Jay's Moving and Storage

Moving Overseas

International Relocations - Different than Domestic!

International or overseas relocations are growing in number for many Canadians and Canadian Companies who need to transfer employees. These relocations differ in many ways from the traditional domestic move.

Domestic = Any move within Canada or to/from the United States
International = Any move to/from Canada to/from any country other than the U.S.

How an International move will differ from a domestic move

Packing - Since the moving companies can not recover the quilted pads or blankets that are traditionally used in domestic moves, they use a combination of protective coverings, usually paper-based products, to protect furniture and other household goods. More time needs to be allocated to packing when it is done international-style.

Transportation - Air and sea are the main methods of transport:

Air - Quicker than seafreight, shipping by air is usually more expensive but if time is of the essence or the contents (i.e., wine), if the shipment is very small, the destination too remote or not secure, airfreight is the ideal choice.

Sea - either in crates, containers, or a combination of the two, shipping by sea is generally more cost effective than by air but can be less direct and slower.

Destination Agents - The international moving companies depend on a network of agents worldwide to assist with the customs clearance, delivery and unpacking at destination.

Transit Time - The total door-to-door transit time can be anywhere from 5 days to 10 weeks! You may need temporary accommodations in the interim.

Customs Clearance - The requirements differ for every country and can include inspections, fumigation, personal interviews, re-export procedures and a wide variety of paperwork.

Storage - is a large component of most international relocations. There are two scenarios:

Long Term - Ideal if the new accommodations are smaller than here in Canada or if this is a short-term work contract that doesn’t merit shipping everything or items not needed before your return to Canada.
Short Term - Often required to temporarily delay the delivery of goods while you wait for your work visa to be processed or to bridge the time between leaving the old residence and the availability of the new home overseas.

Insurance - International marine policies usually require a detailed and valued inventory based on the replacement value at destination.