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Customs officer salary in Canada 2026: $80,344 to $103,079

Customs officer salary in Canada: $80,344 to $103,079 a year ($41.06 to $52.68 an hour), FB rates as of June 21, 2025. Security screening, language, training.

October 27, 2026 · By the Agent Policier editorial team · Lire en français

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As of October 27, 2026, a trainee border services officer at the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) earns an annual salary of $80,344 to $89,462 (about $41.06 to $45.72 an hour, class FB-02), according to its "Description d'emploi, salaire et avantages" page, last modified February 19, 2026. The customs officer's official title is border services officer (BSO). This federal job does not go through the École nationale de police du Québec (Quebec's police academy). For another federal employer, see our article on RCMP recruitment. This text applies to women and men alike.

Customs officer or border services officer

"Douanier" (customs officer) is the word readers type. The CBSA uses "agent des services frontaliers" (border services officer). The Loi sur les douanes defines an "officer" or "customs officer" as any person assigned to administer or enforce the Act (subsection 2(1)).

What a customs officer does

The CBSA describes the work of a border services officer in five parts.

Fighting terrorism, crime, illegal immigration and wildlife trafficking
Enforcing more than 90 laws and regulations related to trade
Collecting duties and taxes on imported goods
Keeping out narcotics, weapons, obscene material and other prohibited goods
Protecting the country from human, animal and plant diseases

Officers work at about 1,200 points of service across the country: road border crossings, airports, marine and rail terminals, mail facilities. The work is sometimes done in bad weather.

Requirements to become a customs officer

The "Déterminez si vous êtes admissible à devenir agent des services frontaliers" page (last modified September 9, 2026) sets the conditions to meet when you apply.

Be at least 18 years old to start the basic training program. There is no maximum age
Hold a high school diploma or the equivalent
Hold a valid, unrestricted Canadian driver's licence
Obtain the required security clearance
Agree to work anywhere in Canada, wherever the CBSA needs you most

A bilingualism premium may be added to the salary for a bilingual position. The assessment process includes an entrance exam and a physical aptitude test, according to the candidate assessment page. You apply on the GC Jobs site, through the link on the CBSA recruitment page (see our article on CBSA hiring).

Training, step by step

The "Formation et perfectionnement après recrutement" page (last modified July 17, 2026) describes three stages.

Three weeks of distance learning, online, at about 5 hours a day
Fifteen weeks in residence at the Canada Border Services College in Rigaud, Quebec
From 12 to 18 months of on-the-job development, at the port of entry assigned by the CBSA, in the trainee officer position (FB-02)

Training in residence covers, among other things, inspection, seizure, detention, arrest and the handling of service firearms. The College provides lodging and meals. The CBSA pays one round trip and an allowance of $525 a week. The College page, last modified July 6, 2023, states 14 weeks of residence. The selection process steps page, last modified March 10, 2026, still gives 4 weeks online and 14 weeks in residence. The training page, last modified July 17, 2026, is the most recent.

The security screening and the language test

The selection process can take up to 18 months, according to the CBSA steps page. Two steps often surprise candidates.

The security screening

Candidates must obtain an enhanced reliability status and a secret-level clearance during the selection process. They must keep it throughout their career at the CBSA. They consent to these checks.

A telephone integrity interview
A credit check
Checks in police and security databases
Digital fingerprints, at their own expense
A form on their work history, skills, references and travel outside Canada

The second language test

The second language evaluation is mandatory for bilingual positions only. Candidates must speak, read and write their second official language at the intermediate level (BBB). The Public Service Commission offers preparation resources. A candidate who has already taken the evaluation can submit the results by following the CBSA's instructions.

A customs officer's salary

A customs officer's salary in Canada comes from the Border Services (FB) collective agreement, published by the Treasury Board. Its Appendix A sets these annual rates, in effect since June 21, 2025. A trainee officer is classified FB-02 and moves to FB-03 after the development program. The CBSA shows the same amounts on its job page, last modified February 19, 2026.

Class and step	Annual salary	Hourly rate
FB-02, step 1	$80,344	$41.06
FB-02, step 2	$83,275	$42.56
FB-02, step 3	$86,311	$44.11
FB-02, step 4	$89,462	$45.72
FB-03, step 1	$86,915	$44.42
FB-03, step 2	$91,991	$47.01
FB-03, step 3	$97,373	$49.76
FB-03, step 4	$103,079	$52.68

Source: Treasury Board of Canada, FB agreement, Appendix A, rates as of June 21, 2025. The agreement sets the normal work week at 37.5 hours (clause 25.06). The hourly rate is our own calculation: annual salary ÷ (37.5 hours × 52.18 weeks).

The agreement expired on June 20, 2026. According to the CBSA, rates may change when a new collective agreement is signed. Benefits include the public service health care, dental care and disability insurance plans, as well as the public service pension plan. Officers work rotating shifts, weekends and holidays included. They work overtime when needed. They wear a uniform.

This text is neither legal advice nor union advice.

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Frequently asked questions

How do you become a customs officer in Quebec?

You must be 18, have a high school diploma, a valid unrestricted Canadian driver's licence and the required security clearance. You apply online, then come the entrance exam and the physical aptitude test. Training in residence takes place in Rigaud, Quebec. You can be posted anywhere in Canada.

What does a customs officer do?

They enforce more than 90 laws and regulations related to trade and collect duties and taxes on imported goods. They keep out prohibited goods and protect the country from human, animal and plant diseases. They also fight terrorism, crime and illegal immigration, according to the CBSA.

What is a customs officer's salary?

A trainee officer earns $80,344 to $89,462 a year, or about $41.06 to $45.72 an hour (FB-02). After the development program, a border services officer earns $86,915 to $103,079, or about $44.42 to $52.68 an hour (FB-03). These rates have been in effect since June 21, 2025 under the Treasury Board agreement.

What is a customs officer's salary in Canada?

The CBSA job page presents a single scale for its recruitment and makes no distinction between regions. Officers can be posted anywhere in the country. The annual salary runs from $80,344 for a trainee (about $41.06 an hour) to $103,079 at the top of class FB-03 (about $52.68 an hour).

What is a border services officer's salary?

The official title is border services officer (agent des services frontaliers). The salary is $86,915 to $103,079 a year once the development program is completed, or about $44.42 to $52.68 an hour (FB-03). A bilingualism premium may be added in a bilingual position.

Do you need to be bilingual to become a customs officer?

No, not for every position. The CBSA requires the intermediate level (BBB) in the second official language for bilingual positions only. These positions are eligible for a bilingualism premium.

Where and for how long is customs officer training?

It includes three weeks online, then fifteen weeks at the Canada Border Services College in Rigaud. From 12 to 18 months of on-the-job development follow. The allowance in residence is $525 a week.