Amazon Canada launch checklist
Amazon CA is the fastest US expansion because Remote Fulfillment with FBA lets you serve Canadian orders from US inventory. For local Canadian FBA, register for GST/HST with the CRA if annual Canadian sales exceed CAD 30,000. Launch via Remote Fulfillment takes 1 to 2 weeks; local FBA takes 4 to 8 weeks.
Two paths
Path A (fast): Remote Fulfillment from US FBA. No Canadian tax registration required. Slight per-order fee. Prime-eligible. Path B (economic): Local Canadian FBA. GST/HST registration required. Lower per-order fees. Faster delivery.
Tax basics
GST is 5% federal, HST/PST varies by province (up to 15% combined in some provinces). Registration threshold CAD 30,000 annual. Amazon collects GST/HST on many B2C transactions but sellers remit on B2B and above thresholds.
Realistic timeline
Path A: 1 to 2 weeks. Path B: 4 to 8 weeks including CRA registration and inbound shipping. Most US sellers start with Path A and switch to Path B once monthly CA volume exceeds ~200 units per SKU.
Frequently asked questions
Is Amazon CA a fraction of Amazon US?
Roughly 10% to 15% the size, but easier to enter and less crowded in many categories.
Do I need a Canadian entity?
No. US entities can register for GST/HST directly with the CRA.
Does Nova support Amazon CA?
Yes. Nova supports 21 Amazon marketplaces including Canada.
What is the biggest surprise for US sellers?
Provincial sales taxes (QST in Quebec, PST in BC/SK) on top of federal GST. Amazon handles most collection but sellers must track.
See this in Nova
Nova surfaces this metric per SKU in near real time so you can act before your next monthly close catches it.
Try Nova free for 14 daysRelated questions
How does Amazon Remote Fulfillment with FBA work?
Remote Fulfillment with FBA lets US sellers fulfil orders in Canada, Mexico, and Brazil directly from their US FBA inventory. Amazon handles cross-border shipping, customs, and delivery. It skips local warehouse setup but adds a per-order fee that raises unit cost by 5% to 15%.
How do I launch on Amazon Mexico?
Amazon Mexico (MX) is the largest Latin American Amazon marketplace and Amazon offers Remote Fulfillment with FBA so US sellers can serve MX orders from US inventory. Full local FBA requires Mexican tax registration (RFC) and NOM labelling compliance for some categories, taking 4 to 8 weeks to set up.
Which Amazon marketplaces does Nova support?
Nova supports all 21 Amazon marketplaces: US, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Sweden, Poland, Belgium, Turkey, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, India, Japan, Australia, and Singapore. SKU-level profit, PPC, inventory, and reporting work identically across each marketplace once connected via SP-API.
Should I expand to Amazon EU?
Amazon EU is worth expanding into once you have a stable, profitable US business (100+ orders/day per SKU) and 6+ months of forecastable demand. EU adds five marketplaces (UK, DE, FR, IT, ES) but introduces VAT registration, EPR obligations, EU Responsible Person, and labelling requirements that take 2 to 4 months to set up correctly.
How do Amazon currency conversion fees work?
When you sell in a non-USD marketplace and disburse to a USD bank account, Amazon converts currency at its own rate, which is roughly 2% to 3% worse than the mid-market rate. Alternatives like Wise, Payoneer, or WorldFirst multi-currency accounts typically save 1% to 2% per payout by letting you disburse in local currency and convert separately.