Canada Post does not call its domestic rate-tracking stamps “Forever stamps”; it calls them Permanent stamps and marks them with a boxed P. Canada Post Permanent stamps and USPS Forever stamps serve similar purposes in different postal systems, but they cannot be used interchangeably.
Canada Post Permanent vs. USPS Forever
| Question | Canada Post Permanent | USPS Forever |
|---|---|---|
| Issuer | Canada Post | United States Postal Service |
| Common marking | Boxed P and maple leaf | FOREVER or a specific USPS rate category |
| Basic tracked category | Canada domestic standard letter rate | U.S. domestic one-ounce stamped-letter rate |
| Currency and network | Canadian postage in the Canada Post system | U.S. postage in the USPS system |
| Can it pay the other country’s postal service? | No | No |
If You Are Mailing From the United States to Canada
Use USPS postage. At rates effective July 12, 2026, one Global Forever stamp provides $1.75 and covers a qualifying one-ounce First-Class Mail International letter or international postcard to Canada. One ordinary domestic Forever stamp is worth 82¢, so one alone is not enough; valid USPS postage can be combined to reach the required amount.
If You Are Mailing From Canada to the United States
Use Canada Post postage and the current Canada-to-U.S. rate for the completed mailpiece. A Canadian Permanent stamp contributes its current domestic standard-letter value, but one P stamp does not automatically cover a U.S.-bound letter. Add Canada Post postage as required.
Can a Canadian Permanent Stamp Be Used in the U.S.?
Not to pay USPS postage. The same is true in reverse: a USPS Forever stamp cannot pay Canada Post to originate mail in Canada. The destination does not determine which country’s stamp to use; the postal system where the mail enters the network does.
Quick Decision
- Mail starts in the U.S.: use USPS postage.
- Mail starts in Canada: use Canada Post postage.
- Mail crosses the border: apply the originating postal service’s international price.
- Old rate-tracking stamp: confirm its category, then add same-country postage if the mail needs more.
For a fuller explanation of the P symbol and Canadian domestic use, read our Canadian Permanent stamps guide. For U.S.-origin mail, see Forever stamps for international mail. Official references: Canada Post stamps and the USPS price list.
Cross-border rates checked August 31, 2026. Dimensions, weight, destination, contents and service can change the required postage.