Customs and Border Protection Officer - Experienced
New Recruitments and Retention Incentives
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) offers incentives to attract new hires and retain current officers. These incentives include:
- $15,000 per year, for a three-year service contract, in Arizona, California, Hawaii, and Maine.
- $15,000 per year, for a four-year service contract, in California, Florida, and North Dakota.
Salary
The salary for newly appointed CBPOs varies based on the duty location. The base salary ranges from $63,431 to $127,464 per year, with locality pay varying by duty location. Additionally, officers are eligible for up to $45,000 in overtime pay.
Qualifications
To qualify for the GS-9 grade level, you must meet one of the following criteria:
- At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level that includes:
- Detaining suspected violators of federal, state, or local laws and/or arresting violators using the proper law enforcement methods.
- Enforcing the laws and regulations relating to importing, exporting, and/or international shipping to and from the United States.
- Utilizing intelligence techniques and behavior analysis to identify potential threats and perform risk assessments for violations of laws and threats to national security.
- Conducting interviews in a law enforcement capacity for the purposes of gaining information from suspected violators of laws to determine the appropriate course of action.
You may also qualify through a combination of experience and education, or a master's degree or two or more years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, or an LL.B. or J.D. from an accredited college or university.
Citizenship: You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this position. Residency: You must have had primary U.S. residency for at least three (3) of the last five (5) years. Age Restriction: Candidates must be referred for selection to the Customs and Border Protection Officer position before reaching their 40th birthday in accordance with Department of Homeland Security Directive 251-03. The age restriction may not apply if you are currently serving or have previously served in a federal civilian law enforcement (non-military) position covered by Title 5 U.S.C. 8336(c) or Title 5 U.S.C. 8412(d).
Veterans’ Preference: You may also be eligible for an excepted service Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA). The age restriction does not apply if you are Veterans' Preference eligible. Formal Training: You will be required to complete a paid pre-academy orientation for approximately two (2) weeks at your home port. You will then attend a 101-day training program – CBP Field Operations Academy – conducted at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) located in Glynco, GA. This training consists of basic law enforcement skills, immigration laws, firearms training, examination of cargo/bags/merchandise, physical fitness, etc. Candidates assigned to the southern border, Miami, or Puerto Rico duty locations must attend and pass an online Spanish training program, which will be completed at their home port. Successful completion of the Academy is required for this position.