Pharmaceuticals
Cold chain, Health Canada DEL compliance, and DGR handling. ASEAN to Canada.
Get a Pharmaceuticals RateDEL Required
Commercial drug imports
2–8°C
Standard cold chain
UN 1845
Dry ice classification
Free
MFN duty rate HS 30
Health Canada Requirement
A Drug Establishment Licence (DEL) is required for commercial pharmaceutical imports to Canada
A DEL is required for the Canadian importer of prescription/non-prescription drugs, APIs, and biologics. It is not required for Natural Health Products — those need a separate NHP Site Licence — or for genuine personal-use imports.
Source: Food and Drug Regulations (C.R.C., c. 870), Part C, Division 1A — Drug Establishment Licensing. Supporting guidance: GUI-0002 (Guidance on Drug Establishment Licences), GUI-0117 (Importing and Exporting Health Products for Commercial Use), GUI-0069 (Temperature Control of Drug Products during Storage and Transportation).
Relevant HS Codes
| HS Code | Description | MFN | CPTPP | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3004.10 | Containing penicillins/derivatives with penicillanic acid structure, or streptomycins | Free | Free | — |
| 3004.20 | Other, containing antibiotics | Free | Free | — |
| 3004.31 | Containing insulin | Free | Free | — |
| 3004.32 | Containing corticosteroid hormones, derivatives or structural analogues | Free | Free | — |
| 3004.39 | Other, containing hormones or heading 29.37 products | Free | Free | — |
| 3004.50 | Other, containing vitamins or heading 29.36 products | Free | Free | — |
| 3004.60 | Containing antimalarial active principles | Free | Free | — |
| 3004.90 | Other medicaments | Free | Free | — |
Source: https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/trade-commerce/tariff-tarif/2026/html/00/ch30-eng.html
CPTPP savings on this lane
3006.70.90
Gel preparations - other (surgical/examination lubricant, coupling agent)
3006.93.10
Placebo/clinical trial kits - syrup based
3006.93.20
Placebo/clinical trial kits - sugar based
3006.93.30
Placebo/clinical trial kits - other food based
3006.93.40
Placebo/clinical trial kits - non-alcoholic beverages based
Canadian Import Process
Verify DEL
Confirm the Canadian importer holds a valid Drug Establishment Licence for the product category.
Cold chain booking
Book temperature-controlled handling with the carrier for biologics and vaccines.
DGR declaration
Declare dry ice (UN 1845, Class 9) on the AWB if the shipment uses cold chain packaging.
CBSA examination
Goods clear a CBSA examination against the commercial invoice and DEL reference.
Customs release
Shipment released to the DEL-holding importer for distribution.
Worked example
40kg of insulin, Mumbai to Toronto
A 40kg shipment of insulin (HS 3004.31) needs to move from BOM to YYZ. The fastest confirmed routing on that pair today is Emirates SkyCargo through DXB, at 1-2 business days.
Before booking, UAL verifies the Canadian importer's DEL covers insulin and biologics for that product category — insulin doesn't clear without it. Because insulin needs a 2–8°C cold chain for the full transit, temperature-controlled handling is booked directly with the carrier ahead of tender, not assumed available on the day.
If the packaging uses dry ice for the cold chain, UN 1845 (Class 9) is declared on the AWB with vented packaging confirmed before the shipment is accepted. On arrival at YYZ, CBSA examines the shipment against the commercial invoice and the DEL reference, then releases it to the DEL-holding importer for distribution.
Why ship pharma through UAL
DGR handling, taken seriously
UAL is IATA DGR certified. Every dry-ice and cold-chain declaration on this page is handled directly by our own trained personnel against the current IATA DGR edition, not routed to an outside partner.
Cold chain, booked directly
Temperature-controlled handling is booked directly with the operating carrier, not through a reseller layer that adds a markup and a communication gap between you and the aircraft.
Routing chosen on merit
We're not tied to one carrier's capacity or pricing. A pharma shipment routes via whichever carrier has the transit time, reliability, and cold-chain capability it needs that week.
DGR Warning — Class 9
Dry ice (UN 1845) requires prior carrier arrangement and vented packaging
Packaging must vent CO2. Prior arrangement with the carrier is required, and the AWB must carry the correct dangerous goods notation. Max 200kg dry ice per package on both passenger and cargo aircraft.
Read the full dry ice shipping guide →Source: IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations, PI 954 — 200kg limit corroborated against the 67th Edition, effective 1 January 2026.
Frequently asked questions
A Drug Establishment Licence (DEL) applies to prescription and non-prescription drugs, active pharmaceutical ingredients, and biologics — this is the licence most commercial pharma importers need. Natural Health Products (vitamins, herbal supplements, homeopathic products) fall under a separate NHP Site Licence instead; a DEL doesn't cover them and an NHP licence doesn't cover drugs. If you're not sure which category your product falls into, that classification has to be settled before booking — it determines which licence CBSA will check for at clearance.
Pharmaceuticals · 55 HS codes · CPTPP savings on 5 codes
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