Notice to importers: Item 82 – Steel goods – Serial No. 1160
Date: December 12, 2025
Table of contents
- 1.0 Purpose, coverage and duration
- 2.0 Authority
- 3.0 Method of administration
- 4.0 Import permits
- 5.0 Contact us
1.0 Purpose, coverage and duration
1.1 This Notice replaces the Notice to importers: Item 82 – Steel goods – Serial No. 1142 (dated August 1, 2025) and informs importers of the policies and procedures governing the administration of the tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) for certain steel goods that are listed in item 82 on the Import Control List (ICL). This Notice takes effect on December 12, 2025, and will remain in effect until it is superseded by a further Notice or otherwise withdrawn.
1.2 The ICL was amended on June 27, 2025, to add certain steel goods to implement the Order Imposing a Surtax on the Importation of Certain Steel Goods (Surtax Order), and on August 1, 2025, further to the Order Amending the Order Imposing a Surtax on the Importation of Certain Steel Goods (Amending Surtax Order). Following the Prime Minister’s announcement on November 26, 2025, the Surtax Order was further amended by the second Order Amending the Order Imposing a Surtax on the Importation of Certain Steel Goods (Second Amending Surtax Order), effective December 26, 2025. Together, the orders are referred to as the ‘”Amended Surtax Order”.
1.3 The Amended Surtax Order establishes and adjusts TRQs for steel goods originating from non-CUSMA free-trade agreement (FTA) partners and non-FTA partners matching the tariff classification numbers specified in column 4 for each class of good in Column 1 of Schedules 1 and 2, and the quantities and single country limits in columns 2 and 3, respectively, of the Schedules above which a fifty percent (50%) surtax will apply. Amended measures, which take effect on December 26, 2025, will reduce the volumes of the TRQs for goods originating from non-CUSMA FTA and non-FTA partners, as listed in section 3.4 of this Notice. The amended measures will also remove 1 tariff classification number from the Structural Steel product class and will reassign tariff classification numbers between the Line Pipe, Large Diameter Line Pipe, and Standard Pipe product classes (with corresponding volume adjustments).
1.4 This Notice applies to steel goods originating from all sources, with the exception of goods originating from Canada, the United States and Mexico. This Notice does not apply to goods that are classified under a tariff item of Chapter 98 of the List of Tariff Provisions in accordance with the Amended Surtax Order. The Amended Surtax Order does not provide new exclusions for in transit goods.
1.5 The quota quantities are detailed in section 3.4 below. Due to changes in quota volume and recategorization of the product classes subject to the TRQs under the Amending Surtax Order of August 1, 2025, the quantities of steel goods originating from non-FTA partners that were imported between June 27, 2025, to July 31, 2025, were accounted under the adjusted quota amounts for Quarter 1 under a transitional measure. The quotas for steel goods originating from non-CUSMA FTA partners were administered under another transitional measure with pro-rated quantities during Quarter 1.
1.6 The TRQs are administered by way of shipment-specific import permits. The TRQs will be administered until June 27, 2026, subject to any amendment, extension, or repeal of the Amended Surtax Order.
2.0 Authority
2.1 Steel goods subject to the Surtax Order and Amending Surtax Order were listed on the ICL on June 27, 2025, and August 1, 2025, respectively, under paragraph 5(1)(e), subsection 5(6) and section 6 of the Export and Import Permits Act (EIPA). Steel goods subject to the Second Amending Surtax Order were listed on the ICL on December 26, 2025, under paragraph 5(1)(e), subsection 5(6) and section 6 of the EIPA.
3.0 Method of administration
3.1 The commodities (HS Codes) covered by each of the TRQs are set out in the Commodity Codes Handbook.
3.2 The TRQs are in place from June 27, 2025, to June 27, 2026, as follows:
- Quarter 1 (non-FTA partners): June 27, 2025 – September 25, 2025
- Period 1 (FTA partners): August 1, 2025 – September 25, 2025
- Quarter 2: September 26, 2025 – December 25, 2025
- Quarter 3: December 26, 2025 – March 25, 2026
- Quarter 4: March 26, 2026 – June 27, 2026
3.3 The TRQs are administered on a first-come, first-served basis.
3.4 The quantity of goods that may be imported under each TRQ during the period and quarters from August 1, 2025, to June 27, 2026, for FTA and non-FTA partners are set out in the Amended Surtax Order as follows:
Non-FTA partners
| Product Class | Quota for each quarterly period from December 26, 2025 (tonnes)/kilograms | Maximum share from quarterly quota period from December 26, 2025, for any single country | Quota for quarterly period from August 1, 2025, to December 25, 2025 (tonnes)/kilograms | Maximum share from quarterly quota period of August 1, 2025, to December 25, 2025, for any single country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carbon steel ingots | (5.6 MT) 5,600 KG | 97% | (14 MT) 14,000 KG | 97% |
| Steel billets and blooms | (30,472.5 MT) 30,472,500 KG | 70% | (76,181 MT) 76,181,000 KG | 70% |
| Hot-rolled sheet | (2,370.5 MT) 2,370,500 KG | 41% | (5,926 MT) 5,926,000 KG | 41% |
| Floor plate | (2.4 MT) 2,400 KG | 98% | (6 MT) 6,000 KG | 98% |
| Steel plate | (5,201.2 MT) 5,201,200 KG | 36% | (13,003 MT) 13,003,000 KG | 36% |
| Cold-rolled sheet | (6,164.4 MT) 6,164,400 KG | 92% | (15,411 MT) 15,411,000 KG | 92% |
| Tin | (382.9 MT) 382,900 KG | 84% | (957 MT) 957,000 KG | 84% |
| Coated steel sheet | (18,732.8 MT) 18,732,800 KG | 37% | (46,832 MT) 46,832,000 KG | 37% |
| Pre-painted | (3,466 MT) 3,466,000 KG | 58% | (8,665 MT) 8,665,000 KG | 58% |
| Rebar | (13,445.1 MT) 13,445,100 KG | 29% | (33,613 MT) 33,613,000 KG | 29% |
| Hot-rolled bar | (7,281.7 MT) 7,281,700 KG | 39% | (18,204 MT) 18,204,000 KG | 39% |
| Wire rod | (1,571.7 MT) 1,571,700 KG | 45% | (3,929 MT) 3,929,000 KG | 45% |
| Cold finished bars | (214.4 MT) 214,400 KG | 54% | (536 MT) 536,000 KG | 54% |
| Structural steel | (4,674.2 MT) 4,674,200 KG | 55% | (11,711 MT) 11,711,000 KG | 54% |
| Steel wire | (4,114.6 MT) 4,114,600 KG | 70% | (10,286 MT) 10,286,000 KG | 70% |
| Stainless steel ingots | (0.1 MT) 100 KG | 75% | (0.25 MT) 250 KG | 75% |
| Stainless steel billets and blooms | (892.9 MT) 892,900 KG | 99% | (2,232 MT) 2,232,000 KG | 99% |
| Line pipe | (2,472 MT) 2,472,000 KG | 59% | (5,433 MT) 5,433,000 KG | 61% |
| Oil country tubular goods | (3,126.5 MT) 3,126,500 KG | 53% | (7,816 MT) 7,816,000 KG | 53% |
| Standard pipe | (10,369.2 MT) 10,369,200 KG | 21% | (23,906 MT) 23,906,000 KG | 22% |
| Large diameter line pipe | (927.9 MT) 927,900 KG | 70% | (5,086 MT) 5,086,000 KG | 51% |
| Piling pipe | (2,689.8 MT) 2,689,800 KG | 92% | (6,724 MT) 6,724,000 KG | 92% |
| Hollow structural sections | (2,398.5 MT) 2,398,500 KG | 40% | (5,996 MT) 5,996,000 KG | 40% |
FTA partners
| Product Class | Quota for each quarterly period from December 26, 2025 (tonnes)/kilograms | Maximum share from quarterly quota period from December 26, 2025, for any single country | Quota for quarterly period from September 26, 2025, to December 25, 2025 (tonnes)/kilograms | Quota for period from August 1, 2025, to September 25, 2025 | Maximum share from quarterly quota period of August 1, 2025, to December 25, 2025, for any single country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carbon steel ingots | (92.4 MT) 92,400 KG | 77% | (123 MT) 123,000 KG | (76 MT) 76,000 KG | 77% |
| Steel billets and blooms | (17,649.4 MT) 17,649,400 KG | 40% | (23,533 MT) 23,533,000 KG | (14,482 MT) 14,482,000 KG | 40% |
| Hot-rolled sheet | (9,523.1 MT) 9,523,100 KG | 67% | (12,698 MT) 12,698,000 KG | (7,814 MT) 7,814,000 KG | 67% |
| Floor plate | (33.4 MT) 33,400 KG | 66% | (45 MT) 45,000 KG | (27 MT) 27,000 KG | 66% |
| Steel plate | (54,354.9 MT) 54,354,900 KG | 30% | (72,473 MT) 72,473,000 KG | (44,599 MT) 44,599,000 KG | 30% |
| Cold-rolled sheet | (1,832.6 MT) 1,832,600 KG | 32% | (2,444 MT) 2,444,000 KG | (1,504 MT) 1,504,000 KG | 32% |
| Tin | (2,156.4 MT) 2,156,400 KG | 56% | (2,875 MT) 2,875,000 KG | (1,769 MT) 1,769,000 KG | 56% |
| Coated steel sheet | (31,128.2 MT) 31,128,200 KG | 25% | (41,504 MT) 41,504,000 KG | (25,541 MT) 25,541,000 KG | 25% |
| Pre-painted | (23,763.8 MT) 23,763,800 KG | 90% | (31,685 MT) 31,685,000 KG | (19,498 MT) 19,498,000 KG | 90% |
| Rebar | (28,710.4 MT) 28,710,400 KG | 45% | (38,281 MT) 38,281,000 KG | (23,557 MT) 23,557,000 KG | 45% |
| Hot-rolled bar | (8,750.3 MT) 8,750,300 KG | 58% | (11,667 MT) 11,667,000 KG | (7,180 MT) 7,180,000 KG | 58% |
| Wire rod | (16,514.8 MT) 16,514,800 KG | 59% | (22,020 MT) 22,020,000 KG | (13,551 MT) 13,551,000 KG | 59% |
| Cold finished bars | (6,559.3 MT) 6,559,300 KG | 39% | (8,746 MT) 8,746,000 KG | (5,382 MT) 5,382,000 KG | 39% |
| Structural steel | (3,467.6 MT) 3,467,600 KG | 69% | (4,624 MT) 4,624,000 KG | (2,846 MT) 2,846,000 KG | 69% |
| Steel wire | (7,370.1 MT) 7,370,100 KG | 24% | (9,827 MT) 9,827,000 KG | (6,047 MT) 6,047,000 KG | 24% |
| Stainless steel ingots | (1.1 MT) 1,100 KG | 83% | (1.5 MT) 1,500 KG | (0.9 MT) 900 KG | 83% |
| Stainless steel billets and blooms | (5.8 MT) 5,800 KG | 57% | (8 MT) 8,000 KG | (5 MT) 5,000 KG | 57% |
| Line pipe | (6,248.6 MT) 6,248,600 KG | 45% | (2,999 MT) 2,999,000 KG | (1,845 MT) 1,845,000 KG | 27% |
| Oil country Tubular goods | (9,800.8 MT) 9,800,800 KG | 86% | (13,068 MT) 13,068,000 KG | (8,042 MT) 8,042,000 KG | 86% |
| Standard pipe | (13,489.5 MT) 13,489,500 KG | 58% | (16,193 MT) 16,193,000 KG | (9,965 MT) 9,965,000 KG | 57% |
| Large diameter line pipe | (10,693.5 MT) 10,693,500 KG | 76% | (21,384 MT) 21,384,000 KG | (13,159 MT) 13,159,000 KG | 71% |
| Piling pipe | (0.8 MT) 800 KG | 77% | (1 MT) 1,000 KG | (0.6 MT) 600 KG | 77% |
| Hollow structural sections | (2,776.9 MT) 2,776,900 KG | 41% | (3,703 MT) 3,703,000 KG | (2,278 MT) 2,278,000 KG | 41% |
3.5 Once imports originating in any single country reach the specified percentage of a TRQ in a period or quarter, as set out in the Amended Surtax Order and listed in section 3.4, shipment-specific permits will no longer be issued for goods originating in that country. Goods that originate in that country may continue to enter Canada under General Import Permit (GIP) No. 80 or GIP No. 81, as the case may be, and will be subject to the surtax. See section 4.3.1 for information on importing goods outside of, or above, the TRQs.
3.6 In accordance with the Amended Surtax Order, quantities that remain unused at the end of a quarterly quota period do not carry over to the next period.
3.7 Importers may consult the TRQ quarterly utilization reports published on Global Affairs Canada’s website. The reports are updated daily and provide detailed information by product category and by country of origin.
4.0 Import permits
4.1. Types of permits
4.1.1 In order to be exempt from the surtax set out in the Amended Surtax Order, a shipment-specific import permit issued by Global Affairs Canada is required for imports of steel goods covered by this Notice. In the absence of a shipment-specific permit, an importer must invoke the appropriate GIP, and those goods will be subject to the surtax set out in the Surtax Order.
4.1.2 At the time of release, importers must invoke the appropriate GIP even if they have an available shipment-specific permit. At the time of accounting, importers must present a shipment-specific permit if available, or, absent a shipment-specific permit, invoke the appropriate GIP.
4.2. Shipment-specific permits
4.2.1 Shipment-specific import permits are issued on demand for shipments of steel goods under the TRQs covered by this Notice. Each shipment-specific import permit covers a single shipment, including a split-shipment, as defined in the Memorandum D3-1-1: Policy Respecting the Importation and Transportation of Goods.
4.2.2 Requests for shipment-specific permits will be accepted up to 15 days prior to the expected date of entry of the shipment in Canada specified by the importer. Global Affairs Canada considers the date of entry to be the date on which the goods are expected to receive official customs release by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).
4.2.3 Shipment-specific import permits are issued with a validity period of 30 days around the expected date of entry specified by the importer. Specifically, the permit will be valid 5 days prior and 24 days after the expected date of entry specified by the importer.
4.2.4 For permits issued with an entry date in a future quarterly quota period, any portion of the 5-day prior validity that falls in the previous quarterly period will not apply. Rather, the validity period will begin on the first day of a new quarterly quota period. For permits issued with an entry date in a current quarterly period, the validity extending into a future quarterly period remains as described under section 4.2.3.
4.2.5 The expected date of entry, as specified by the importer in their permit application, determines the validity period of a permit and from which quarterly period the quota is drawn.
4.2.6 Quota is applied to a permit upon its issuance and remains applied unless the permit is cancelled by the importer. Quota is considered utilized as soon as it is applied to a permit and appears on the utilization reports.
4.2.7 The permit validity period may be extended only if the shipment is delayed due to exceptional and unforeseen circumstances. In this case, it is incumbent on the importer to notify Global Affairs Canada immediately, and prior to the permit’s expiration date, to provide substantiating documentation. Whether or not to extend the validity of a permit is a discretionary decision. In the absence of an extension of validity, the permit must be cancelled by the importer upon expiration.
4.2.8 For a shipment to be free of the surtax set out in the Amended Surtax Order, the importer must present a valid shipment-specific permit to the CBSA at the time of final accounting. The importer must ensure that the permit’s validity period covers the actual date on which the goods receive official customs release by the CBSA for the permit to be considered valid at time of final accounting.
4.2.9 As a term and condition of the shipment-specific permits, importers must specify the country of melt and pour (COM) of the imported goods in the form and manner determined by the CBSA, and the name on the permit must match the name of the importer on the Commercial Accounting Declaration (CAD) and related documents at the time of final accounting.
4.2.10 It is incumbent on the party that is granted the permit to ensure that a permit application is made in the name of the importer of record and includes the correct quantity. Quantities of a shipment that exceed the amount on the permit will be subject to the surtax in the Amended Surtax Order. Questions on how to fill out customs entry documents should be addressed to the CBSA.
4.2.11 For permit applications, all quantities must be requested in net kilograms.
4.2.12 Permits that are not fully utilized must be amended by the importer by first submitting a new permit application that accurately reflects the actual quantity, in net kilograms, of the imported goods. The importer must then submit a cancellation request for their existing permit. Both the new application and cancellation request should cross reference each other in the comment box by specifying the permit or application number and the reason for the replacement.
4.2.13 Unused, expired permits must be cancelled by the importer.
4.2.14 Shipment-specific permits can be issued retroactively for shipments that have already been accounted for with the CBSA.
4.2.15 Importers may be required to provide supporting documentation, such as the Commercial Invoice, Packing List, Bill of Lading and the CAD, upon request by Global Affairs Canada.
4.3 General import permits
4.3.1 Goods imported without a valid shipment-specific permit, outside of the TRQs or above the quantities established for the respective TRQs must be imported under the authority of GIP No. 80 or GIP No. 81, as the case may be. There is no limit to the quantities of steel that may enter Canada under the GIPs, but such imports will be subject to the surtax.
4.4 How to apply for a permit
4.4.1 Information about the permit application process, the monthly billing system, information required from applicants, and the permit application form, is available on the Global Affairs Canada website: Applying for an Import Permit.
4.4.2 Applications submitted without a broker must be sent to Global Affairs Canada at the New Export Import Controls System (NEICS) Help Desk.
4.4.3 Detailed information on permit fees can be found on the Global Affairs Canada website: Import and Export Permits and Certificate Fees.
4.5 Process for permit amendments and cancellations
4.5.1 To amend a permit, an importer must submit a Cancellation Form: Request for Permit Cancellation.
4.5.2 Cancellation forms must be accompanied with the following supporting documentation:
- CAD;
- Commercial invoice;
- Bill of Lading; and
- Canada Customs Invoice.
5.0 Contact us
5.1 Contact details for the Steel Controls Unit and the Help Desk are available on the Global Affairs website: Contact Us
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