Moving from Canada to Kenya
This is a long sea move from North America to East Africa, and the freight runs on well worn lanes. Your container leaves an eastern Canadian port, crosses the Atlantic, and reaches Mombasa before the road or rail run up to Nairobi. The planning that matters is your work permit and your tax number, because Kenyan customs ties the relief on your used goods to a genuine change of residence and a registered KRA PIN. Here is the honest brief for this corridor.
Your goods leave Canada from an eastern container port, usually Montreal or Halifax, and sail across the Atlantic and around to the Port of Mombasa on the Indian Ocean, the gateway harbour for Kenya and much of East Africa, often with a transshipment at a Mediterranean or Gulf hub. From Mombasa your shipment travels inland to Nairobi by road or on the standard gauge railway. The door to door figure of six to ten weeks reflects packing, the consolidation wait for a shared load, the long ocean haul, clearance at Mombasa, and the final inland leg. Movers from western Canada may route via a different port, which adds time.
The part that surprises people leaving Canada is how procedural the Kenyan relief is. The Kenya Revenue Authority admits used household goods of someone genuinely changing residence without duty, but it expects the goods to have been owned and used for at least a year, and for a first arrival on a work permit it wants the shipment imported within three months of the permit being issued. You also need a KRA PIN, the tax number, activated on the KenTrade system, before clearance. So the work permit, the timing, and the tax registration form one connected task.
What it costs to move from Canada to Kenya.
What it really costs to move a household from Canada to Kenya in 2026, shown as indicative ranges by home size and shipping method. This is a long ocean route, so volume and your choice of shared versus sole use freight drive the number most.
Indicative ranges for 2026 in Canadian dollars, before full packing, premium marine insurance, and any storage. A shared container splits the box and the cost with other shipments, while a sole use twenty or forty foot container carries only your goods. These are not binding figures, so get a survey.
Four levers move the number. Volume dominates, because a shared load is priced by the space you fill, so a real declutter before the survey pays off most, especially as much Nairobi rental housing comes part furnished. Shared versus sole use trades cost against timing, with groupage cheaper but tied to a sailing schedule and a dedicated container pricier but on your own date. Origin port matters, because a move from western Canada that routes through a Pacific or eastern gateway adds distance and cost. And access and clearance at both ends count, from a Canadian driveway to Mombasa terminal handling and the inland leg to Nairobi, which add fees beyond the simple ocean distance.
A realistic schedule, working back from the sailing.
Work back from your move date, but treat the work permit and KRA PIN as the true critical path, because the relief depends on the permit, the timing, and the tax registration lining up.
Confirm your permit and tax number
Make sure your Kenyan work permit, usually the Class D employment permit, is in progress, and start your KRA PIN registration, because the customs relief wants the shipment imported within three months of the permit and a PIN activated on KenTrade before clearance.
Get surveyed and quoted
Have movers run an in home or video survey, then compare shared and sole use container quotes on a like for like basis. Confirm the routing to Mombasa, whether the inland leg to Nairobi is by road or rail, and what it adds.
Prepare the customs paperwork
Build a detailed valued inventory, gather your passport, your work permit, your KRA PIN, and evidence of your change of residence, and have your agent ready to lodge the entry. The manifest must reach Mombasa a few days before the vessel, so coordinate dates.
Pack, load and sail
The crew packs and loads in Canada and the container sails for Mombasa. Hand your mover the inventory and your documents so the import entry can be lodged in your name and the goods treated as used personal effects on a change of residence.
Clear, deliver and settle
Your agent clears the shipment at Mombasa against your permit and PIN, then the goods travel inland to Nairobi and are unpacked. Register for any further local requirements, open a bank account, and sort your utilities so daily life can begin.
Clearing your goods into Kenya.
Kenya controls imports through the Kenya Revenue Authority and its Customs and Border Control department. Used household goods and personal effects are admitted free of duty for a person who is genuinely changing residence from outside Kenya, provided the goods have been owned and used for at least a year. For a first arrival on a work permit, customs expects the shipment to be imported within three months of the permit being issued, and the goods must be for personal and household use.
You support the entry with your passport, your work or residence permit, evidence of your change of residence, a detailed valued inventory, and the original bill of lading. A KRA PIN, the taxpayer identification number, is required and must be activated on the KenTrade system before clearance. The shipment manifest needs to reach the Port of Mombasa a few days before the vessel arrives so your licensed clearing agent can lodge the entry in good time. New items and goods for resale sit outside the relief and can be taxed.
Kenya restricts and prohibits a range of goods. Firearms and certain weapons need permits, narcotics carry severe penalties, and some agricultural, plant, and food items are controlled on health grounds. Used vehicles face age limits and right hand drive requirements, so an import from Canada is often impractical and should be priced separately. Keep your inventory, permit, and PIN together, because the agent and customs will ask for all three at clearance.
How people leaving Canada actually move to Kenya.
Most people moving from Canada to Kenya live there on a work or residence permit class rather than a simple visa. These are the realistic routes, in summary. The detail changes, so confirm the current rules before you rely on any of them.
The employment permit for a foreign national offered a specific job in Kenya, sponsored by the employer. It is the usual basis for working residence and aligns with the customs rule that ties the relief to your permit.
- Type
- Employment work permit
- Good for
- People with a Kenyan job offer
- Note
- Employer sponsored and job specific
For people investing in or running a business in Kenya. It grants residence linked to the enterprise and suits entrepreneurs and company founders settling in the country.
- Type
- Investor and business permit
- Good for
- Investors and business owners
- Note
- Tied to a qualifying Kenyan investment
For people with an assured private income from sources outside Kenya who will not take employment, including many retirees. It gives residence to financially independent movers without a local job.
- Type
- Residence on assured private income
- Good for
- Retirees and financially independent movers
- Note
- Requires proof of reliable income from abroad
How to choose a mover for this route, with no names attached.
This site never names, ranks, or recommends a moving company. Instead, here is the neutral checklist that separates a safe international mover from a risky one. Apply it to every quote you receive.
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Questions people ask about this move.
How much does it cost to move from Canada to Kenya?
As an indicative 2026 guide, a two to three bedroom home runs about CAD 6,800 for a shared container up to CAD 14,000 for sole use of a container, before full packing, premium insurance, and storage. Volume, your shipping choice, and your origin port move the number most, so get a binding survey for a real figure.
How long does shipping take from Canada to Kenya?
Plan on roughly six to ten weeks door to door by sea. That covers packing, the consolidation wait for a shared load, the ocean haul from Montreal or Halifax to the Port of Mombasa, clearance, and the inland leg to Nairobi by road or rail.
Do I pay duty on my used furniture moving to Kenya?
Used household goods of someone genuinely changing residence are admitted free of duty if owned and used for at least a year, and for a first arrival on a work permit imported within three months of the permit. You also need a KRA PIN activated on KenTrade. Verify the current rules before you ship.
What is a KRA PIN and do I need one?
The KRA PIN is the taxpayer identification number issued by the Kenya Revenue Authority. You need it, activated on the KenTrade system, before your household shipment can be cleared, so register for it as part of your move rather than after you arrive.
Can I bring my car from Canada to Kenya?
It is usually impractical. Kenya applies vehicle age limits and requires right hand drive, while most Canadian cars are left hand drive, so an import is often not allowed or not worth it. Most people sell the car in Canada and buy locally, and treat any vehicle import separately.
Which port does my shipment arrive at in Kenya?
Household shipments arrive at the Port of Mombasa on the Indian Ocean, the main gateway for Kenya and much of East Africa, often after a transshipment at a Mediterranean or Gulf hub. From Mombasa your goods travel inland to Nairobi by road or on the standard gauge railway.