Canada Border Services Agency is looking for several Border Officers!

[canabiz]

https://psjobs-emploisfp.psc-cfp.gc....noBackBtn=true

I actually took the test and passed and went to an info session 2 years ago but decided not to pursue it any further because my g/f (now my wife) didn't want me to be away for too long

But i do think it's a good career, good benefits and pension and I am sure it's never a dull moment, dealing with all sorts of folks coming in and out of Canada

I think cwb27 is a border officer here so he can also provide some good info

Cheers!

[xsighted]

not meant to be a personal attack, but i just found it funny that a person with the handle "canabiz" is recommending civil service

[iamtoldtherewillbenomath]

i know many people who work for border services and they LOVE it. plus they have really interesting stories.

[canabiz]

not meant to be a personal attack, but i just found it funny that a person with the handle "canabiz" is recommending civil service

Nope you have all the rights in the world to say that but FYI, I am working for the government and my nickname has nothing to do with the funny stuff, rather it is short for *Canadian* and *Business*

Cheers.

[Anessa]

https://psjobs-emploisfp.psc-cfp.gc....noBackBtn=true

I actually took the test and passed and went to an info session 2 years ago but decided not to pursue it any further because my g/f (now my wife) didn't want me to be away for too long

But i do think it's a good career, good benefits and pension and I am sure it's never a dull moment, dealing with all sorts of folks coming in and out of Canada

I think cwb27 is a border officer here so he can also provide some good info

Cheers!

He was but he quotes the rules like he never left.

[canabiz]

He was but he quotes the rules like he never left.

Never know that he's no longer with CBSA

cwb27 if you are around, can you chime in with your experiences while working there ? Like i said, i almost went for it so that's something I do have an interest in.

[Narci]

GF's best friend is a customs officer (not sure if it's the same thing). Boy does she have lots of stories to tell. It's a unionized position so expect the usualy benefits of being unionized. She does ALOT of OT and gets paid well for it. Sounds very fun too.

Remember that the pay will increase once they are allowed to carry firearms. About a $10K increase and you get to retire 10 years earlier because you carry a firearm.

[Rikardo]

I have a friend who's a CBSA (customs officer) and it's really hard to have a life after work. He works 5 days and then has 3 days off. But it's shift work and it rotates. So he works 6am-3pm one week, then 3pm-12am the next week and then a 12pm-9pm the next. He's always so tired because of the time change. We always have to plan our nights out around his schedule because his days off that falls on a weeked, comes every 3-4 weeks. So if we want to hang out on a Saturday night, we have to check to see that a) he's off that day, b) he doesn't work at 6am the next day and c) he doesn't have to unexpectedly have to work OT.

I don't know how he's going to handle it when he has kids.

[DACC]

There are different departments within CBSA. Yes, there is the well known custom officers at the border. You can also do commercial or postal. Postal does not have shift work. There is also the Immigration Section.

In most of the starter positions, you can usually apply for a Monday to Friday job after a few years of experience. There's always jobs beyond the "border jobs". The reason alot of people stay with shift work is for the shift bonus and also for the overtime. I know alot of officers that make around $20000 more per year just because of the overtime hours. Starting salary is around $55 000. And if you're in a bilingual post, an extra $800 per year.

[cwb27]

Never know that he's no longer with CBSA

cwb27 if you are around, can you chime in with your experiences while working there ? Like i said, i almost went for it so that's something I do have an interest in.

Definitely an excellent job, I love every part of it, but I will outright say that there are people who are not cut out for this line of work... At times it can be quite stressful and require huge amounts of patience when dealing with some situations...

Shift Premiums, OT and ability to make copious amounts of additional money... It's awesome, if you're willing to work OT (at times it can be forced depending on some situations) you can easily tack another 20-25k onto your salary.

Shift work... Yeah, it can suck at times. It really depends where you work though, some ports do 8.5 hour days with 5 on 2 off, others will do 11/12 hour shifts. Midnights are not THAT bad... usually someone will bring a DVD player and popcorn...


Just a note the 'Customs Officer' term has been officially retired and been replaced by Border Services Officer.

(edited for clarity)

[DACC]

Anyone that is an officer is a 'Border Services Officer', the 'Customs Officer' term has been officially retired.

Sorry, but my employees are Inland Enforcement Officers. Didn't you get your new FB classification?

[cwb27]

Sorry, but my employees are Inland Enforcement Officers. Didn't you get your new FB classification?

My bad

My comment was meant to reference the couple people in this thread using Customs Officer.

[canabiz]

Definitely an excellent job, I love every part of it, but I will outright say that there are people who are not cut out for this line of work... At times it can be quite stressful and require huge amounts of patience when dealing with some situations...

Shift Premiums, OT and ability to make copious amounts of additional money... It's awesome, if you're willing to work OT (at times it can be forced depending on some situations) you can easily tack another 20-25k onto your salary.

Shift work... Yeah, it can suck at times. It really depends where you work though, some ports do 8.5 hour days with 5 on 2 off, others will do 11/12 hour shifts. Midnights are not THAT bad... usually someone will bring a DVD player and popcorn...


Just a note the 'Customs Officer' term has been officially retired and been replaced by Border Services Officer.

(edited for clarity)

C, are you still a Border Services Officer or have you moved on or moved up ? Still withi CBSA ? How do you feel about the government's decision to arm the officers ?

While you are at it, it may be useful to some folks here if you could shed some lights on the hiring process and the subsequent training at Rigaud.

Let's say somebody has an IT degree but he/she can't get a related job in the government but want to get in: would it be possible to apply for internal IT positions within the CBSA once you are *in* as an officer ? Kinda way to get around but hey man if it works, it works

[cwb27]

C, are you still a Border Services Officer or have you moved on or moved up ? Still withi CBSA ? How do you feel about the government's decision to arm the officers ?

While you are at it, it may be useful to some folks here if you could shed some lights on the hiring process and the subsequent training at Rigaud.

Let's say somebody has an IT degree but he/she can't get a related job in the government but want to get in: would it be possible to apply for internal IT positions within the CBSA once you are *in* as an officer ? Kinda way to get around but hey man if it works, it works

While I have not been employed by the CBSA for almost a year now, I am still involved... Screwy I know... At the current time I don't want to go into much more detail due to personal reasons but in the coming months there is a strong possibility I will be back with the Agency as a BSO.

Decision to arm officers... It's about time! My personal experience, there have been several occasions where I have run a name and it comes back as Armed and Dangerous... Kind of ups the blood pressure a little... On another occasion I have also stood feet away from a person wanted for murder and did not know (not due to any fault of the CBSA or Canadian Government)

I definitely understand that some officers really do not want a sidearm, some joined 20+ years ago are more in the 'tax mindset' (not saying this is a bad thing at all).

The agency has changed significantly in the past 10ish years, Officers began carrying OC spray, handcuffs and batons, the uniform changed from practically that of a Postal worker (no offense to those employed by Canada Post) to a much more 'commanding' dark blue, Officers were recognized as Peace Officers and became able to enforce the Criminal Code (i.e. DUIs, Wants/Warrants, Abductions, even Probation Violations).

The hiring process for the public... Number 1 thing. Patience, and lots of it... It's not uncommon for Selection Processes to take up to a year (and in some cases over a year).

As for the IT position once you're hired as a BSO... You would have to wait for an internal posting for the agency (or any other government agency for that matter) to open up then apply to it.

[canabiz]

While I have not been employed by the CBSA for almost a year now, I am still involved... Screwy I know... At the current time I don't want to go into much more detail due to personal reasons but in the coming months there is a strong possibility I will be back with the Agency as a BSO.

Decision to arm officers... It's about time! My personal experience, there have been several occasions where I have run a name and it comes back as Armed and Dangerous... Kind of ups the blood pressure a little... On another occasion I have also stood feet away from a person wanted for murder and did not know (not due to any fault of the CBSA or Canadian Government)

I definitely understand that some officers really do not want a sidearm, some joined 20+ years ago are more in the 'tax mindset' (not saying this is a bad thing at all).

The agency has changed significantly in the past 10ish years, Officers began carrying OC spray, handcuffs and batons, the uniform changed from practically that of a Postal worker (no offense to those employed by Canada Post) to a much more 'commanding' dark blue, Officers were recognized as Peace Officers and became able to enforce the Criminal Code (i.e. DUIs, Wants/Warrants, Abductions, even Probation Violations).

The hiring process for the public... Number 1 thing. Patience, and lots of it... It's not uncommon for Selection Processes to take up to a year (and in some cases over a year).

As for the IT position once you're hired as a BSO... You would have to wait for an internal posting for the agency (or any other government agency for that matter) to open up then apply to it.

C, I don't want to go into too much personal details but did you ever try to apply to other jobs when you are *taking a break* at the moment ? In other words, do you see yourself as a BSO *lifer*, anxious to get back to your post or you don't mind finding other avenues of employment ??

Also is there any way to know where you will be posted after training ? Would you have a say in that ? Obviously, it's much more desirable to work from the Ottawa International Airport as opposed to some far-flung posts bordering the States that nobody really knows about but I guess when you are new, you have to do the time and can't be picky or complain too much ?

What if you tell them that you don't want to go to those locations because of family/personal reasons ? Would they accomodate you and try to find something that suit both parties ?