
• Easy tracking: Track your parcel online with your order number or receive automatic updates by email, SMS or Zalo.

Before packing herbal medicine for Canada, contact the Soleil Transportation team on +1 888-998-5199 or email your list of herbs to info@soleiltransportation.com. We will check them carefully against the list of permitted imports so your shipment goes as smoothly as possible.

To make sure your parcel clears customs smoothly, here is a professional packing and odour-control process you can do at home before bringing your goods to the Soleil Transportation warehouse.

Step 1: Select and fully dry the food

The most common reason dried squid goes mouldy or smells strongly during a 7–14 day journey is that it is still damp. Packed in a sealed box and exposed to temperature changes in the aircraft hold, the moisture escapes, mould grows and a very unpleasant smell develops.

• Check the moisture: Before packing, dry the squid or fish again in strong sun for about 1–2 hours. Make sure it is completely dry and not sticky to the touch.
• Remove sharp edges: Hard tentacles and sharp fish bones can easily pierce plastic bags in transit. Trim the sharpest parts with scissors or wrap them in soft wax paper before bagging.

Step 2: Double vacuum-seal in heavy-duty bags

Vacuum-sealing is a must when shipping dried squid to Canada. It not only keeps the food from spoiling but also stops the smell escaping.

• Use thick PA/PE bags: Avoid ordinary thin plastic bags. Choose thick, purpose-made vacuum bags that resist tearing.
• First vacuum layer: Put the squid in the bag, flatten it, remove all the air and heat-seal the bag.
• Clean the surface: After the first layer, wipe the outside of the bag with a cloth dampened with alcohol or warm water to remove any squid powder or odour picked up while handling.
• Second vacuum layer: Put the sealed bag inside a larger bag and vacuum-seal again. This double layer is a very strong shield that stops odour molecules leaking.

Step 3: Wrap in newspaper and cling film

Many people think vacuum-sealing alone is enough, but temperatures in the hold can make the plastic expand. An outer protective layer is therefore essential.

• Wrap in newspaper or kraft paper: Wrap 2 to 3 layers of newspaper around each vacuum-sealed bag. Newspaper absorbs moisture very well if the temperature changes suddenly and reduces friction between bags.
• Wrap in PE stretch film: Wrap stretch film tightly 3–5 times around the newspaper. This holds the package together and locks in the smell once more.

Step 4: Pack in a sturdy carton and seal every gap

The final step is packing the goods in a box ready to ship. Soleil Transportation offers free basic packing in a carton for customers shipping to Canada.

• Pack neatly: Lay the squid packs flat at the bottom of the box so no sharp corners press into each other. Fill any remaining space with bubble wrap or shredded paper so nothing moves in transit.
• Seal every seam: Use wide tape to seal all seams, edges and corners of the carton. This stops outside air getting in and odours getting out.

Important notes when shipping dried squid to Canada

Besides packing, keep these rules in mind so your shipment goes smoothly:

• Clear labels: Dried squid should be labelled with its expiry date and origin. Homemade products without labels can still be sent, but customs will inspect them more closely.
• Declare honestly: Never hide dried squid under clothing or other items without declaring it. A clear declaration means your order is classified and processed correctly.
• Cargo insurance: For high-value shipments of dried squid, consider buying extra shipping insurance so you are properly compensated if something goes wrong.

Soleil Transportation offers two-way Vietnam–Canada air shipping with door delivery from just $16/kg. Average transit time is 7–12 business days depending on the location, so your dried squid reaches the recipient in Canada in good condition without spoiling or expiring.

Before gathering dried squid or other dried seafood to ship to Canada, contact the Soleil Transportation team on +1 888-998-5199 or at info@soleiltransportation.com. We will advise you on the latest customs rules at the time of shipping and show you exactly how to prepare your goods.