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Canada food imports: SFC licence and Safe Food for Canadians Regulations

Food imported into Canada must be brought in by a holder of a Safe Food for Canadians (SFC) licence: a Canadian importer or a non-resident importer based in a country whose food safety system CFIA recognises. The importer must make sure the food was made, stored, packaged and labelled to at least the same level of safety as food prepared in Canada, keep traceability records and have complaint and recall procedures.

Checked against official sources: 2026-10

At a glance

LawSafe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR), Part 2; enforced by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)
LicenceSFC licence required to import food, applied for through the My CFIA portal
Who can hold itA Canadian importer, or a non-resident importer with a fixed place of business in a country CFIA recognises as equivalent
Safety standardImported food made, prepared, stored, packaged and labelled to the level of the preventive controls in sections 47 to 81
Preventive control planWritten plan required for most importers; not for those with gross annual food sales of $100,000 or less
TraceabilityRecords one step back and one step forward in the supply chain
Import informationImporter name, address and licence number, foreign supplier, country of origin, first delivery address in Canada, food description and quantity
Not covered by s. 11Food additives, beverages above 0.5% alcohol and some unprocessed foods labelled "For Further Preparation Only"

Who can import food

Section 5 of the SFCR requires a licence to import food, apart from the exceptions in the regulations. Only Canadian importers and qualifying non-resident importers can apply, through the My CFIA portal. A non-resident importer must have a fixed place of business in a foreign country that CFIA has found to have an equivalent food safety system, and the food must be shipped directly from that country; for meat and live or raw shellfish, that country needs a CFIA-recognised inspection system. Businesses in other countries can only sell through a licensed Canadian importer.

Importers must understand the risks of the food they import, work with the foreign supplier to control them and know who manufactures, prepares, stores, packages and labels the food. These rules also apply to food imported for later export.

Importer obligations

Exceptions and special cases

The import production standard in section 11 does not apply to food additives, beverages above 0.5% absolute ethyl alcohol, or unprocessed foods listed in Schedule I that are not consumer prepackaged and are labelled "For Further Preparation Only". Alcoholic beverages remain under provincial and territorial rules.

Non-compliant food, except meat, may be imported if labelled "For Further Preparation Only" and brought into compliance within three months. Food for personal use within maximum quantity limits, samples of 100 kg or less for analysis, research or exhibition, food labelled "Not for Use as Human Food" and in-bond shipments passing through Canada are among the exceptions.

Step by step

  1. Confirm whether your Canadian buyer holds an SFC licence, or whether you qualify as a non-resident importer from a recognised country.
  2. Share with the importer the information it needs about your plant, process, storage, packaging and labelling.
  3. Support the importer's preventive control plan and traceability records.
  4. Make sure the import information, including the licence number, is provided to CFIA at or before import where required.
  5. Check Canadian labelling and standards, or label non-compliant food "For Further Preparation Only" where allowed.

Documents you usually need

Common problems and how to avoid them

A foreign exporter tries to import directly without an SFC licence.

What to do: Use a licensed Canadian importer, unless you qualify as a non-resident importer in a CFIA-recognised country.

The importer cannot describe how the food was made.

What to do: Importers must know who manufactures, prepares, stores, packages and labels the food; provide this information.

Meat products are moved before inspection.

What to do: Meat must go to a licensed establishment, and other foods stay at the first destination until inspection is complete.

A label does not meet Canadian rules.

What to do: Except for meat, food may enter labelled "For Further Preparation Only" and be brought into compliance within three months.

Sources

  1. Regulatory requirements: Trading food Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)
  2. Are you a food importer? New requirements may apply to you Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)

Rules change often. This note is practical guidance based on the sources above, not legal advice. Confirm current requirements with the authority, your importer or a licensed customs broker before you ship.

Port codes by country

Canada port codes (UN/LOCODE)
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Trade notes

How to Export to Canada in 2026: Duty, 5% GST, CARM, Labels and Counter-TariffsExporting to Canada in 2026: how duty and 5% GST are calculated, the importer's BN, RM account and CARM registration, release prior to payment,…Canada food labelling requirements: bilingual labels, allergens, FOP symbolWhat a prepackaged food label needs in Canada under CFIA rules: English and French, common name at 1.6 mm, metric net quantity, "Imported by"…Exporting Food to the US: FDA Registration, Prior Notice and FSVPExporting food to the US in 2026: FDA facility registration and renewal, prior notice, FSVP, canned food filings, labels, allergens, FDA holds and…

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Common questions

Do I need an SFC licence to export food to Canada?

The importer needs one. A foreign company can hold it only as a non-resident importer based in a country CFIA recognises as equivalent; otherwise it sells through a licensed Canadian importer.

What is a preventive control plan?

A written plan showing how food safety hazards are controlled; most importers need one, except those with gross annual food sales of $100,000 or less.

What traceability is required?

Records that trace the food one step back and one step forward in the supply chain.

Does the SFCR apply to alcohol?

The import production standard does not apply to beverages above 0.5% alcohol, which remain under provincial and territorial rules.

Can samples be imported without a licence?

Samples of 100 kg or less for analysis, research or exhibition are among the exceptions.

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