How to become a Border Enforcement Operations Officer

Applies customs and border protection controls such as inspecting goods for prohibited items or removing unlawful non-citizens, at air and sea terminals, wharves, depots, warehouses, specialised examination facilities, storage and disposal locations, immigration detention facilities, and in the maritime domain.

Main tasks

• Inspects and searches vehicles, vessels and aircraft for prohibited items
• Conducts interviews and gathers information from individuals to assess their immigration status, and identifies and removes unlawful non-citizens from the country
• Applies customs and border protection controls in accordance with relevant legislation and policies to support the legal movement of passengers and cargo
• Processes and records information related to customs and border protection activities
• May monitor and patrol the maritime domain to detect and prevent illegal activities

Ways in

• TAFE and VET: Certificate I in Maritime Operations (General Purpose Hand Near Coastal) (MAR10224); Certificate III in Immigration Detention Operations (CSC30222)

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• Typical full-time pay: $96,824 a year
• About 47,500 people work in this job group now, and about 50,800 are projected by 2035. (+7%)
• AI is likely to change parts of this job. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as medium.

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• Firefighter
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Questions people ask

How do I become a Border Enforcement Operations Officer?

Ways in include: Certificate I in Maritime Operations (General Purpose Hand Near Coastal); Certificate III in Immigration Detention Operations.

How much does a Border Enforcement Operations Officer earn in Australia?

Median full-time pay is $96,824 a year (Jobs and Skills Australia).

Is a Border Enforcement Operations Officer a growing career in Australia?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 7% by 2035, from about 47,500 to about 50,800 people (Jobs and Skills Australia).

Do you need a degree to become a Border Enforcement Operations Officer?

Not always. 31% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Certificate I in Maritime Operations (General Purpose Hand Near Coastal); Certificate III in Immigration Detention Operations.

Will AI change the work of a Border Enforcement Operations Officer?

AI is likely to change parts of this job. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as medium.

Sources

• Jobs and Skills Australia: Occupation data (ANZSCO), from ABS Labour Force and Census (February 2026), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
• Jobs and Skills Australia: Generative AI Capacity Study, interactive table data (September 2025), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
• Jobs and Skills Australia: Employment Projections (Victoria University) (May 2025 to May 2035), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
• Australian Taxation Office: Taxation Statistics, Individuals Table 15A (2023-24), CC BY 2.5 AU, retrieved 2026-10-04

Updated 2026-10-04