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Occupation AtlasCustoms and Border Protection Officers

O*NET · 33-3051.04

Customs and Border Protection Officers

Investigate and inspect persons, common carriers, goods, and merchandise, arriving in or departing from the United States or between states to detect violations of immigration and customs laws and regulations.

Also called Agriculture Specialist · Air Import Specialist · Border Patrol Agent · Canine Enforcement Officer (K-9 Enforcement Officer) · Customs and Border Patrol Agent · Customs Import Specialist · Customs Inspector · Customs Officer
21 more

Customs Opener · Customs Packer · Customs Specialist · Customs Verifier · Deportation Officer · Drug Enforcement Agent · Drug Inspector · Duty Officer · Immigration Services Officer · Import Specialist · K-9 Enforcement Officer · Marine Interdiction Agent (MIA) · MIA · Ocean Import Specialist · Passport Specialist · Passport Support Associate · Patrol Inspector · Special Agent · US CBPO · US Customs and Border Officer · US Customs and Border Protection Officer (US CBPO)

Job Zone 3 — Medium Preparation NeededHolland code CER35 skills on file

Compare with another occupationCompare with Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists

Job Zone

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5

Zone 3: Medium Preparation Needed

Medium preparation. Vocational training, related on-the-job experience, or an associate degree, with one to two years of training that combines experience and informal instruction.

Job Zone is O*NET's rating of how much education, experience and training an occupation typically needs — a property of the work, not of anyone doing it.

Occupational interest profile

CERConventional · Enterprising · Realistic — the three strongest interests, in order

  • C Conventional5.27
  • E Enterprising4.29
  • R Realistic3.39
  • I Investigative2.64
  • S Social2.60
  • A Artistic1.00

RIASEC (Holland) interests on O*NET's 0–7 scale: what the work draws on, not what any individual prefers. Hover a row for what each dimension means.

Education and experience

The education level respondents say the job requires, and the most common answer for experience and training.

  • High School Diploma or the equivalent39%
  • Post-Secondary Certificate10%
  • Some College Courses14%
  • Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree7%
  • Bachelor's Degree27%
  • Post-Baccalaureate Certificate2%
Related work experience
None (48%)
On-site or in-plant training
Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year (32%)
On-the-job training
Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months (27%)

Typically associated skills

All 35 O*NET skills, most important first. Importance (1–5) says how much a skill matters here; level (0–7) says how much of it the work calls for, with O*NET's example of a nearby level. Neither is a proficiency rating of a person.

  • Active Listeningbasic4.04.0Level 4 looks like: Answer inquiries regarding credit references
  • Speakingbasic4.04.0Level 4 looks like: Interview applicants to obtain personal and work history
  • Critical Thinkingbasic4.03.9Level 4 looks like: Evaluate customer complaints and determine appropriate responses
  • Reading Comprehensionbasic3.93.9Level 4 looks like: Understand an email from management describing new personnel policies
  • Social Perceptiveness3.93.4Level 4 looks like: Be aware of how a coworker's promotion will affect a work group
  • Monitoringbasic3.63.8Level 4 looks like: Monitor a meeting and revise the agenda to ensure important topics are discussed
  • Writingbasic3.63.8Level 4 looks like: Write an email to staff outlining new directives
  • Judgment and Decision Making3.63.5Level 4 looks like: Evaluate a loan application for degree of risk
  • Coordination3.43.4Level 4 looks like: Work with others to put a new roof on a house
  • Active Learningbasic3.43.1Level 4 looks like: Determine the impact of new menu changes on a restaurant's purchasing requirements
  • Persuasion3.13.1Level 4 looks like: Convince a supervisor to purchase new office equipment
  • Complex Problem Solving3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Lay out tools to complete a job
Show the other 23
  • Time Management3.03.3Level 4 looks like: Allocate the time of subordinates to projects for the coming week
  • Negotiation3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Present justification to a manager for altering a work schedule
  • Service Orientation3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Ask customers if they would like a cup of coffee
  • Instructing2.83.0Level 2 looks like: Instruct a new employee in the use of a timekeeping system
  • Management of Personnel Resources2.82.8Level 2 looks like: Encourage a coworker who is having difficulty finishing a project
  • Learning Strategiesbasic2.62.9Level 2 looks like: Learn a different method of completing a task from a coworker
  • Systems Analysis2.62.4Level 2 looks like: Determine how loss of a team member will affect the completion of a job
  • Systems Evaluation2.42.5Level 2 looks like: Determine why estimates for the time to complete a task are overly optimistic
  • Operations Monitoring2.42.3Level 2 looks like: Monitor completion times while running a computer program
  • Mathematicsbasic2.32.1Level 2 looks like: Count the amount of change to be given to a customer
  • Operation and Control2.32.1Level 2 looks like: Navigate the settings on an office printer to print on both sides of the paper
  • Quality Control Analysis2.11.9Level 2 looks like: Inspect a draft email for errors (e.g., grammar, punctuation)
  • Sciencebasic1.91.1Level 2 looks like: Conduct standard tests to determine soil quality
  • Management of Material Resources1.81.1Level 2 looks like: Reserve a room for a management meeting
  • Troubleshooting1.80.9
  • Management of Financial Resources1.80.8
  • Operations Analysis1.50.6
  • Programming1.50.5
  • Technology Design1.50.5
  • Equipment Maintenance1.0—
  • Equipment Selection1.0—
  • Installation1.0—
  • Repairing1.0—

Tasks

10 core · 1 supplemental

What people in this occupation do, as O*NET records it, core tasks first by importance (1–5).

  1. Examine immigration applications, visas, and passports and interview persons to determine eligibility for admission, residence, and travel in the U.S.4.8
  2. Detain persons found to be in violation of customs or immigration laws and arrange for legal action, such as deportation.4.6
  3. Locate and seize contraband, undeclared merchandise, and vehicles, aircraft, or boats that contain such merchandise.4.6
  4. Inspect cargo, baggage, and personal articles entering or leaving U.S. for compliance with revenue laws and U.S. customs regulations.4.6
  5. Interpret and explain laws and regulations to travelers, prospective immigrants, shippers, and manufacturers.4.4
  6. Institute civil and criminal prosecutions and cooperate with other law enforcement agencies in the investigation and prosecution of those in violation of immigration or customs laws.4.3
  7. Record and report job-related activities, findings, transactions, violations, discrepancies, and decisions.4.2
  8. Testify regarding decisions at immigration appeals or in federal court.4.2
  9. Determine duty and taxes to be paid on goods.4.0
  10. Collect samples of merchandise for examination, appraisal, or testing.3.8
Show the other 1
  1. Investigate applications for duty refunds and petition for remission or mitigation of penalties when warranted.3.1

Knowledge

Bodies of knowledge the work draws on.

  • Law and Government4.54.5Level 4 looks like: Prepare documents and title papers for the purchase of a new house
  • Public Safety and Security4.34.5Level 4 looks like: Inspect a building site for safety violations
  • English Language3.94.2Level 4 looks like: Edit an article for a news website
  • Customer and Personal Service3.64.8Level 4 looks like: Be responsible for 10 children at daycare
  • Psychology3.44.2Level 4 looks like: Understand the impact of alcohol on human responses
  • Administrative3.23.5Level 4 looks like: Type 30 words per minute
  • Computers and Electronics3.23.5Level 4 looks like: Use a computer to format a document
  • Geography3.24.1Level 4 looks like: Find a specific country on a world map
Show all 33
  • Education and Training3.13.7Level 4 looks like: Lead a quality improvement seminar
  • Sociology and Anthropology3.13.2Level 4 looks like: Write an article about cultural differences
  • Foreign Language3.03.0Level 4 looks like: Ask directions in a foreign city
  • Transportation2.82.9
  • Administration and Management2.72.8
  • Telecommunications2.51.9Level 1 looks like: Send an email
  • Mathematics2.42.3Level 1 looks like: Add two numbers
  • Philosophy and Theology2.42.9
  • Communications and Media2.32.2Level 1 looks like: Write a thank you note
  • History and Archeology2.32.4Level 1 looks like: Take a class in US history
  • Personnel and Human Resources2.32.1Level 1 looks like: Fill out a medical claim form
  • Chemistry2.12.3Level 1 looks like: Use a common household bug spray
  • Biology2.01.9Level 1 looks like: Feed domestic animals
  • Economics and Accounting2.01.6Level 1 looks like: Answer billing questions from credit card customers
  • Production and Processing1.91.7Level 1 looks like: Put a computer back into its packing materials
  • Therapy and Counseling1.91.9Level 1 looks like: Put ice on a sprained ankle
  • Mechanical1.71.3Level 1 looks like: Replace the filters in a furnace
  • Medicine and Dentistry1.71.4Level 1 looks like: Use a band-aid
  • Physics1.71.2Level 1 looks like: Use a crowbar to pry open a box
  • Engineering and Technology1.61.0Level 1 looks like: Install a door lock
  • Design1.50.9Level 1 looks like: Draw a straight line 4 3/16 inches long
  • Building and Construction1.40.8Level 1 looks like: Choose the proper type of wood for adding a deck onto a house
  • Fine Arts1.3—
  • Sales and Marketing1.3—
  • Food Production1.2—

Abilities

Enduring capacities the work calls for.

  • Inductive Reasoning4.04.0Level 4 looks like: Determine the prime suspect based on crime scene evidence
  • Near Vision4.04.1Level 5 looks like: Read the fine print of a legal document
  • Oral Comprehension4.04.0Level 4 looks like: Understand a coach's oral instructions for a sport
  • Oral Expression4.04.0Level 4 looks like: Give instructions to a lost motorist
  • Problem Sensitivity4.04.1Level 4 looks like: Notice from a subtle difference in a client's mood that something is bothering them
  • Deductive Reasoning3.94.0Level 5 looks like: Decide what factors to consider in selecting stocks
  • Speech Clarity3.93.9Level 4 looks like: Make stadium-wide announcements during a sporting event
  • Written Comprehension3.94.0Level 4 looks like: Understand an apartment lease
Show all 52
  • Speech Recognition3.84.1Level 4 looks like: Identify a former customer's voice over the phone
  • Written Expression3.63.8Level 4 looks like: Write a job recommendation for a subordinate
  • Flexibility of Closure3.43.4Level 4 looks like: Look for a golf ball in tall grass
  • Information Ordering3.43.4Level 2 looks like: Follow the correct steps to make change
  • Far Vision3.33.4Level 4 looks like: Read the slides on a presentation from across a room
  • Perceptual Speed3.33.1Level 4 looks like: Read five pressure indicators in 10 seconds to make sure each is within safe limits
  • Selective Attention3.33.4Level 4 looks like: Watch security monitors for intruders throughout the night shift
  • Time Sharing3.02.8Level 3 looks like: Watch street signs while driving at 30 miles an hour
  • Category Flexibility2.93.1Level 3 looks like: Classify flowers according to size, color, and smell
  • Finger Dexterity2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Put coins in a parking meter
  • Fluency of Ideas2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Name four different uses for a screwdriver
  • Auditory Attention2.82.5Level 2 looks like: Listen to a lecture while people nearby are talking
  • Depth Perception2.82.4Level 2 looks like: Merge a car into traffic on a city street
  • Manual Dexterity2.82.6
  • Memorization2.82.3Level 1 looks like: Remember the number on your bus to be sure you get back on the right one
  • Multilimb Coordination2.82.8Level 2 looks like: Row a boat
  • Speed of Closure2.82.8Level 3 looks like: Recognize a song after hearing only the first few notes
  • Visual Color Discrimination2.82.8
  • Originality2.62.4Level 2 looks like: Use a credit card to open a locked door
  • Arm-Hand Steadiness2.52.3Level 2 looks like: Light a candle
  • Control Precision2.52.6Level 2 looks like: Adjust a room light with a dimmer switch
  • Reaction Time2.52.8Level 2 looks like: Start to slow down the car when a traffic light turns yellow
  • Static Strength2.52.8
  • Visualization2.52.4Level 2 looks like: Imagine how to place paper in a printer so that the letterhead comes out on top
  • Mathematical Reasoning2.42.1Level 1 looks like: Determine how much 20 oranges will cost when they are priced at 5 for 4 dollars
  • Trunk Strength2.42.3Level 2 looks like: Sit up in an office chair
  • Extent Flexibility2.32.5Level 2 looks like: Reach to adjust the radio in a car
  • Number Facility2.32.5Level 3 looks like: Calculate a discounted price
  • Response Orientation2.32.3Level 2 looks like: When a doorbell and phone ring at the same time, quickly select which to answer first
  • Hearing Sensitivity2.11.8Level 2 looks like: Notice a doorbell ringing
  • Stamina2.12.0Level 1 looks like: Walk 1/4 mile
  • Explosive Strength2.01.9Level 2 looks like: Hit a nail with a hammer
  • Glare Sensitivity2.02.0Level 2 looks like: Drive on a familiar road on a cloudy day
  • Gross Body Coordination2.02.0Level 2 looks like: Get in and out of a truck
  • Gross Body Equilibrium2.01.8Level 2 looks like: Stand on a ladder
  • Rate Control2.01.9Level 1 looks like: Ride a bicycle alongside a jogger
  • Speed of Limb Movement2.01.9Level 2 looks like: Saw through a thin piece of wood
  • Dynamic Strength1.91.6Level 2 looks like: Use pruning shears to trim a bush
  • Night Vision1.91.3Level 2 looks like: Read street signs at dusk (just after sunset)
  • Peripheral Vision1.91.4Level 2 looks like: Keep in step while marching in a band
  • Sound Localization1.91.1Level 2 looks like: Listen to a sound system to determine which speaker is working
  • Spatial Orientation1.91.5Level 2 looks like: Use the floor plan to locate a store in a mall
  • Wrist-Finger Speed1.90.9
  • Dynamic Flexibility1.0—

Work activities

Kinds of activity the work is made of.

  • Getting Information4.65.5Level 4 looks like: Review a budget
  • Working with Computers4.64.8Level 4 looks like: Write software for keeping track of parts in inventory
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates4.55.3Level 4 looks like: Report the results of a sales meeting to a supervisor
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events4.55.5Level 4 looks like: Judge the suitability of food products for an event
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards4.45.3Level 4 looks like: Evaluate a complicated insurance claim for compliance with policy terms
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems4.45.3Level 4 looks like: Select the location for a major retail store
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public4.45.2Level 4 looks like: Sell shoes in a crowded shoe store
  • Processing Information4.45.4Level 4 looks like: Calculate the adjustments for insurance claims
Show all 41
  • Analyzing Data or Information4.35.2Level 4 looks like: Determine the interest cost to finance a new building
  • Documenting/Recording Information4.25.3Level 4 looks like: Document the results of a crime scene investigation
  • Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People4.25.2Level 4 looks like: Determine the value of property lost in a fire
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge4.25.4Level 4 looks like: Keep current on changes in maintenance procedures for repairing sports cars
  • Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings4.05.3Level 4 looks like: Test electrical circuits
  • Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others3.94.5Level 4 looks like: Interpret how foreign tax laws apply to U.S. exports
  • Communicating with People Outside the Organization3.84.3Level 4 looks like: Present information to potential clients about available services
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships3.84.7Level 4 looks like: Maintain good working relationships with almost all coworkers and clients
  • Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information3.73.8Level 4 looks like: Estimate the time required to evacuate a city in the event of a major disaster
  • Performing Administrative Activities3.64.1Level 4 looks like: Complete tax forms for a small business
  • Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others3.63.9Level 4 looks like: Get two subordinates to agree about vacation schedules
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials3.44.0Level 4 looks like: Inspect equipment in a chemical processing plant
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work3.44.2Level 4 looks like: Plan and adjust a personal to-do list according to changing demands
  • Performing General Physical Activities3.44.0Level 4 looks like: Paint the outside of a house
  • Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment3.32.9
  • Training and Teaching Others3.34.0Level 4 looks like: Teach a social sciences course to high school students
  • Coaching and Developing Others3.24.0Level 4 looks like: Provide on-the-job training for administrative workers
  • Developing Objectives and Strategies3.13.4Level 4 looks like: Develop the plan to complete the merger of two organizations over a 3-year period
  • Scheduling Work and Activities3.13.5Level 4 looks like: Prepare the work schedule for salesclerks in a large retail store
  • Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others3.03.8Level 4 looks like: Organize the cleanup crew after a major sporting event
  • Developing and Building Teams3.03.5Level 4 looks like: Lead an assembly team in an automobile plant
  • Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates3.03.3Level 4 looks like: Manage a small team of employees in a dynamic workplace
  • Thinking Creatively3.03.9Level 4 looks like: Adapt popular music for a high school marching band
  • Controlling Machines and Processes2.93.2Level 4 looks like: Operate a drilling rig
  • Providing Consultation and Advice to Others2.93.3Level 4 looks like: Recommend a new software package to increase operational efficiency
  • Assisting and Caring for Others2.83.2Level 4 looks like: Help a medical patient find in-home assistance or healthcare
  • Handling and Moving Objects2.83.8Level 4 looks like: Arrange books in a library
  • Monitoring and Controlling Resources2.83.0Level 4 looks like: Work as a chef responsible for ordering food for the menu
  • Staffing Organizational Units2.32.2Level 1 looks like: Work in a position that has minimal staffing requirements
  • Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment2.11.9Level 1 looks like: Use display settings to adjust a television picture
  • Selling or Influencing Others2.11.8Level 1 looks like: Convince a coworker to assist with an assignment
  • Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment1.91.7Level 1 looks like: Specify the lighting for a work area
  • Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment1.91.7Level 1 looks like: Make simple, external adjustments to a door hinge with ordinary hand tools

Work context

The conditions most characteristic of the work, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale.

  • E-Mail5.0
  • Contact With Others4.8
  • Deal With External Customers or the Public in General4.8
  • Indoors, Environmentally Controlled4.7
  • Telephone Conversations4.7
  • Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.6
  • Frequency of Decision Making4.6
  • Importance of Being Exact or Accurate4.6
  • Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team4.6
  • Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results4.5

Technology

12 tools

Software used in this work. In demand: among the tools job postings for this occupation name most. Hot: often named in job postings across the economy.

Hot (6)

  • IBM WebSphere MQ
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Microsoft Word
  • SAP software
Other tools (6)
  • Automated Manifest System AMS
  • Corel WordPerfect Office Suite
  • Global positioning system GPS software
  • Law enforcement information databases
  • National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database
  • Treasury Enforcement Communications System TECS

Related occupations

O*NET's own list of the occupations most related to this one, closest first.

  1. Customs Brokers
  2. Detectives and Criminal Investigators
  3. Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers
  4. Compliance Officers
  5. Transit and Railroad Police
  6. Transportation Security Screeners
  7. Private Detectives and Investigators
  8. Cargo and Freight Agents
  9. First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives
  10. Government Property Inspectors and Investigators

ESCO equivalents

From the official ESCO–O*NET crosswalk, strongest match first. A broader occupation takes in this one; a narrower one is a part of it.

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. ESCO occupations and skills are from the European Commission's ESCO classification, and the occupation crosswalk is the official ESCO–O*NET mapping by the ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA. This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission. BlissPoint Analytics has modified all or some of this information: skill, task and descriptor ratings are rounded to one decimal, and ESCO occupations show Job Zone and interests copied from a crosswalked O*NET occupation. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.