moving back home

Hello,

I am returning home to Canada after having been on an I-20 for a while (1 year and a half) in the States. When you put the date that you left canada on the customs form, is it from the last time I visited or that last time I lived there? In terms of the value of goods purchased abroad, what do I put in this column? Would it be okay to return to shop in the states a couple days later and then return back to canada? I'm planning on shipping my stuff back at a later point in time. Is this accounted for on the customs form?

Thank you in advance for your help. I really appreciate it.

Your personal and household goods can return to Canada duty free. Put the date you left to go live in the US. I believe there is a specific customs form for household goods for returning Canadians.

Check the info at the CBSA website http://cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel-voyage/fr-ar-eng.html

The date you first left canada, bringing all your stuff with you.

You are returning to canada, so look at that website:
http://cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel-voyage/fr-ar-eng.html
Beware that some of the preferential tariffs for settlers are for items you've owned for a period of time.

You will make one entry that will declare that you are returning to canada; on that entry you will declare all you have with you, and all goods to follow later. Subsequent visits to the US will no longer be under the settler regime but simply as a resident, with the usual resident import restrictions and tariffs.

You are not visiting canada.

Thank you for your help!!