Canada Customs to require estimated date and time of arrival for PARS

OTTAWA (Feb. 3, 2000) — Carriers using PARS (Pre-Arrival Review System) will be required to advise Canada Customs of the date and time the goods will arrive at their location in order to establish if the release request is presented within prescribed time frames and to help in scheduling inspections of selected goods.

The requirements, which take effect July 30, are outlined in Customs Notice N-306, issued Jan. 25.

The estimated date and time of arrival should be shown on the cargo control document in the “Location of Goods” field. For cargo control documents that do not include a “Location of Goods” field, the estimated date and time of arrival can be shown in a clearly visible area.

If systems restrictions do not permit the estimated date and time of arrival to be entered on the cargo control document, it can be shown on a separate document as long as that document is issued at the same time as the cargo control document, e.g. on the fax cover sheet generated by the carrier on a PARS request.

Contact: John Kiefl, Release Policy, Import Process Division, 613/957-8690.