Moving from France to Canada
A transatlantic move that many French families make for work, study, or the draw of Quebec, where the language barrier all but disappears. Here is the honest brief on what the sea freight runs, how long the container takes from a French port to Montreal, and the arrival steps that actually gate your new life.
Costs are indicative ranges for 2026 in euros.
The honest summary of this move.
Shipping a household from France to Canada is a well served transatlantic sea lane. For a 2 to 3 bedroom home, a shared sea container runs roughly 3,500 to 8,000 euros in 2026 and lands in about four to seven weeks door to door, usually through the port of Montreal, the main gateway for European cargo into eastern Canada.
The route is one of the shorter ocean crossings from Europe. Containers leave from Le Havre, Marseille, or a nearby continental port, sail across the North Atlantic, and clear at Montreal or Halifax before the inland leg to your new home. Because Montreal handles so much European traffic, sailings are frequent and the schedule is more predictable than on longer lanes, though winter weather on the river can add a little time.
Once you arrive, the number that organises Canadian life is the social insurance number, the SIN, which you need to work and to deal with government services. Close behind it is your provincial health card, the regie de l'assurance maladie du Quebec card in Quebec or the equivalent in other provinces, since healthcare is run province by province and often carries a waiting period when you first arrive.
Immigration is where this corridor has its own twist. Canada runs federal economic programs, but Quebec selects most of its own economic immigrants and issues a Quebec selection certificate before federal permanent residence follows. If you are heading to Montreal or Quebec City, your path runs partly through the province, so plan for two stages rather than one. This is general information and not immigration advice.
Two practical notes shape this lane. First, ship a small air freight box of essentials and keep important documents with you, since the container takes weeks. Second, Canadian winters are real, so time your arrival and your shipment with the season in mind, and remember that a French electrical appliance may not match Canadian voltage and plugs.
What this move really costs in 2026.
Cost is driven by your volume, your French port, the season, and the inland delivery distance from Montreal or Halifax to your new home. The table shows indicative ranges in euros for the three common home sizes and shipping modes.
Indicative ranges for 2026 in euros. A full sole use container is faster and worth it for a large home, summer carries a premium, and inland delivery beyond Montreal adds cost. Your actual volume sets the final figure.
- + Best value for a normal 2 to 3 bed home
- + You pay only for the space you use
- ~ Slower, since it waits for a full sailing
- + Faster and more direct
- + Worth it for a 4 plus bed home
- ! You pay for the whole box even if part empty
- + Fastest by far
- ! Far more expensive per cubic metre
- ~ Best kept for essentials, not a full home
A realistic timeline for this move.
On a transatlantic lane the sailing schedule sets the pace, so book the survey early and fit your flights and housing around the container. Here is the sequence movers on this route actually follow.
Get three movers to survey
Have movers run a video or in home survey for an accurate volume and a binding or not to exceed quote. Compare consolidation sailings from Le Havre or Marseille into Montreal or Halifax, and reserve your container slot early.
Sort your immigration and documents
Confirm your Canadian route, and if you are settling in Quebec start the provincial selection step. Gather your passport, your valued inventory, and the settler paperwork customs will want.
Plan your landing
Line up at least temporary accommodation in Canada, decide what flies with you versus what sails, and prepare for a healthcare waiting period in your province.
Pack and load
The packing crew comes one to two days before collection. Your goods are inventoried, sealed, and trucked to the French port for the Atlantic sailing to Canada.
Clear Canadian customs
Your container clears the Canada Border Services Agency against your inventory and a personal effects declaration, then goods are delivered, unpacked, and debris removed at your new home.
Register locally
Apply for your social insurance number, register for your provincial health card, open a Canadian bank account, and exchange your French driving licence where an agreement allows.
Bringing your household goods into Canada.
Because you are moving from outside Canada, your shipment is a customs import, but used personal and household effects can enter free of duty when you are settling in Canada, subject to the Canada Border Services Agency rules.
Used personal and household effects are generally admitted free of duty when you arrive to settle in Canada, provided you owned and used them before you moved. The Canada Border Services Agency records your goods against a list of items, and many newcomers prepare two inventories, one for goods arriving with them and one for goods to follow, so the later container can be cleared against the same declaration.
You will typically need your passport and immigration document, a detailed list of goods with values, and the form the agency uses to record settler effects. Goods you have owned for less than the qualifying period, anything bought for the move, and items beyond personal allowances for alcohol and tobacco can attract duty and tax.
Restricted categories include firearms, certain foods, plants, and products from protected species, and there are specific rules for bringing a vehicle, which must meet Canadian safety and emissions standards. Pets travelling from France need up to date rabies documentation. Importing a French car is often impractical because of the compliance requirements, so many movers sell before leaving and buy in Canada.
Verify before you move. Settler effects rules, vehicle import standards, and required forms change. Confirm the current position with the Canada Border Services Agency and your mover's destination agent before your goods ship.The realistic routes for this corridor.
French citizens need an immigration route to live in Canada, and if you are heading to Quebec the province selects most economic immigrants itself. These are the routes movers on this lane use most.
Federal and provincial economic programs select skilled workers for permanent residence based on factors such as age, education, work experience, and language, often through an expression of interest pool.
Quebec runs its own skilled worker selection and issues a selection certificate before federal permanent residence, a key step for anyone settling in Montreal or Quebec City.
For people with a Canadian job offer or who qualify under a youth mobility or professional agreement, allowing temporary work that can lead to permanent residence.
For spouses, partners, and dependent children of Canadian citizens and permanent residents, subject to the sponsor meeting the eligibility conditions.
How to choose a mover for France to Canada.
We never name, rank, or recommend a moving company. Instead, here is the neutral checklist that matters on this exact lane. Apply it to any quote, then request comparable quotes through the form below.
FIDI or IAM affiliation
Membership of the FIDI Global Alliance or the International Association of Movers signals audited financial stability and a complaints process you can lean on if something goes wrong.
Real corridor experience
Ask how many households the company has shipped on your exact route in the past year. A mover that runs the lane weekly knows the ports, the customs broker, and the paperwork by heart.
A binding pre move survey
Insist on a video or in home survey and a binding or not to exceed quote. A price built from a real volume estimate is the only quote you can compare like for like.
Clear insurance terms
Read how marine transit cover is calculated, what the deductible is, and whether valuation is by replacement value. Vague cover is the most common regret on an international move.
Verifiable reviews
Look for recent, specific reviews that name the destination, not just star ratings. Patterns in how a company handles claims tell you more than any single glowing note.
Written scope and timeline
Everything that matters belongs in writing: packing, customs clearance, delivery, unpacking, and debris removal, with who pays destination charges spelled out.
Get moving quotes for France to Canada.
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Questions people ask about this move.
How much does it cost to move from France to Canada?
For a 2 to 3 bedroom home, a shared container typically costs from about 3,500 to 8,000 euros in 2026. It is a transatlantic sea move, so volume, your French port, and inland delivery in Canada drive the price, summer carries a premium, and your volume sets the final figure. Base your budget on a binding pre move survey.
How long does shipping take from France to Canada?
Plan on roughly four to seven weeks door to door for a shared container into Montreal or Halifax, including consolidation, the Atlantic sailing, and customs clearance. A sole use container is a little faster, and air freight lands in one to two weeks at a much higher cost.
Do I pay duty on my furniture moving to Canada?
If you are settling in Canada, used personal and household effects you owned and used before the move are generally admitted free of duty, recorded by the Canada Border Services Agency against a list of goods. Rules change, so confirm with the agency before shipping, especially for items to follow.
What is the social insurance number?
The social insurance number, or SIN, is the identifier you need to work in Canada and to access government programs. You apply for it after you arrive, and it sits alongside your provincial health card as one of your first essential tasks.
Why is Quebec different for immigration?
Quebec selects most of its own economic immigrants and issues a Quebec selection certificate before federal permanent residence follows. If you are moving to Montreal or Quebec City, your route runs partly through the province, so plan for a two stage process rather than a single federal application.
Should I ship my car from France?
Often not. A French car must meet Canadian safety and emissions standards and pass the import process, which can be slow and costly. Many movers sell before leaving and buy a vehicle suited to Canadian winters once they arrive.