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Immigration & Customs Inspectors

Also called: Customs and Border Protection Officer (CBPO), Customs Port Director, Inspector, Special Agent

What they do:
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.
On the job, you would:
  • Examine immigration applications, visas, and passports and interview persons to determine eligibility for admission, residence, and travel in the U.S.
  • Detain persons found to be in violation of customs or immigration laws and arrange for legal action, such as deportation.
  • Inspect cargo, baggage, and personal articles entering or leaving U.S. for compliance with revenue laws and U.S. customs regulations.

Knowledge

Safety and Government
  • law and government
  • public safety and security
Arts and Humanities
  • English language
  • foreign language
Business
  • customer service
  • administrative services
Math and Science
  • psychology

Skills

Basic Skills
  • listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
  • talking to others
Social
  • understanding people's reactions
  • changing what is done based on other people's actions
Problem Solving
  • noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

Abilities

Verbal
  • communicate by speaking
  • listen and understand what people say
Ideas and Logic
  • make general rules or come up with answers from lots of detailed information
  • notice when problems happen
Attention
  • pay attention to something without being distracted
  • do two or more things at the same time
Visual Understanding
  • see hidden patterns

Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include
data, detail, and regular routines.
They do well at jobs that need:
  • Integrity
  • Self Control
  • Dependability
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Adaptability/Flexibility
  • Attention to Detail

Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Data base user interface and query software
  • Automated Manifest System AMS
  • Law enforcement information databases
Word processing software
  • Corel WordPerfect software
  • Microsoft Word
Spreadsheet software
  • Microsoft Excel

Education

Education: (rated 3 of 5)
high school diploma or
bachelor's degree
usually needed

Get started on your career:

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Job Outlook

Below Average Outlook
New job opportunities are less likely in the future.
Salary
$71,770
per year, on average
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See more details at O*NET OnLine about immigration and customs inspectors.