On the Border
A profile of the U.S. border inspection workforces in 2002.
CUSTOMS
Inspects ITEMS (Merchandise, equipment subject to customs duties, quotas and other limitations)
Workforce
8,386 full-time permanent inspectors, up 10.2 percent from 2001.
Job classification
Investigation/law enforcement (GS-1890)
Salary
Enter at Grade 5 ($25,000-plus) or Grade 7($31,000-plus). Journeymen customs inspectors are at Grade 11 ($46,000-plus), upgraded from Grade 9 ($38,000-plus) last year.
Firearms: Yes
Training
Eleven weeks at Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, Ga.
Male-to-female ratio: 78-to-22
| Age | |
| 20-29 yrs | 14% |
| 30-39 yrs | 29% |
| 40-49 yrs | 27% |
| 50+ yrs | 30% |
Tenure | |
| Less than one year | 12% |
| 1-4 years | 13% |
| 5-9 years | 16% |
| 10-14 years | 17% |
| More than 14 years | 42% |
Turnover rate: 7.2 percent
IMMIGRATION
Inspects PEOPLE (Determines whether travelers can legally enter the United States)
Workforce
5,366 full-time permanent inspectors, up 8.8 percent from 2001.
Job classification
Investigation/law enforcement (GS-1816)
Salary
Most enter at Grade 5 ($25,000-plus). A few enter at Grade 7($31,000-plus). Journeymen immigration inspectors are at Grade 11 ($46,000-plus), upgraded from Grade 9 ($38,000-plus) last year.
Firearms: Yes
Training
Seventeen weeks at the Immigration Officer Academy at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, Ga.
Male-to-female ratio: 77-to-23
| Age | |
| 20-29 yrs | 13% |
| 30-39 yrs | 30% |
| 40-49 yrs | 28% |
| 50+ yrs | 28% |
| Tenure | |
| Less than one year | 12% |
| 1-4 years | 19% |
| 5-9 years | 21% |
| 10-14 years | 20% |
| More than 14 years | 28% |
Turnover rate: 8.7 percent
AGRICULTURE
Inspects PLANTS (Determines whether travelers can bring plants and food into the country)
Workforce
2,202 full-time permanent inspectors, up 15.7 percent from 2001.
Job classification
Biological sciences (GS-0436)
Salary
Enter at Grade 5 ($25,000-plus) or Grade 7($31,000-plus). Must have 20 semester hours of biological sciences. Journeymen agriculture inspectors are at Grade 9 ($38,000-plus).
Firearms: No
Training
Ten weeks at the Plant Protection and Quarantine Professional Development Center in Frederick, Md.
Male-to-female ratio: 70-to-30
| Age | |
| 20-29 yrs | 16% |
| 30-39 yrs | 22% |
| 40-49 yrs | 36% |
| 50+ yrs | 26% |
| Tenure | |
| Less than one year | 12% |
| 1-4 years | 23% |
| 5-9 years | 16% |
| 10-14 years | 16% |
| More than 14 years | 34% |
Turnover rate: 4.8 percent
SOURCES: Customs, INS, Agriculture, OPM
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