NOC 43203: Border services, customs, and immigration officers

What is NOC 43203?

NOC 43203 is the code for border services, customs, and immigration officers in the National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021. Job titles in this group include border services officer (BSO), customs inspector, customs officer and immigration agent - government services. It is a TEER 3 occupation (usually a college diploma, an apprenticeship of less than 2 years, or more than 6 months of on-the-job training), so it counts as skilled work for the Federal Skilled Worker Program and the Canadian Experience Class. The Job Bank median wage across Canada is $40.10 an hour.

NOC code

43203

TEER

3: College diploma, apprenticeship under 2 years or 6+ months of training

Broad category

Occupations in education, law and social, community and government services

Express Entry

Skilled (TEER 0 to 3)

Category draws

None

Median wage

$40.10 an hour

Job titles under NOC 43203

Border services, customs, and immigration officers administer and enforce laws and regulations related to immigration, customs and border crossing. They are employed by government agencies.

Main job titles

• border services officer (BSO)
• customs inspector
• customs officer
• immigration agent - government services
• immigration examining officer

All 24 job titles in the NOC index

adjudication officer - immigration, border services officer (BSO), border services student officer, border services trainee officer, case review officer - immigration, citizenship registration examiner, claims processing officer - immigration, customs appraiser, customs baggage inspector, customs collector, customs examiner, customs inspection supervisor, customs inspector, customs inspectors supervisor, customs investigator, customs officer, Immigration Act enforcement officer, immigration agent - government services, immigration appeal officer, immigration examiner, immigration examining officer, immigration inspector, immigration officer - government services, immigration officers supervisor.

Main duties of NOC 43203

This group performs some or all of the following duties:

Border services and customs officers

• Conduct interviews, using inspections and information-seeking techniques, at border points as part of primary and secondary inspections for immigration, food, plant and animals, and customs program functions
• Inspect baggage to detect undeclared merchandise, or contraband
• Inform manufacturers and shippers of customs and laws and procedures
• Observe fabrication of articles affected by customs laws and conduct appraisals
• Board carriers arriving from foreign countries to determine nature of cargo to ensure compliance with customs and commerce laws
• Inspect goods imported by mail
• Apply applicable legislation, policies, and procedure when screening and/or inspecting people and goods
• May conduct an arrest, detention, or conduct personal search of individuals suspected of having committed a criminal offence under the Customs Act or certain other designated Criminal Code offences until police intervention is possible
• Operate firearms and use defensive tactics and physical force when necessary in the performance of duties.

Immigration officers

• Determine admissibility of persons seeking entry into Canada by examining documents and conducting interviews
• Grant landed-immigrant status, admit persons or order detention or deportation
• Locate and apprehend persons presumed to be infringing on immigration laws
• Assist in the removal of deported people by seeking authorization from receiving countries and securing necessary travel documents
• Appear as a witness in cases related to immigration appeals.

Employment requirements

• Completion of secondary school is required.
• A four-week online training and a four-and-half-month specialized training at the CBSA College are required for border services officers.
• Successful pass of the officer trainee entrance exam (OTEE), successful completion of the Canadian Firearms Safety Course (CGSC) and the Canadian Restricted Firearms Safety Course (CRFSC) is required for border services officers.
• Must pass psychological assessment, physical abilities requirement evaluation (PARE) and medical exam to be a border services officer.
• Border services student officers must complete Control and Defensive Tactics (CDT) training
• Completion of specialized government training is usually required.
• A driver's license is required.

Additional information

• Border services officers must be willing to work anywhere in Canada, including rural and remote areas.
• Progression to managerial positions in these fields is possible with experience.

Is NOC 43203 eligible for Express Entry?

Yes for the programs that need skilled work: TEER 3 is in the TEER 0 to 3 range IRCC accepts.

Read how TEER categories work and the full list of NOC codes in each 2026 category draw. Category draws also need at least 12 months of full-time work (or the same amount part-time) in one listed occupation within the past 3 years.

How much does NOC 43203 pay?

Job Bank wages for this occupation, per hour. Low and high are, in most cases, the 10th and 90th percentiles, so 8 in 10 workers earn somewhere between them.

Source: Job Bank, Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank 2025 wages, revised November 19, 2025), data from 2023-2024 (Labour Force Survey). Wages for job offers in LMIA and provincial programs are compared with these figures, so check the current numbers on Job Bank before you rely on them.

Similar NOC codes to compare

If your work leans toward one of these, read its duties too. The closest match is the one whose lead statement and main duties describe most of what you did.

Classified somewhere else

• Employment insurance and revenue officers: 12104 Employment insurance and revenue officers
• Government managers - economic analysis, policy development and program administration: 40011 Government managers - economic analysis, policy development and program administration
• Government managers - health and social policy development and program administration: 40010 Government managers - health and social policy development and program administration
• Social policy researchers, consultants and program officers: 41403 Social policy researchers, consultants and program officers

Same minor group (4320 Assisting occupations in legal and public protection)

• 43200 Sheriffs and bailiffs, TEER 3
• 43201 Correctional service officers, TEER 3
• 43202 By-law enforcement and other regulatory officers, TEER 3
• 43204 Operations members of the Canadian Armed Forces, TEER 3

Match my duties with AI

Using NOC 43203 duties on your resume

Canadian resumes do not list NOC codes. Employers read your job titles, what you did and what came of it. The NOC duties are still a useful checklist: if you did these tasks, say so in your own words and add the numbers that prove it.

For Express Entry, the reference letter from your employer should describe the duties you really performed, in line with this lead statement and most of the main duties, without copying the NOC text word for word. The free reference letter generator checks your duties against NOC 43203 as you write.

• Start each bullet with a strong verb and end it with a result: how many, how often, how fast.
• Use the job title your employer used, even if the NOC title is different.
• Keep immigration details such as your NOC code and permit type off the resume.

Turn my duties into a resume Free to start, no card.

Where this information comes from

Occupation codes, titles and descriptions are adapted from Statistics Canada, National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 Version 1.0. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.

Wages come from Job Bank, Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank 2025 wages, revised November 19, 2025). Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada.

Express Entry rules come from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC): the program pages for the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Canadian Experience Class and the Federal Skilled Trades Program, and the category-based selection page as modified on June 22, 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What is the NOC code for a border services officer (BSO)?

NOC 43203, Border services, customs, and immigration officers, a TEER 3 occupation in NOC 2021.

What TEER is NOC 43203?

TEER 3. Usually a college diploma, an apprenticeship of less than 2 years, or more than 6 months of on-the-job training. The TEER is the second digit of the code. See all TEER categories.

Is NOC 43203 eligible for Express Entry?

Yes. As a TEER 3 occupation it counts as skilled work for the Federal Skilled Worker Program and the Canadian Experience Class. You still have to meet every other requirement, and your duties must match the NOC description.

Is NOC 43203 in an Express Entry category-based draw?

No. It is not on any 2026 occupation list. The French-language proficiency category is open to any occupation if you reach NCLC 7 in French. See every category.

How much does NOC 43203 pay in Canada?

The Job Bank median across Canada is $40.10 an hour, with most wages between $24.62 and $54.34. Pay varies by province: see the table above.

Where is the official description?

On the Statistics Canada and ESDC NOC site: search 43203 in NOC 2021 Version 1.0. This page shows the same text, from the open data Statistics Canada publishes.

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More on NOC codes and Canadian resumes

• NOC Code Finder: Describe your duties and get your NOC 2021 code, TEER and Express Entry eligibility. Free.
• NOC Codes Canada: Full List: All 516 NOC 2021 codes with their TEER, duties and wages.
• TEER Categories Explained: What TEER 0 to 5 means, which count for Express Entry, and every job in each one.
• Express Entry Category Draws: NOC Codes: Every NOC code on the 2026 healthcare, STEM, trades, education and other lists.
• Canadian Resume Examples by Job: Real examples for cashiers, caregivers, trades, tech, students and more.
• Newcomer Resume Guide: Turn international experience into a resume Canadian employers understand.