diff --git a/swh/loader/mercurial/tasks.py b/swh/loader/mercurial/tasks.py
--- a/swh/loader/mercurial/tasks.py
+++ b/swh/loader/mercurial/tasks.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# Copyright (C) 2020-2021  The Software Heritage developers
+# Copyright (C) 2020-2022  The Software Heritage developers
 # See the AUTHORS file at the top-level directory of this distribution
 # License: GNU General Public License version 3, or any later version
 # See top-level LICENSE file for more information
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 
 from celery import shared_task
 
-from swh.loader.mercurial.utils import parse_visit_date
+from swh.loader.core.utils import parse_visit_date
 
 from .loader import HgArchiveLoader, HgLoader
 
diff --git a/swh/loader/mercurial/tests/test_loader.py b/swh/loader/mercurial/tests/test_loader.py
--- a/swh/loader/mercurial/tests/test_loader.py
+++ b/swh/loader/mercurial/tests/test_loader.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 import attr
 import pytest
 
-from swh.loader.mercurial.utils import parse_visit_date
+from swh.loader.core.utils import parse_visit_date
 from swh.loader.tests import (
     assert_last_visit_matches,
     check_snapshot,
diff --git a/swh/loader/mercurial/tests/test_utils.py b/swh/loader/mercurial/tests/test_utils.py
deleted file mode 100644
--- a/swh/loader/mercurial/tests/test_utils.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,31 +0,0 @@
-# Copyright (C) 2021 The Software Heritage developers
-# See the AUTHORS file at the top-level directory of this distribution
-# License: GNU General Public License version 3, or any later version
-# See top-level LICENSE file for more information
-
-from datetime import datetime
-
-import pytest
-
-from swh.loader.mercurial.utils import parse_visit_date
-
-VISIT_DATE_STR = "2021-02-17 15:50:04.518963"
-VISIT_DATE = datetime(2021, 2, 17, 15, 50, 4, 518963)
-
-
-@pytest.mark.parametrize(
-    "input_visit_date,expected_date",
-    [(None, None), (VISIT_DATE, VISIT_DATE), (VISIT_DATE_STR, VISIT_DATE),],
-)
-def test_utils_parse_visit_date(input_visit_date, expected_date):
-    assert parse_visit_date(input_visit_date) == expected_date
-
-
-def test_utils_parse_visit_date_now():
-    actual_date = parse_visit_date("now")
-    assert isinstance(actual_date, datetime)
-
-
-def test_utils_parse_visit_date_fails():
-    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="invalid"):
-        parse_visit_date(10)  # not a string nor a date
diff --git a/swh/loader/mercurial/utils.py b/swh/loader/mercurial/utils.py
--- a/swh/loader/mercurial/utils.py
+++ b/swh/loader/mercurial/utils.py
@@ -3,31 +3,8 @@
 # License: GNU General Public License version 3, or any later version
 # See top-level LICENSE file for more information
 
-from datetime import datetime, timezone
 import os
-from typing import Dict, Optional, Union
-
-from dateutil.parser import parse
-
-
-def parse_visit_date(visit_date: Optional[Union[datetime, str]]) -> Optional[datetime]:
-    """Convert visit date from either None, a string or a datetime to either None or
-       datetime.
-
-    """
-    if visit_date is None:
-        return None
-
-    if isinstance(visit_date, datetime):
-        return visit_date
-
-    if visit_date == "now":
-        return datetime.now(tz=timezone.utc)
-
-    if isinstance(visit_date, str):
-        return parse(visit_date)
-
-    raise ValueError(f"invalid visit date {visit_date!r}")
+from typing import Dict
 
 
 def get_minimum_env() -> Dict[str, str]: