Import Alert: Import Restrictions on Canada due to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza

Issuance date: April 4, 2024

 2:57 PM, U.S. Eastern

Newly restricted zone(s)

None

 

Newly released zone(s)

Effective date(s): April 4, 2024—PCZ-231 in Ontario

Effective on the date(s) listed above, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and 

Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is updating its list of zones in Canada that are subject to

restrictions on the importation of certain avian commodities.

The updated list of currently restricted zones is provided below. Importation into the United 

States of poultry, commercial birds, ratites, avian hatching eggs, unprocessed avian products and 

byproducts, and certain fresh poultry products originating from or transiting these zone(s) is 

prohibited:

PCZ-219 in Saskatchewan

PCZ-223 in Alberta

PCZ-228 in British Columbia

PCZ-232 in Nova Scotia

PCZ-234 in Alberta

PCZ-235 in Alberta

APHIS imposed these restrictions due to the diagnosis of highly pathogenic avian influenza 

(HPAI) in domestic birds in Canada. Maps of the restricted zones are available on the Canadian 

Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) highly pathogenic avian influenza zones webpage.

APHIS lifts its import restrictions on zones in Canada after they have met World Organisation 

for Animal Health criteria for recovery of HPAI free status described in Article 10.4.6 of the 

Terrestrial Animal Health Code.

APHIS requires a health certificate from the CFIA and an import permit for importation of pet 

and zoo birds from Canada. 

Pet birds, zoo birds, and Columbiformes originating from or transiting a restricted zone must be 

flown directly to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, or Miami International 

Airport in Florida to undergo a 30-day federal quarantine that includes mandatory testing.
Processed avian products and byproducts originating from or transiting a restricted zone, 

imported as cargo, must be accompanied by an APHIS import permit and/or government 

certification confirming that the products were treated in accordance with APHIS requirements. 

Importation of fresh, unprocessed shell/table eggs and other egg products, void of the shell (i.e., 

liquid eggs and dried egg whites), originating from or transiting a restricted zone, imported as 

cargo, is prohibited unless they are consigned from the port of arrival directly to an APHISapproved breaking and pasteurization facility. An import permit and/or certificate is/are not 

required for these shipments if they are consigned to an APHIS-approved establishment.

Processed avian products and byproducts, including eggs and egg products, for personal use 

originating from or transiting Canada and entering in passenger baggage must: 

• have a thoroughly cooked appearance; or

• be shelf-stable as a result of APHIS-approved packaging and cooking (i.e., packaged in a 

hermetically sealed container and cooked by a commercial method after such packing to 

produce an article that is shelf stable without refrigeration); or

• be accompanied by an APHIS import permit and/or government certification confirming 

that the products or byproducts were treated in accordance with APHIS requirements. 

Unprocessed avian products and byproducts for personal use or in passenger baggage originating 

from or transiting Canada will not be permitted to enter the United States.

Hunter-harvested wild game bird meat and carcasses must meet the conditions outlined in the 

APHIS Import Alert issued August 15, 2023, which can be found on the Temporary Restrictions 

List at the “Canada - Hunter Harvested Wild Game Bird Carcasses” link. 

These restrictions will be updated as additional epidemiological information is obtained. 

Additional information is available on the APHIS website: Bringing Live Animals and 

Germplasm into the United States From Another Country (Import) and Animal Product Imports.