Customs Brokers

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$75,670 Median Wage (2023)
34,400 Projected job openings (2023-2033)
5.4% Projected growth (2023-2033)

Prepare customs documentation and ensure that shipments meet all applicable laws to facilitate the import and export of goods. Determine and track duties and taxes payable and process payments on behalf of client. Sign documents under a power of attorney. Represent clients in meetings with customs officials and apply for duty refunds and tariff reclassifications. Coordinate transportation and storage of imported goods.

Experience Requirements Overview

  • Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
  • Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
  • Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
  • Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.

Education, Training and Experience

Required Level of Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)

Related Work Experience: Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years

On-Site or In-Plant Training: N.A.

On-the-Job Training: Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months

Detailed Work Activities

  • Prepare documentation for contracts, transactions, or regulatory compliance.
  • Advise others on logistics topics.
  • Pay charges, fees, or taxes.
  • Obtain documentation to authorize activities.
  • Negotiate contracts with clients or service providers.

Work Values

Achievement

Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.

Working Conditions

Recognition

Relationships

Support

Independence

Tasks

  • Prepare and process import and export documentation according to customs regulations, laws, or procedures.
  • Clear goods through customs and to their destinations for clients.
  • Pay, or arrange for payment of, taxes and duties on shipments.
  • Calculate duty and tariff payments owed on shipments.
  • Request or compile necessary import documentation, such as customs invoices, certificates of origin, and cargo-control documents.
  • Classify goods according to tariff coding system.
  • Stay abreast of changes in import or export laws or regulations by reading current literature, attending meetings or conferences, or conferring with colleagues.
  • Sign documents on behalf of clients, using powers of attorney.
  • Advise customers on import and export restrictions, tariff systems, insurance requirements, quotas, or other customs-related matters.
  • Post bonds for the products being imported or assist clients in obtaining bonds.
  • Quote duty and tax rates on goods to be imported, based on federal tariffs and excise taxes.
  • Arrange for transportation, warehousing, or product distribution of imported or exported products.
  • Monitor or trace the location of goods.
  • Confer with officials in various agencies to facilitate clearance of goods through customs and quarantine.
  • Inform importers and exporters of steps to reduce duties and taxes.
  • Obtain line releases for frequent shippers of low-risk commodities, high-volume entries, or multiple-container loads.
  • Provide advice on transportation options, types of carriers, or shipping routes.
  • Contract with freight forwarders for destination services.
  • Apply for tariff concessions or for duty drawbacks and other refunds.
  • Insure cargo against loss, damage, or pilferage.
  • Prepare papers for shippers to appeal duty charges.
  • Suggest best methods of packaging or labeling products.
  • Maintain relationships with customs brokers in other ports to expedite clearing of cargo.

Work Styles

Achievement/Effort

Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.

Persistence

Initiative

Leadership

Cooperation

Concern for Others

Social Orientation

Self-Control

Stress Tolerance

Adaptability/Flexibility

Dependability

Attention to Detail

Integrity

Independence

Innovation

Analytical Thinking

Data Source: This page includes information from the O*NET 28.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This page includes Employment Projections program, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.