Border services, customs, and immigration officers
High opportunity occupation
Career Overview
Border services, customs and immigration officers work for government agencies.
This group includes government officers who support Canada’s security, public safety and economic interests by enforcing federal border legislation at land crossings, airports, marine ports, rail sites, postal facilities and inland holding centers.
They facilitate the lawful movement of people and goods while detecting and preventing inadmissibility, smuggling, fraud and other violations.
Job Titles
Duties
Border services and customs officers:
- Conduct primary and secondary inspections of people, baggage and goods to determine admissibility and detect undeclared merchandise, contraband or prohibited items
- Interview travellers and importers to assess compliance with customs, immigration, food, plant and animal regulations
- Apply and enforce federal legislation, policies and procedures related to customs, immigration, trade and border security
- Educate and inform the public, manufacturers and shippers about laws, duties, taxes and other regulatory requirements
- Board arriving carriers to assess the nature of cargo and enforce compliance with customs and commerce laws
- Operate firearms and use defensive tactics and physical force, when necessary, in the performance of duties
- May arrest, detain or search individuals suspected of having committed a criminal offence under the Customs Act or other Criminal Code offences, until police intervention is possible
Immigration officers/inland enforcement officers:
- Enforce the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and related legislation
- Investigate immigration violations, including inadmissibility cases
- Interview clients, claimants and subjects of enforcement actions to gather statements and assess admissibility
- Prepare case files, reports, and legal documentation for admissibility hearings and immigration proceedings
- Coordinate and execute arrests, detentions and removals in accordance with legislation and policy
- Escort individuals during transfers, removals and court appearances
- Manage detainee care, security and well-being within Immigration Holding Centres
- Liaise with law enforcement agencies, government partners and community organizations
- Testify at immigration hearings or in court proceedings
- Conduct risk assessments related to flight risk, identify concerns and public safety
- Monitor compliance with immigration conditions—for example, reporting requirements and supervision orders
- May work at Immigration Holding Centre
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.
Work Environment
# Workers Employed
1,475% Employed Full Time
78%Work in this occupation is typically performed in a structured environment, such as an office.
Career Pathways
Progression to managerial positions and specialization in these fields is possible with experience.
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:
Education, Training and Skills
Border services, customs and immigration officers must:
- Be at least 18 years old
- Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
- Have a Canadian secondary school (high school) certificate or equivalent
- Have a driver's license
- Have a Canadian passport (for inland enforcement officers only)
- Have security clearance (Enhanced Reliability Status plus Secret Clearance)
- Complete the officer induction training program
A post-secondary diploma or degree is acceptable but not required.
In addition to the above, border service officers must:
- Pass the Officer Trainee Entrance Exam (OTEE), interview, psychological assessment, medical exam, and the Canadian Firearms Safety and Canadian Restricted Firearms Safety courses
- Complete a four-week online training and a fourteen-week officer induction training program at the Canada Border Services College, which includes training in control and defensive tactics (CDT)
In addition to the above, inland enforcement officers must:
- Pass a self-assessment evaluation, interview, psychological assessment, medical exam, Canadian Firearms Safety Course and Canadian Restricted Firearms Safety Course
- Complete an eight-day online training and a twelve-week officer induction training program at the Canada Border Services College, which includes training in control and defensive tactics (CDT)
For more information, visit Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) – Recruitment.
Education programs in B.C.
Top 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!
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.
Talking to others to share information effectively.
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Understanding how new information could be used to solve current and future problems in making decisions.
Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Being able to solve novel, ill-defined problems in complex, real-world settings.
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
1,475Employment by Region
| Region | Employment | % Employment of this Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 0 | 0.0% |
| Kootenay | 85 | 5.8% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 1,225 | 83.1% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 25 | 1.7% |
| Northeast | 0 | 0.0% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 65 | 4.4% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 75 | 5.1% |
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 (2025-2035)
620Forecasted Job Openings
Forecasted Employment Growth Rate
Composition of Job Openings
Job Openings by Region (2025-2035)
| Region | Job Openings | Avg. Annual Employment Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | Not available | Not available |
| Kootenay | 10 | 0.2% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 560 | 1.4% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 10 | 0.0% |
| Northeast | Not available | Not available |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 10 | 0.5% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 30 | 0.6% |
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
| Industry | Job Openings (2025-2035) |
|---|---|
| Public Administration | 610 |
| Professional, Scientific and Technical Services | 10 |
Insights from Industry
Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) processes millions of travelers every day—people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities.
It’s the CBSA’s goal to maintain a diverse workforce that reflects the population they serve. CBSA may first consider qualified candidates who have self-declared as belonging to one or more employment equity groups (women, members of visible minorities, Indigenous Peoples or persons with disabilities).
Resources
Resource information is currently not available.
Career Videos
Watch the video below to see what a day in the life of an immigration program advisor is like.
Watch the video below to see what a day in the life of an immigration program advisor is like.
