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Canada Border Services Agency Officer, Customs Inspector, Inspector, Investigator, Law Enforcement Officer
In Canada, the federal government groups and organizes occupations based on a National Occupational Classification (NOC) system. This alis occupation may not reflect the entire NOC group it is part of. Data for the NOC group can apply across multiple occupations.
The NOC system is updated every 5 years to reflect changes in the labour market. Government forms and labour market data may group and refer to an occupation differently, depending on the system used. Here is how this occupation has been classified over time:
| Starting | $31.58 |
|---|---|
| Overall | $34.77 |
| Top | $36.49 |
Border services officers protect Canadian society, the environment, and industry. They prevent illegal items (such as drugs, firearms, obscene material, and other prohibited goods) from entering the country. They also guard against diseases (human, animal, and plant) that could threaten Canada’s well-being.
Border services officers enforce about 90 laws and regulations. They inspect goods imported for personal or commercial use. They deal with the public at airports, seaports, railway stations, and highway crossings. As the first official contact for newcomers, they serve as goodwill ambassadors.
In general, border services officers:
Border services officers work at:
They may work shifts because ports of entry are open all day, every day. They may need to travel, work overtime, or work in remote areas. They should be prepared to work anywhere in Canada.
Border services officers need to possess:
They should enjoy:
To become a border services officer, an individual needs an acceptable combination of education, training, and experience. The minimum education requirement for a trainee in this position is a high school diploma. Trainees must also have a valid driver’s licence and must have successfully completed the Canadian Firearms Safety Course (CFSC) and the Canadian Restricted Firearms Safety Course (CRFSC) along with the related exams.
Experience or education related to law enforcement is preferred. Experience in the following may be assets:
Some other conditions may be required. Trainees must successfully complete 3 phases of training before becoming a border services officer. These include:
To learn more about employment conditions for a border services officer, see the Canada Border Services Agency website.
To learn more about Alberta post-secondary programs related to law enforcement, see the Police Officer occupational profile.
For a broad list of programs and courses that may be related to this occupation try searching using keywords.
There is currently no provincial legislation regulating this occupation in Alberta.
Border services officers work for the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).
With experience, they may compete for positions in:
Border services officers are part of the larger 2011 National Occupational Classification 1228: Immigration, employment insurance and revenue officers. In Alberta, 95% of people employed in this classification work in the Public Administration [pdf] industry.
The employment outlook [pdf] in this occupation will be influenced by a wide variety of factors including:
In Alberta, the 1228: Employment insurance, immigration, border services and revenue officers occupational group is expected to have a below-average annual growth of 1.3% from 2019 to 2023. In addition to job openings created by employment turnover, 39 new positions are forecasted to be created within this occupational group each year.
Note
NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For example, only some of the 39 new positions to be created will be for this occupation. It also applies to other data for the NOC group such as number of people employed.
Employment turnover is expected to increase as members of the baby boom generation retire over the next few years.
For detailed salary information, see the border services officers’ collective agreement. It is available through the Treasury Board of Canada.
| Wages* | Low (5th percentile) | High (95th percentile) | Average | Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting | $25.04 | $41.17 | $31.58 | $31.57 |
| Overall | $26.34 | $46.61 | $34.77 | $33.90 |
| Top | $26.63 | $48.32 | $36.49 | $34.01 |
Swipe left and right to view all data. Scroll left and right to view all data.
* All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production) and other forms of compensation.
High Reliability, represents a CV of less than or equal to 6.00% and 30 survey observations and/or represents 50% or more of all estimated employment for the occupation.
| Public Administration | $67,655 |
|---|---|
| ALL INDUSTRIES | $66,781 |
Canada Border Services Agency website, become a CBSA officer: www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca
Get information and referrals about career, education, and employment options from Alberta Supports.
Updated Mar 31, 2018. The information contained in this profile is current as of the dates shown. Salary, employment outlook, and educational program information may change without notice. It is advised that you confirm this information before making any career decisions.