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SINGLE WINDOW INITIATIVE. WHAT IMPORTERS NEED TO KNOW.

Are you ready for Single Window? Learn what you need to do to keep your shipments moving.

March 23, 2020 – NOTICE:

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is delaying the decommissioning of the legacy OGD service options. A new date is yet to be determined. Brokers and importers are encouraged to continue using the SWI IID or the legacy service options (OGD-PARS, OGD-RMD) to obtain release of PGA-regulated goods.

The Canada Border Services Agency’s (CBSA) Single Window Initiative (SWI) focuses on the standardization of data and process simplification.

This initiative will, in part, reduce risk and improve control at the border by allowing Customs to better identify goods with import requirements, validate permits and exchange information with Participating Government Agencies (PGAs).

Onboarding to Single Window took effect January 1, 2019 – by this date, customs brokers were expected to have completed testing and be certified to transmit via the Integrated Import Declaration (IID). The existing Pre-Arrival Review System (PARS) and Release on Minimum Documentation (RMD) service options for PGAs were expected to be decommissioned by April 1, 2019, however the CBSA announced an extension to October 2019, and more recently. a newly extended deadline was announced for April 1, 2020.

Program background

The program modernizes and aligns Canadian and U.S. import processing procedures under the Beyond the Border Action Plan.

Through Single Window, importers can submit all required documentation to the CBSA electronically, including information required by PGAs. The CBSA then transmits all applicable data elements directly to the respective PGA. Upon receipt, the PGA reviews the transmitted information and provides the release decision back to Customs, which in turn transmits this information back to the applicable filer.

With this integrated solution, importers can satisfy the regulatory import requirements of multiple government agencies by transmitting their shipment information through the Integrated Import Declaration (IID). This not only streamlines the importing process, but also eliminates redundancies and reduces clearance times.

The upcoming transition date will affect the following PGAs:
For information about the PGAs and their respective programs, click on the PGA name.

Key SWI roll-out dates

January 1, 2019:  Deadline to obtain system certification for all PGAs and Account Securities.

April 1, 2020: The deadline to sunset legacy service options for Other Government Agency PARS and RMD shipments.

Livingston is SWI-ready

Livingston’s people, processes and technology are ready for SWI:

  • We’ve been fully certified since November 2018.
  • We’ve been participating in Single Window since October 2016, ensuring our familiarity with SWI and its requirements.
  • We’ve upgraded our brokerage systems to be fully SWI-compliant.
  • We’re committed to keeping clients informed of changes, as we become aware of them.

While we have made every attempt to ensure that the information contained in the Single Window Initiative (SWI) resource pages has been obtained from reliable sources, Livingston International is not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for the results obtained from the use of this information.