Conditions of employment

Conditions of employment are requirements that you must meet prior to being appointed to a Border Services Officer position and must be maintained throughout your employment as such.

You are responsible for making the necessary arrangements to be able to meet the following conditions of employment, and you must be able to prove that you meet these requirements before attending the Port of Entry Recruit Training (POERT). You will be expected to acquire these documents on your own time and at your own expenses.

• Possess and maintain the Standard First Aid Certification (according to the Canada Labour Code, Part II, Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, Part XVI). Please visit the HRSDC Web site for further information.
• Possess and maintain a Possession and Acquisition License (PAL) for firearms. Please note that it takes several weeks to obtain this license. Please visit the Licensing page on the RCMP Web site for further information.
• Have successfully completed the Canadian Firearms Safety Course and the Canadian Restricted Firearms Safety Course. Please visit the Canadian Firearms Program on the RCMP Web site for further information.
• Possess and maintain a valid unrestricted driver's license or the mobility normally associated with the possession of a valid driver's license.

The CBSA will make the necessary arrangements to assist you in meeting the following conditions of employment, as you must be able to prove that you meet these requirements before attending the Port of Entry Recruit training (POERT).

• Obtain and maintain a secret security clearance. It is to be noted that mandatory digital fingerprints and mandatory standardized reference checks will be undertaken as part of the Personnel Security Screening Process.
• Meet and maintain a medical standard required to perform enforcement duties. A physician from Health Canada will complete an Occupational Health Assessment Report which will attest your physical ability to participate in the Port of Entry Recruit Training and subsequently perform the duties of a Border Services Officer.
• Meet and maintain psychological requirements by passing the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2) and the Sixteen Personality Factor (16PF) and a structured stress and clinical interview.
• Obtain and maintain a Transportation Security Clearance for positions located at airports/marine ports.
• The duties of a Border Services Officer will require you to carry a firearm. As such, you agree to qualify and re-certify in its use and maintenance as well as other restricted and prohibited weapons. You also agree to meet and maintain any medical, behavioural, psychological and physical requirements (including vision, and hearing standards required to carry a duty firearm), as prescribed and required by the CBSA from time to time. Failure to meet and maintain the above-noted requirements may result in the termination of your employment.
• Obtain a re-certification in Control & Defensive Tactics as per CBSA guidelines.
• Undergo a medical examination for isolated posts.

The following conditions of employment are also required of a Border Services Officer. If you qualify in this process and are offered employment, you consent to the following when signing the letter of offer.

• Work various shifts on rotation, weekends as well as statutory holidays.
• Wear and maintain a uniform and required protective clothing and job-related equipment such as Oleoresin Capsicum (OC) spray and batons as per CBSA standards.
• Work overtime as required.
• Willingness to accept deployments or a series of work assignments within the District or Region.
• Willingness to operate a government vehicle.
• Travel as required.

Security clearance level

As determined by the Policy on Government Security and CBSA requirements, all candidates who are invited to an interview for a Border Services Officer selection process will be required to have mandatory standardized reference checks (3 most recent employers - direct supervisor's) and mandatory digital fingerprints undertaken as part of the Personnel Security Screening Process. Candidates must print, complete and present the Digital fingerprinting request form (PDF, 93 KB) to the nearest Commissionaires' office. The fingerprinting fee is $50 + GST/HST as applicable and is to be paid by the candidate at the time of the fingerprinting.

This security clearance level grants individuals regular access to government assets and protected information.

If candidates cannot obtain the required security clearance level, their application will not be further considered in the selection process.