Customs officer
Check that people arriving at UK borders do not bring in or take out banned goods. Stop smuggling and illegal trade.
Also known as: detection officer
About the job
What it's like
You would check that people arriving at UK borders are not bringing in or taking out banned goods. You’d stop smuggling and illegal trade.
You’d also explain to people if they need to pay a charge to take certain items in or out of the country. You’d collect these customs duties and taxes so the rules are being applied fairly to everyone.
You would work in airports and seaports for UK Border Force.
You would:
Search luggage, vehicles and travellers
Check customs documents
Question people who have been found with illegal items or more goods than they are allowed
Arrest and charge people
Prepare reports and witness statements
You might take on specialist roles such as dog handling or undercover and surveillance work.
When necessary, you would go to court as a witness and would work closely with other agencies, like the police and the Home Office.
Hours
As a full-time customs officer you would work 36 hours a week over five days. In a border protection role you would work shifts to cover 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Job sharing or part-time work may be available.
Environment
You would be based at airports and seaports.
Travel
You would also travel to court when necessary.
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Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- making decisions
- taking initiative
- attention to detail
- questioning
- observation
- verbal communication
- listening
- cooperating
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
Administration and Information Technology
For entry at officer level you need two to three Highers (SCQF level 6). Or a degree in any subject (SCQF level 9/10) to enter the graduate trainee scheme.
Alternatively you can enter an administrative role with qualifications at SCQF level 4/5 and work toward promotion.
Qualifications and experience that demonstrate understanding of the security industry, the ability to pay attention to detail and being tactful such as Skills for Work Uniformed and Emergency Services (SCQF level 4).
You need to meet the Civil Service nationality requirement. All jobs are open to British nationals and many are also open to Commonwealth citizens or European Union nationals.
See the Civil Service website for more information.
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