This article shows you how to prepare, pack and declare cleaned bird’s nest so your shipment goes smoothly.

Canada’s rules on importing bird’s nest for personal use

To bring or send bird’s nest into Canada as a personal gift, the product must meet strict disease-safety standards:

• Only fully cleaned bird’s nest is accepted: The nest must be cleaned of feathers, dirt and organic matter. Raw nests with feathers are strictly prohibited because of the risk of carrying avian influenza.
• Commercially packaged with clear labels: Bird’s nest should be in the packaging of a reputable producer, with the brand, expiry date and ingredients clearly stated in English or French. This makes it easy for customs officers to verify its origin.
• Non-commercial purpose: The parcel must clearly be a personal gift, in a modest quantity, not for resale.

How to pack bird’s nest so it doesn’t break in air transit

Bird’s nest is very brittle and can crumble under pressure during loading and air transport. To keep each nest whole, pack it as follows:

Step 1: Protect each nest

Place each nest in a moulded plastic tray or wrap it in a thin layer of food-grade PE cling film. This stops the nests knocking against each other and chipping.

Step 2: Use a foam box or rigid plastic box

Put the wrapped nests inside a purpose-made plastic box or a small foam box. Fill the gaps with medical cotton wool or packing peanuts so the nests can’t move when the box is shaken.

Step 3: Pack in an outer carton

Put the plastic boxes inside a sturdy carton. Soleil Transportation’s shipping service to Canada includes basic packing in a standard carton for maximum protection.

How to declare it accurately so it isn’t held

The declaration is the most important step in getting your parcel cleared. Even a small mistake in describing the goods can make customs suspicious and hold the parcel for inspection.

• Describe it in detail and honestly: On the customs declaration, don’t write a vague “food” or “gift”. Write in English: “Cleaned Edible Bird’s Nest (For personal consumption/Gift)”.
• Declare the real value: Don’t declare a value far below what the bird’s nest is really worth, because Canadian customs checks values very closely. A false value can lead to administrative fines for fraud.

Send bird’s nest safely to Canada with Soleil Transportation

If you are still worried about complicated paperwork or your goods being lost or damaged, let Soleil Transportation help. We offer fast, professional two-way Vietnam–Canada air shipping.

• Great rates: Air shipping from Vietnam to Canada with door delivery from just $16/kg. For small gift parcels, you can choose ePacket from just $8.50 CAD per parcel.
• Fast transit: Just 7–14 days from Vietnam to the recipient in Canada (7–12 business days on average, depending on the location).
• Import duties included: Soleil Transportation’s Vietnam–Canada service includes import duties, so the recipient in Canada doesn’t need to worry about extra charges on delivery.
• Easy tracking: Track your order online anytime with your order or booking number. The system sends automatic status updates by email, SMS or Zalo for complete peace of mind.

Before packing bird’s nest to send, contact us on +1 888-998-5199 or email info@soleiltransportation.com. The Soleil Transportation team at our Mississauga office (2446 Cawthra Road, B1U8, Mississauga, Ontario, L5A 3K6) is always ready to advise you on packing and to check whether your shipment meets Canada’s latest customs requirements.