Home β€Ί From Canada β€Ί Cat to Australia

Bringing a cat from Canada to Australia

Yes β€” but Canada is a Group 3 country for Australia, so this is the full protocol: ISO microchip, rabies vaccination, a passing RNATT titer test, a 180-day wait, a DAFF import permit, and quarantine at Mickleham β€” 10 days if you complete the optional CFIA identity declaration before the blood draw, otherwise 30 days. One snag hits cats from Canada specifically: the external parasite treatments on Australia's approved list are no longer available in Canada, so CFIA directs cat exporters to apply to DAFF for an import permit variation. Start 7–8 months ahead β€” and raise the variation early, not at the end.
7–8 months
Start preparing
DAFF's own floor is 'at least 6 months'
180 days
Titer wait
From the sample reaching the lab
10 or 30 days
Quarantine
Mickleham, Melbourne β€” the identity declaration decides
HA3199
Health certificate
Canada's own form β€” not the specimen inside the permit

Step-by-step checklist

Requirements β€” Cat Β· Canada β†’ Australia
StepWhat to doWhen
ResidencyYour cat must have lived continuously in approved countries (or Australia) for the 180 days before export, or since birth, and must not be under quarantine restriction. 180 days before export
MicrochipISO-compatible microchip, scanned and confirmed before preparation starts and at every vet visit. The number must match on every document β€” CFIA's first rule for this route is: scan and verify the chip every single time the cat is tested, treated, vaccinated or examined. Before anything else
Rabies vaccinationInactivated or recombinant vaccine, kept valid without a lapse from the titer test until export. A lapse restarts the whole sequence. Before the titer test
Identity declaration (optional, saves 20 days)A CFIA official verifies your cat's microchip and completes the Identification Declaration (HA3201), which CFIA sends to the Australian authorities. It must be done BEFORE the RNATT blood collection, and it is what qualifies your cat for 10-day instead of 30-day quarantine. Book it through your local CFIA Animal Health Office. Before the titer test
RNATT titer testFAVN or RFFIT at a laboratory on CFIA's approved list, result 0.5 IU/ml or higher, at least 3–4 weeks after the primary vaccination course. The laboratory report must state the blood sampling date and location (the collecting vet's name and clinic address) or Australia will not accept it. Afterwards, the RNATT Declaration (HA3202) is completed at your local CFIA office β€” bring the original lab report and rabies vaccination certificate. The result is valid 12 months. β‰₯180 days before export
Wait 180 daysExport is only allowed once the blood sample has been at the laboratory for at least 180 days. Your cat lives with you during this wait β€” it is not quarantine. 180 days from lab arrival
Import permit (BICON) + cat variationApply online in BICON with the RNATT report and CFIA-endorsed RNATT declaration (plus the Identification Declaration for 10-day quarantine). Fee: AUD $626 for the first animal, $299 for each additional; most permits take 20–40 business days. For cats, also apply to DAFF for an import permit variation: the approved external parasite treatments for cats are no longer available in Canada, and CFIA states a variation is required (Australian officials: [email protected]). During the wait β€” variation early
Parasite treatmentsExternal parasite treatment must be topical, kill ticks and fleas on contact, start at least 30 days before export and stay continuous until export β€” Bravecto, NexGard, Advantage Multi and Revolution are expressly NOT compliant, and for cats the compliant products cannot currently be bought in Canada, which is what the permit variation covers. Internal parasite treatments effective against roundworms and tapeworms run in the final window before export, as set in your permit conditions. Final 45 days
Health certificate HA3199 + CFIA endorsementYour licensed veterinarian completes CanadaΚΌs Veterinary Health Certificate – Cat (HA3199) after an examination within 5 days before export. Do NOT use the specimen certificate (Appendix 1) printed inside the Australian import permit β€” CFIA states it is the wrong form for Canada. A CFIA Official Veterinarian then reviews and endorses it, signing, dating and stamping every page, including the laboratory reports. Book the Mickleham quarantine before you travel; your cat flies as manifested cargo to Melbourne. Final 5 days

Your preparation timeline

  1. 1~7–8 months out β€” Chip check, rabies vaccination, optional CFIA identity declaration (HA3201)
  2. 2~6–7 months out β€” RNATT blood draw β€” the 180-day clock starts when the sample reaches the lab; then the HA3202 declaration at CFIA
  3. 3During the wait β€” Apply for the BICON import permit and the cat parasite-treatment variation; book Mickleham quarantine
  4. 4Final 45 days β€” Parasite treatment schedule per the permit and variation
  5. 5Final 5 days β€” Vet examination, HA3199 certificate, CFIA endorsement, cargo flight to Melbourne
  6. 6Arrival β€” Post-entry quarantine at Mickleham: 10 days with the identity declaration, otherwise 30 days
The mistake that causes trouble on this route: Leaving the parasite-treatment problem to the end. Australia's approved external parasite products for cats are no longer sold in Canada, so a DAFF permit variation is a built-in part of this route β€” applying for it late can strand a cat whose 180-day wait and 12-month RNATT validity are already running out.

Costs you can plan for

Official Australian charges (AUD, per animal): import permit $626 for the first animal ($299 each additional). Quarantine at Mickleham: reservation $282, importation charge $1,132, accommodation $56/day β€” $560 for 10 days or $1,680 for 30 days β€” plus inspection and document assessment at $84 per 30 minutes and an airline terminal fee from $170. A 10-day stay therefore starts around AUD $1,974 in facility charges alone. Add the Canadian side: vet and laboratory fees, the RNATT, the CFIA endorsement fee (set under the CFIA Fees Notice), and air cargo.

✈️ Government rules are only half the trip. Airlines set their own pet carriage rules (crate size, breed limits, seasonal embargoes). Re-confirm carriage with your airline after you meet the rules above.

Questions people ask about this route

Why is there a 180-day wait if quarantine is only 10 days?

The 180 days is a pre-export observation period in an approved country after the titer test β€” your cat lives at home in Canada. Quarantine at Mickleham (10 or 30 days) is separate and happens after arrival.

What is the permit variation CFIA mentions for cats?

Australia's approved external parasite treatments for cats are no longer available in Canada, so CFIA instructs cat exporters to apply to the Australian officials for an import permit variation covering that condition. Ask early β€” it is part of the permit process, not an afterthought.

Can my cat fly into Sydney or Brisbane?

No. Cats on this route travel as manifested cargo to Melbourne, where the Mickleham quarantine facility is located.

Are any cat breeds banned in Australia?

Hybrid cats are not eligible for import β€” that covers Savannah, Safari, Chausie and Bengal cats under DAFF's rules. Domestic breeds are fine.

Related guides

βœ“ Last verified: 2026-11-12

Official sources for this page

We check each rule against the exporting country's official page and the destination country's official page. If the two disagree, we show the disagreement instead of guessing.

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