Become a CBSA Officer
What You Should Know Before You Apply
In this section
Before submitting an application, familiarize yourself with the following requirements and important information about the steps you need to take to become a border services officer (BSO).
Basic requirements before you apply
You must demonstrate:
- Successful completion of a secondary school education;
- Possession of a valid driver's license;
- Successful completion of the Canadian Firearms Safety Course (CFSC) and the Canadian Restricted Firearms Safety Course (CRFSC) and pass the tests. Please visit the Canadian Firearms Program for more information.
Please note that you are responsible for all of the costs to meet these requirements and you may be asked to provide proof that you meet these requirements at any time during the assessment process.
Personal decision point on mobility
To apply to this position, you must be willing to accept an assigned posting anywhere in Canada. This means that you are volunteering for, and committing to, service anywhere in Canada including rural and remote areas. A variety of work locations will be available and a process is in place to allow you to indicate some preference; however, it is likely you will be assigned, and will need to relocate yourself (and your family), to an area of Canada that is totally new to you.
Values and ethics
You must familiarize yourself with the Agency's mission, vision, and the CBSA Code of Conduct, which was developed to complement the Government of Canada's Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector and Policy on Conflict of Interest and Post-Employment. All CBSA employees, including officer trainees, as well as all recruits at the CBSA College in Rigaud, Québec, are bound by these codes and the policy. Breaches are taken very seriously and could result in discipline, release from the training or development programs, termination (for public servants), and/or legal action.
Operational Requirements and Conditions of Employment
All individuals interested in applying to the CBSA’s Officer Trainee – Developmental Program must read and understand the requirements of the position as outlined on the job advertisement.
Should you have any questions about the items outlined in the application, please consult the frequently asked questions. If the answer to your question is not found in the FAQs, contact the Officer Recruitment Program directly, who will provide you with a response as soon as possible.
Salary and benefits
The CBSA covers the following costs associated with your training period in Rigaud, Québec (room, board, food, uniforms, one return trip from your home to the college) and offers a stipend of $125 per week for minor personal expenses.
The salaries of CBSA officer trainees and BSOs are set in a collective agreement, which is available from the Treasury Board of Canada. Upon completion of the Officer Induction Training Program (OITP) and the receipt of a letter of offer for employment in the development program, you will be paid at the FB-02 level (between $58,078 and $64,859 - under review). Upon successful completion of the Officer Induction Development Program (OIDP) and receipt of a letter of offer for employment as a BSO, you will be paid at the FB-03 level (between $62,697 and $70,120 - under review).
Once you become a public service employee with six months of experience, you are entitled to receive the following benefits:
I have applied – what happens next?
If the CBSA determines that you meet the basic requirements and have agreed to the personal decision point on mobility, which are set out in the job advertisement, you must follow these remaining steps to become a border services officer:
- Pass written standardized test(s), interview(s), medical, and psychological tests.
- Complete the Agency's physical abilities standard, the Physical Abilities Requirement Evaluation, or PARE as it is commonly known, in 4:45 minutes or less.
- Obtain and be able to maintain a secret security clearance as per CBSA security standards.
- Complete the Officer Induction Training Program. This program includes:
- 50 hours of online orientation to be completed at home within four weeks, and;
- 18 weeks at the CBSA College in Rigaud, Québec.
- Meet and be able to maintain the Conditions of Employment as outlined in the job advertisement.
- Complete the Officer Induction Development Program as an officer trainee. This includes:
- A posting to a port of entry anywhere in Canada.
- A structured and paid 12 to 18 month on-the-job training program designed to guide and develop officer trainees to become border services officers in a real-life environment.
Once you have successfully completed all the above steps, you are eligible to be appointed as a border services officer.
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