# Importing K-Beauty Wholesale into Canada: Customs and Labels Source: https://peacockwholesale.io/blogs/k-beauty-wholesale-canada-import-guide Author: Amisha, Marketing Manager (Peacock Wholesale) Published: 2026-11-04 Updated: 2026-11-04 Part of: Korean Skincare Wholesale in the USA: 8 Questions to Ask a Supplier (https://peacockwholesale.io/blogs/korean-skincare-wholesale-usa) A practical guide for Canadian resellers buying Korean skincare wholesale: business numbers, customs, the Korea Tariff, cosmetic notification and bilingual labels. ## Key takeaways - Get a business number and an import-export account before your first commercial shipment. - Korean-made cosmetics can qualify for the Korea Tariff with a Canada–Korea Certificate of Origin. - Health Canada expects a cosmetic notification within 10 days of first sale, and English and French labels. What do Canadian resellers need to import Korean skincare wholesale? More than a supplier and a payment method. Commercial imports into Canada go through the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), and cosmetics sold in Canada fall under Health Canada's Cosmetic Regulations. Here is what to set up before your first order, and what to ask your supplier. This is a general guide, not legal or customs advice, so check the official pages linked below or talk to a customs broker about your situation. ![Checklist for importing Korean skincare wholesale into Canada](https://zkgczounduybqdelytej.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/cms_media/blogs/1793237610630-s4piokb.jpg) ## Before your first order: set up as an importer Commercial importers identify themselves to the CBSA with a business number. The Canada Revenue Agency explains how to [get a business number and an import-export (RM) program account](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/businesses/topics/business-registration/business-number-program-account/how-register/bn-import-export.html). Duties and taxes on commercial goods are managed through the CBSA's CARM system, and the [CBSA guide to importing commercial goods](https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/import/guide-eng.html) walks through each step. Many small importers use a customs broker to handle classification, release and payment. ## Duties: the Korea Tariff Canada and Korea have a free trade agreement, the Canada–Korea Free Trade Agreement (CKFTA). Goods that qualify as originating in Korea can be imported under the Korea Tariff (tariff treatment code 30), which reduces or removes customs duty. To claim it, the CBSA requires the importer to hold a Canada–Korea Certificate of Origin completed by the exporter in Korea. Ask your supplier for it with every order. Without it, the preferential rate cannot be claimed. Taxes are separate from duty. GST applies to most imported goods, and depending on your province, HST or PST may apply too, so include them when you work out your [landed cost per unit](/blogs/how-to-price-k-beauty-retail). ## Health Canada: cosmetic notification Every cosmetic sold in Canada must be notified to Health Canada. Manufacturers and importers must notify Health Canada within 10 days after they first sell a cosmetic in Canada, and a product that isn't notified can be denied entry or removed from sale. If you are the importer, that responsibility may sit with you, so agree with your supplier on who files. Health Canada's [Notification of Cosmetics](https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/consumer-product-safety/cosmetics/notification-cosmetics.html) page explains the process. Health Canada also keeps a [Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist](https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/consumer-product-safety/cosmetics/cosmetic-ingredient-hotlist-prohibited-restricted-ingredients/hotlist.html) of prohibited and restricted ingredients. Checking a product's ingredient list against it before you order is a quick way to avoid stock you can't sell. ## Labels: English and French Cosmetic labels in Canada need the product identity and any warnings in both English and French, an ingredient list using INCI names, the name and address of the dealer, and the net quantity in metric units. Many Korean products are labelled for Korea or for global markets, so check each product before you order and plan for bilingual stickers where needed. Health Canada's [labelling page](https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/consumer-product-safety/cosmetics/labelling.html) lists the requirements. ## Products that are not cosmetics in Canada Some products sold as everyday skincare in Korea are regulated differently in Canada. Sunscreens, for example, are not cosmetics in Canada and need their own approval as a drug or natural health product. Leave products like these out of a first order unless your supplier can confirm their Canadian status. ## Questions to ask your supplier - **Do you ship to Canada, and on what terms?** Find out who pays duties and taxes at the border. - **Can you provide a Canada–Korea Certificate of Origin?** You need it to claim the Korea Tariff. - **Who is the importer of record?** This decides who handles customs and the Health Canada notification. - **Do the labels include French?** If not, plan for bilingual stickers. - **Which documents come with the order?** At minimum, a commercial invoice, a packing list and a certificate of origin. ## A simple first order for Canada Keep the first Canadian order small and simple: a few well-known skincare products with clear ingredient lists, no sunscreens, and brands whose labels you have checked for French. That lets you test the whole process, from customs to notification to relabelling, before you scale up. Once the paperwork runs smoothly, add more brands and wider ranges. ## Ordering from Peacock Peacock ships to Canada. Orders ship from the brands' country of origin and are delivered to your door, and every order comes with 7+ documents, including the commercial invoice, packing list and a Canada–Korea certificate of origin, which you need to claim the Korea Tariff. For Canadian orders, the buyer is the importer of record. That means any duties and taxes due at the border are paid by you, and the Health Canada notification sits with you as well. Peacock's minimum order value is $300 and the typical lead time is 14 days. New to K-beauty wholesale? Start with our [8 questions to ask a K-beauty supplier](/blogs/korean-skincare-wholesale-usa) and our guide to [the documents behind a K-beauty order](/blogs/k-beauty-wholesale-documents). ## Questions readers ask ### Do I need a business number to import cosmetics into Canada? Commercial importers identify themselves to the CBSA with a business number, and register an import-export (RM) program account through the Canada Revenue Agency. ### Is there duty on Korean cosmetics imported into Canada? Goods that qualify as originating in Korea can be imported under the Korea Tariff of the Canada–Korea Free Trade Agreement, which reduces or removes duty. You need a Canada–Korea Certificate of Origin from the exporter. ### Do K-beauty products need French labels in Canada? Yes. The product identity and any warnings on a cosmetic label must be in English and French. ### When do I need to notify Health Canada about a cosmetic? Manufacturers and importers must notify Health Canada within 10 days after they first sell a cosmetic in Canada. ### Does Peacock ship K-beauty wholesale to Canada? Yes. Peacock delivers to your door in Canada with 7+ documents per order, including a Canada–Korea certificate of origin, which you need to claim the Korea Tariff. The buyer is the importer of record and pays any duties and taxes due at the border.