CFIA: Non-Resident Importers (NRI): Safe Food for Canadians Regulations
A NRI is a person that imports food into Canada whose fixed place of business is located in a country other than Canada. NRIs are allowed to obtain a Safe Food for Canadians (SFC) licence under limited conditions.
To obtain a licence as a NRI, your fixed place of business must be in a country that the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has recognized as having a food safety system that provides at least the same level of protection as that of the Safe Food for Canadians Act and Regulations.
Types of foods currently approved for import by a NRI from specific countries:
Current approved foods:
Don’t forget! The SFCR requires that a NRI must send the food directly to Canada from a CFIA recognized foreign state. For food other than meat and live or raw shellfish, the United States (US) is currently the only recognized foreign state from which a NRI can send certain foods directly to Canada.
Note for foreign suppliers
You must export food to Canada through a licenced Canadian importer. If you are a foreign business that prepares foods for export to Canada, you cannot apply for a licence under the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR) unless you qualify as a non-resident importer.
Reach out to Welke
Questions about these trade verification priorities? Don’t hesitate in reaching out to our team—we’re always here to help!