Becoming a Customs Officer

Customs officers are government employees who work at airports and ports to enforce regulations concerning the import and export of goods and to combat smuggling and revenue fraud. They meet travelers entering or leaving the country and may examine their luggage. They have the power to conduct body searches and, in the event of a prosecution, they may have to give evidence in court. They also examined cargo and mail.

The job:

While the fight against drug trafficking and other illegal trade is one of the highest priorities, customs officers are primarily concerned with gathering revenue from a variety of sources. They inspect luggage and personal items carried and worn by travelers entering or leaving the country. All travelers are entitled to import certain amount of goods purchased abroad without paying taxes. Customs officers will check that travelers' customs declarations match what they are actually carrying and we'll talk later what duty needs to be paid, if any. Where customs officers discover undeclared items, they must decide whether this is the result of an oversight or a deliberate fraud. If they suspect that fraud has occurred, the goods may be confiscated and the traveler fined. Customs officers also need to file detailed reports in the event of a prosecution.

Customs officers also take action to prevent undesirable imports, such as illicit weapons, pornography, plants carrying diseases, and products made from endangered species. They also ensure that health and trade regulations are observed. This aspect of work may involve liaison with representatives of other government departments, such as agricultural quarantine inspectors.

Cargo control involves poorly checking cargo against ships or aircraft manifests, the lists of goods carried, and supervising loading and unloading. Some of the data gathered may be stored on computer. They have to weigh and measure goods or referred them to a specialist laboratory. The work takes customs officers into the holds of ships and aircraft's to search for undeclared or even legal imports. Carrying out searches, especially on board ships, maybe physically demanding.

In some countries, the work of customs officers including checking and collecting excise duties at breweries and distilleries and visiting traders to monitor sales tax payments.

Some customs officials work as pilots and conduct surveillance from the air of illegal traffic at border crossings and along the coast. The fight against smuggling also requires a specialist such as dog handlers, whose specially trained dogs are capable of detecting dangerous and prohibited drugs. There are also plainclothes investigators whose work may expose them to violence from criminals seeking to evade customs regulations. Customs officers trained as import specialists are used to carry out valuations on unusual cargoes, such as antiques or electronic equipment.

Customs officers need to be able to relate well to people, remain calm, and be able to cope with antagonism and possibly abuse. Staffs employed on customs duties usually wear a uniform while at work. They have to work shifts, which may involve evenings and weekends, and they are likely to be busiest at normal holiday times. Strict nationality rules apply and applicants have to pass a medical examination. The work requires the skillful use of information, perceptiveness, and judgment.

Training involved:

Previous experience of working with the public is preferred. Entry may be by competitive examination. In some countries, there is no direct entry into the uniform service and most new officers start their career in excise work. Customs officers are giving a comprehensive and professional training program. Some of the training, such as induction, takes place away from the workplace. Subjects include powers of arrest, report writing, and specialist areas such as cargo training. Other training is on the job, and involves doing the work under supervision.

Salary Expectations:

The base salary range of Customs Officer is from $28,030 to $51,332 annually, while the median salary for most Customs Officer is $36,500 annually. (US Base Pay)

Future prospects:

In most countries, there is a steady demand for customs officers and where there is an increased emphasis on law enforcement and detection of illegal importation of drugs, the outlook for customs officers will remain good. There are opportunities with a customs service to undertake postings to different ports and border crossings, some of which may be isolated and only staffed by one customs officer. In some parts of the world, such as Europe, which has moved toward a customs union, there has been a decrease in demand for uniformed customs officers.

All promotion is from within and advancement is usually to supervisory and management positions or into a specialist field.

For further information, please contact a local customs service personnel division or office of human resources.