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Customs officer

Also called border guard, detection officer, customs inspector

Customs officers combat the importation of illegal goods, firearms, drugs or other dangerous or illegal items while checking the legality of items brought across national borders. They are government officials who control the documents to ensure entry criteria and custom laws are complied with and control if the custom taxes are paid correctly.

Will there be jobs?Average prospects25 jobs to fill by 2035 for every 100 people doing this work today.Business and administration associate professionalsWhat does it pay?About averageFrom about €1,600 (Bulgaria) to €6,300 (Denmark) a month, depending on the country.Estimate · Business and administration associate professionalsWhat do I need to study?Usually post-secondary or a short degree5 in 10 have a degree.Business and administration associate professionalsWill AI change it?LittleLevel 2 of 6. AI could take on part of some tasks, but none fully.Customs and border inspectors · ILO

What you'd do

Customs and border inspectors · ILO
  • Patrolling national borders and coastal waters to stop persons from illegally entering or leaving the country and from illegally importing or exporting currency or goods
  • Checking travel documents of persons crossing national borders to ensure that they have the necessary authorizations and certificates
  • Inspecting the luggage of persons crossing national borders to ensure that it conforms to government rules and regulations concerning import or export of goods and currencies
  • Examining transport documents and freight of vehicles crossing national borders to ensure conformity with government rules and regulations concerning goods in transit and the import and export of goods, and to verify that necessary payments have been made
  • Detaining persons and seizing prohibited and undeclared goods found to be in violation of immigration and customs laws
  • Coordinating and cooperating with other agencies involved in law enforcement, deportation and prosecution
  • Performing related administrative tasks to record findings, transactions, violations and determinations
  • When necessary, testifying in a court of law about the circumstances and results of investigations carried out
Check official documentsAdvise on licencing proceduresManage import export licensesPrevent smugglingAdvise on customs regulations+ 1 more essential skills
What the work is like
  • Indoors and outdoors
  • A mix of sitting and standing
  • Constant contact with people, including the public
  • Good freedom to decide
  • Often more than 40 hours a week
  • Deadlines most weeks
  • Very repetitive tasks
US data: based on the O*NET profile of the US job "Customs and Border Protection Officers"

Will there be jobs?

Average prospects

A typical number of jobs will need filling by 2035.

People working as business and administration associate professionals in the EU
13.29m14.1m14.28m 201520232035

Solid: measured. Dashed: forecast.

Jobs to fill, 2026–2035
55,000 new jobs 3,460,000 replacing leavers
Jobs to fill per 100 people working now
Business and administration associate professionals25
All jobs29
Right now
2 of 27 countries report a shortage of customs and border inspectors, 3 a surplus.
Customs and border inspectors · EURES

What does it pay?

About average

Pay depends a lot on the country: from about €1,600 a month (Bulgaria) to €6,300 (Denmark), before tax.

Pick a country at the top of the page to see typical pay there, for people under 30, and compared with all jobs.

Among technicians and associate professionals in the EU, women earn 16% less per hour than men. Technicians and associate professionals · Eurostat

What do I need to study?

Usually post-secondary or a short degree

Post-secondary training or a short degree is the usual route.

Highest qualification of business and administration associate professionals (EU, 2025)
Degree 51%Vocational 31%General secondary 13%Basic schooling 6%

Pick a country at the top of the page to see where to study and the official course finders.

Will AI change it?

Little

AI could take on part of some tasks, but none fully.

How exposed is this job? ILO scale
Very low
Low
Some tasks
Moderate
Significant
High

Average task score 0.32 on a scale from 0 (AI can't do it) to 1 (AI could do it fully).

See the score for each of the 8 tasks
Performing related administrative tasks to record findings, transactions, violations and determinations0.53
Checking travel documents of persons crossing national borders to ensure that they have the necessary authorizations and certificates0.48
Examining transport documents and freight of vehicles crossing national borders to ensure conformity with government rules and regulations concerning goods in transit and the import and export of goods, and to verify that necessary payments have been made0.42
Inspecting the luggage of persons crossing national borders to ensure that it conforms to government rules and regulations concerning import or export of goods and currencies0.30
When necessary, testifying in a court of law about the circumstances and results of investigations carried out0.28
Coordinating and cooperating with other agencies involved in law enforcement, deportation and prosecution0.24
Detaining persons and seizing prohibited and undeclared goods found to be in violation of immigration and customs laws0.18
Patrolling national borders and coastal waters to stop persons from illegally entering or leaving the country and from illegally importing or exporting currency or goods0.12

Based on what AI could technically do when assessed in 2025. It is not a forecast for a future year, and not a forecast of job losses. Scores for customs and border inspectors. Source: ILO (2025), adapted (credits).