Headquarters
630 Secretariat Court
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada L5S 2A5
Overseas Retirement Moves · Since 1963
Retiring abroad? Your home can come with you.
Whether it's Portugal, Arizona, the UK or somewhere you've been planning for years — moving overseas from Canada is a specialty move. One dedicated Move Manager handles the packing, the paperwork and the shipping, from your front door here to your new one there.
Where Canadians retire to
Retiring outside Canada, wherever that takes you
Armstrong has moved Canadian families across borders and oceans since 1963. These are the routes retirees ask us about most — but if your destination isn't listed, we still go there.
United States
Arizona, Florida & the Sun Belt
The most common retirement move we handle. Cross-border customs, one crew and one plan — see our Canada–USA moving service.
Europe
Portugal, Spain & the UK
Sea freight for the household, air freight for what you need first. We handle the port paperwork on both ends.
Further afield
Australia, New Zealand & the UAE
Long-haul corridors we move regularly. Longer transit times, same single point of contact throughout.
Mexico & Caribbean
Warmer winters, closer to home
Popular with retirees who want sun without a twelve-hour flight back to the grandchildren.
Part-year
Snowbirds and second homes
Not everything has to go. Ship what you need and leave the rest in climate-controlled storage here in Canada.
Staying in Canada
Retiring somewhere closer
Moving within the country instead? See our retiree moving service across Western Canada.
What an overseas move involves
Shipping a household overseas, handled end to end
An international retirement move is really several jobs at once. Your Move Manager coordinates all of them so you're not chasing shipping lines or customs forms yourself.
Export packing, done properly
Overseas shipping is harder on furniture than a drive across town. Our uniformed, background-checked crews pack to export standard — every piece wrapped, inventoried and labelled.
Sea freight or air freight
Most households travel by sea container; the things you need in your first week can go by air. We'll explain the trade-off in plain terms and price both.
Customs and documentation
Inventories, valuations and destination paperwork prepared with you, not handed to you. Our Canada customs guide covers the Canadian side.
Storage on either end
Possession dates rarely line up across time zones. Your belongings can wait safely in climate-controlled storage here until your new home is ready for them.
Delivery and setup abroad
Trusted partner crews receive the shipment at destination, place the furniture and take the packing materials away.
One person, the whole way
You don't co-ordinate a shipping line, a customs broker and a delivery crew. Your Move Manager does, and stays your single point of contact.
How it works
Four steps, however far you're going
Talk it through
A relaxed call about where you're headed, when, and what's coming with you. No pressure and no obligation.
Get your plan and price
A written plan and a clear quote covering packing, freight, customs and delivery — so there are no surprises later.
We pack and ship
Export packing at your home, then sea or air freight with tracking and a named contact you can reach.
Settle in over there
Delivery, unpacking and furniture placement in your new home, with storage for anything not ready to land yet.
Good questions
What retirees ask us about moving overseas
What does it cost to ship household goods overseas?
It depends on volume, destination and whether you ship by sea or air — so we quote rather than guess. Your Move Manager measures what's actually going, prices the realistic options, and puts it in writing before anything is booked.
How long does an overseas shipment take?
Sea freight is measured in weeks and varies by corridor; air freight is far quicker and costs more. We'll give you the expected window for your specific route, and tell you which items are worth sending by air.
Do we have to ship everything at once?
No. Many retirees ship the essentials, keep a smaller shipment for later, and leave the rest in storage in Canada. That's a normal plan, not a complication.
Who handles the customs paperwork?
We prepare it with you. You'll know what's required on the Canadian side and at destination, and your Move Manager tracks the documentation rather than leaving it to you.
Is Armstrong the right moving company for a retirement shipment?
It's what we've done since 1963 — a Canadian family business handling household, cross-border and international moves, including fine art and specialty items. If your move needs care rather than just a truck, that's the part we're built for.
Get Started Today
Tell us where you're headed. We'll handle the rest.
Request a free, no-obligation quote for your overseas move — or call 1-888-670-4400 and talk it through with a Move Manager first.
Oliver Page
2025-07-16
Just used them for a move to the US from Markham and they were amazing. Alan crew with Emmanuel and Jeffery were super fast, efficient and couldn't recommend enough.
Liam Montgomery
2025-07-15
My partner and I recently moved from Victoria, BC to Nova Scotia and had an amazing experience with John and Ashley. They were both extremely professional, efficient and took great care of our belongings. Nothing was lost/damaged in the process. Would highly recommend.
Rajesh S Rathore
2025-07-12
Great service, communication and job well done
Christina Atkinson
2025-07-09
Devon, Corey & Kevin did a superb job!
Nimmi Rashinika
2025-07-07
I moved from Waterloo to Calgary. It was indeed a smooth transition with Armstrong movers. I should thank Eric Bocher, the manger, and all of those who made the process smooth including Jackson Farrell, Anthony Azarkiewicz, and Stephan Morris, for their support!
Simon Gair
2025-07-06
Shawn and Jamie did a fantastic job packing up our belongings carefully and efficiently.
Mark Hibbins
2025-07-04
Went with Armstrong as they came highly recommended from colleagues for my move from Toronto to upstate New York. The whole process was seamless from start to finish. Allan and his team were quick and efficient packing and loading my things on one of the hottest days of the year. The constant communication from move manager Eric was also much appreciated.
Charlene Bularan
2025-07-01
The team came on time to pack things. The transfer was smooth. They did a great job!
Greg Mizzi
2025-06-30
Use to work here. Always enjoy the people that I worked with.