There was a time, not so long ago, when working as a customs agent was considered a lucrative job. While the requirements and qualifications for the job vary from country to country, getting a job as a customs agent in the United States is no longer straightforward. Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and the establishment of the Department of Homeland Security, the customs agent’s job was absorbed into a new organization known as the CBP (U.S. Customs and Border Protection).
In fact, the CBP is now the Department of Homeland Security’s largest law enforcement agency, with over 53,000 employees. Interviewing travelers, repairing border fences, and inspecting suitcases for contraband material are no longer enough. It’s a job that necessitates extensive pre-qualification, training, and testing.
As a customs agent, you can work as a Border Patrol Agent, a Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) Officer, a CBP Air and Marine Officer, or a CBP Agricultural Specialist. The first two of this quartet are the most readily available for those who wish to join this service.
Terrorists, illegal aliens, a variety of weapons, and a variety of contraband are all prevented from entering the United States by CBP Officers and Border Patrol Agents, who are primarily stationed at border crossings and ports of entry. They must learn and enforce current trade and travel laws, as well as seize contraband and occasionally apprehend suspects. They must inspect cargo and conduct numerous inspections. Border Patrol Agents and Customs and Border Protection Officers both wear uniforms and are armed. The hours can be long and exhausting, and the conditions can be hazardous at times.
Basic qualifications for either of these positions include being a United States citizen and resident, possessing a valid driver’s license, and passing a thorough background check. Applicants must also speak Spanish fluently or be willing to learn Spanish in a reasonable amount of time.
Those wishing to work in this field may also be turned down if they have a criminal record, have been fired from a previous job, have excessive debts, or are addicted to alcohol or drugs. Applicants will almost certainly have to pass a polygraph test as well.
While some private colleges provide training to become a customs agent, the only way to get the job is to submit an application to the CBP. The applicant must attend the CBP Border Patrol Academy and complete a nineteen-week course if they are accepted for consideration as a potential Border Patrol Agent. To be hired, you must be under forty years old and complete courses in nationality law, immigration law, criminal law, statutory authority, physical training, firearms proficiency, driving, and Spanish.
An interview, background investigation, fitness test, and drug test are all required to become a Customs and Border Patrol Officer. The same criteria used in deciding whether or not to hire a Border Patrol Agent can be used to disqualify an applicant. Before reaching the age of 37, applicants must apply for the position and complete a fifteen-week training program at the CPB Academy at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center.