1315-NOC

Customs, ship and other brokers

(NOC 13200)
Annual Earnings
$57,125
Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities
College Diploma or Apprenticeship, less than 2 years
Job Openings
(2023-2033)
290

Career Overview

Customs, ships and other brokers clear goods through customs and to their destination on behalf of importer and exporter clients. On behalf of clients, they also:

  • Buy and sell cargo space on ships
  • Buy and sell ships, yachts and other watercraft

This occupational group includes brokers, not elsewhere classified, who negotiate commercial transactions or other services between parties on behalf of clients.

People in this career group may be self-employed or work for customs, ship or other brokerage companies.

Duties

Customs brokers:

  • Prepare and process import/export documents and other forms on behalf of clients according to customs regulations, laws and procedures
  • Sign import/export documents on behalf of client, using power of attorney
  • Arrange for payment of duties, taxes, storage and transportation of imported goods and bonds to cover duty goods
  • Estimate duty and tax rates on goods for clients
  • Provide advice to clients on export and import restrictions, tariff systems, letters of credit, insurance requirements and other custom related matters
  • Represent client before administrative courts or in other dealings with government officials

Ship brokers:

  • Buy and sell cargo space on ships on behalf of individuals, companies and governments
  • Consult trade publications and other sources to provide information to clients on available cargo space, destinations, rates, departure locations and times, and arrange ship charters for clients
  • Negotiate rates and terms and prepare contracts and other papers
  • Buy and sell ships, yachts and other watercraft on behalf of clients
  • Inspect vessels, explain features and negotiate price when purchasing or selling for clients
  • Arrange for insurance coverage for cargo or for ships
  • Arrange for registration and licensing of ships

Earnings

Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.

Annual Earnings

$57,125

Provincial Hourly Rate

High$49.59/hr
Median$27.39/hr
Low$17.76/hr
Source: B.C. Labour Market Information Office, derived from 2023 Job Bank Wage data

Work Environment

# Workers Employed

670

% Employed Full Time

74%
Source: 2021 Census

Work in this occupation is typically performed in a structured environment, such as an office, or an outdoor work environment where the worker is exposed to various weather conditions.

Career Pathways

There is no mobility between the different types of brokers in this unit group.

Occupational Interests

It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.

For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.

Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:

Enterprising
Enterprising

Job Titles

Cargo broker
Chartered shipbroker
Customs broker
Gas broker
Licensed customs broker
Shipbroker

Education, Training and Skills

  • Completion of secondary school is required
  • Some post-secondary education in commerce or a related field may be required
  • Customs brokers require several years of on-the-job training and completion of a customs brokers training program through the International Federation of Customs Brokers Association
  • A customs broker licence, issued by the Canada Border Services Agency, is required for an individual or company to operate a customs brokerage business
  • Shipbrokers selling cargo space on ships usually require several years of on-the-job training or related experience such as shipping company scheduling experience. Shipbrokers selling watercraft usually require in-depth experience with, and knowledge of, various watercraft
  • Correspondence courses from the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers are available for shipbrokers

Education programs in B.C.

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Find out more information about programs offered specifically for this career.

Skills

Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.

Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.

See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!

Reading Comprehension

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

70%
Speaking

Talking to others to share information effectively.

70%
Critical Thinking

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

68%
Writing

Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

68%
Active Listening

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

67%
Judgment and Decision Making

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

65%
Complex Problem Solving

Being able to solve novel, ill-defined problems in complex, real-world settings.

63%
Monitoring

Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

59%
Active Learning

Understanding how new information could be used to solve current and future problems in making decisions.

57%
Coordination

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

57%

Labour Market Statistics

Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.

Employment

Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.

Employment

670
Source: 2021 Census

Employment by Region

Map of BC Map of BC highlighting Cariboo region Map of BC highlighting Kootenay region Map of BC highlighting Mainland/Southwest region Map of BC highlighting North Coast and Nechako region Map of BC highlighting Northeast region Map of BC highlighting Thompson-Okanagan region Map of BC highlighting Vancouver Island/Coast region
Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland/Southwest
North Coast and Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island/Coast
Region Employment % Employment of this Occupation
Cariboo 0 0.0%
Kootenay 0 0.0%
Mainland/Southwest 560 83.6%
North Coast and Nechako 15 2.2%
Northeast 0 0.0%
Thompson-Okanagan 30 4.5%
Vancouver Island/Coast 55 8.2%
Source: 2021 Census

Labour Market Outlook

The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.

Forecasted Job Openings (2023-2033)

290
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Forecasted Job Openings

Forecasted Employment Growth Rate

Composition of Job Openings

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Job Openings by Region (2023-2033)

Map of BC Map of BC highlighting Cariboo region Map of BC highlighting Kootenay region Map of BC highlighting Mainland/Southwest region Map of BC highlighting North Coast and Nechako region Map of BC highlighting Northeast region Map of BC highlighting Thompson-Okanagan region Map of BC highlighting Vancouver Island/Coast region
Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland/Southwest
North Coast and Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island/Coast
Region Job Openings Avg. Annual Employment Growth
Cariboo Not available Not available
Kootenay Not available Not available
Mainland/Southwest 240 1.5%
North Coast and Nechako 20 4.2%
Northeast Not available Not available
Thompson-Okanagan 10 -0.1%
Vancouver Island/Coast 20 0.8%
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Industry Highlights

Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.

Forecasted Job Openings by Industry

IndustryJob Openings (2023-2033)
Transportation And Warehousing260
Retail Trade20
Wholesale Trade0
Finance, Insurance And Real Estate0
For additional industry information, visit the Industry Profiles page.
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Resources

Resource information is currently not available.