Customs Officer Jobs

Customs officer job trends

What entry qualifications and training do you need for this job?

School, college and training

There are two ways to become a customs officer – as an administrative assistant, or as an assistant officer. Either way, you’ll need to meet the Civil Service nationality requirements.

You’ll usually need two GCSEs or the equivalent at grades 9-4 (A*-C) to become an assistant.

You’ll usually need five GCSEs at grades 9-4/A*-C (or the equivalent), including English and maths, and two A-levels or the equivalent, to enter the profession as an assistant officer.

If you don’t have the relevant qualifications, you may be able to take a test when you apply instead. This will show you have skills like teamwork and communication.

Career Progression

With time and experience you could become a full customs officer or detection officer. From there you could progress higher up the Civil Service grade structure.
In your role as customs officer you could also train in specialised areas like surveillance work or dog handling.

What experience do you need for customs officer jobs?

Work experience

It could help your application if you can show you have experience of working with people and communicating with members of the community.
Examples of relevant work experience include:

• Work shadowing (even if it’s just for a day)
• Work placements in a company
• Year-long industry placements on a sandwich degree course.

What skills do you need for customs officer jobs?

Useful skills to highlight to your employer when applying for jobs like this one include:

• Good attention to detail
• Good decision-making skills with sound judgement (being able to make wise decisions based on your training knowledge and problem solving skills)
• Communication skills – this will help you with listening and questioning, as well as being diplomatic but also firm when required.

Vocational qualifications and work experience will help you build these skills over time.

What does a customs officer do?

Your working hours will be spent in an airport or seaport. You’ll be collecting taxes and customs duties for goods that have been declared. You’ll also check items to prevent smuggling and illegal trade, making sure no banned items come into or leave the UK.

Some day-to-day job responsibilities include:

• Searching luggage, vehicles and travellers
• Checking customs documents to make sure they’re valid
• Questioning people who have been found with illegal items or goods over the amount permitted
• Making reports and preparing witness statements (you may also be a witness in court on occasion)
• Arresting people who have broken the law and charging them
• Helping to stop worldwide smuggling and illegal trade of endangered plants and animals.

Your first steps into customs officer jobs

Customs officer jobs are advertised under different job titles. When you’re looking on job boards, look for the following types of job:

• HMRC assistant officer
• HMRC administrative assistant
• Customs officer

DID YOU KNOW? ‘HMRC’ stands for Her Majesty’s Revenue Customs.
You can find jobs advertised on job boards and Jobcentre Plus, but also on the websites of the HMRC, UK Border Agency and Civil Service.

Useful organisations and links for policing careers

• Find an Apprenticeship
• Working for UKVI (UK Visas and Immigration
• HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC)
• Civil Service Jobs Online