Direct exporters earn revenue from customers outside Canada for their goods and/or services. If you have payments coming in from buyers or customers outside Canada, this is you.  

For example*:

• Engineering firm consulting on projects outside Canada
• Tech companies working with non-Canadian customers
• Agricultural commodity trader selling to buyers outside Canada
   

Indirect exporters don’t export directly themselves; they support the supply chain of Canadian exporters. In other words, they sell goods and/or services to companies within Canada, that, in turn, incorporate those goods and/or services into their own products, which they sell to customers outside Canada. 

Indirect exporters can be found in different industry sectors, including:

• Information and communication technologies;
• Light manufacturing; and
• Resources (including agriculture).

For example*:

• Canadian company that builds and sells components to a Canadian manufacturer who incorporates those components into their finished equipment, and then sells a significant amount of that equipment outside Canada
• Farmer who grows and sells grains to a commodity broker or commodities exchange, which then sells a significant amount of that grain outside Canada
• Tulip grower selling to a local large retailer, who sells a significant amount of those tulips to buyers outside Canada
   

Future exporters are looking to take on their first contract outside Canada or have a defined export plan. If you’re still “getting ready” to export, but thinking beyond Canada’s borders is part of your business plan, you could be a future exporter. 

For example*:

• Canadian garment manufacturer currently selling to buyers in Canada, that has done market research and used it to develop a viable business plan to start selling to buyers outside Canada
• Tech company with a proven concept commercialized in Canada, and actively marketing the technology to potential buyers outside Canada

*These examples aren’t exhaustive. If you still have questions about whether you qualify as an exporter, send us a message.