by Heidi Riley
The task of the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) is to keep our borders safe, to enforce the law, and to ensure the free flow of people and goods with professionalism, integrity, and respect.
Superintendent Jennifer Campbell is a Recruiter with the National Officer Recruitment Program of the CBSA in New Brunswick. She joined the agency in 1997 as a Customs Inspector and worked her entire career at the land border in New Brunswick in the commercial, travelers, and immigration stream, becoming a Superintendent in 2000.
“CBSA is the second-largest law enforcement agency in Canada,” says Jennifer. “We enforce almost 100 regulations on behalf of other departments and agencies to keep Canadians safe and uphold the economic prosperity of our country.
“Each year, we hire 400 to 500 new recruits to join the 7,700 uniformed officers at our 117 points of entry across the country. We also have student Border Services Officer jobs that provide exciting student employment throughout the school year.
“A day in the life of a border services officer is never boring. Our officers welcome returning Canadians, tourists, international students, and foreign workers.
“One of the most rewarding parts of our job is to welcome thousands of new Canadians to our country every year. We also keep out people and goods that are not welcome because of criminality, or links to terrorism or organized crime. We also keep out contraband, drugs, prohibited weapons, or goods that do not meet import requirements.
“We are looking for people with good judgement who can deal with difficult situations, who possess the highest level of integrity and ethics, and who are physically fit and willing to come to work every day with a strong sense of public service and a willingness to protect our country.
“The application process is a lengthy one, but in the end, it will be worth it.”
To apply, start by creating an account at www.Canada.ca. There you can create notifications so that you will be alerted when the selection process opens.
After you apply and are screened in, the first step is to write an officer training entrance exam, which is an online test of 132 questions to be completed in 2.5 hours. Upon successfully passing the test, the next step is an interview, followed by several assessments: psychological exam, a Health Canada exam, and a security clearance. Potential candidates are also required to take a standard physical abilities test and successfully complete firearms safety courses.
Successful candidates are then invited to the CBSA college in Rigaud, Quebec. The first part of the training is done online, followed by an in-residence portion to learn about laws, regulations, defensive techniques, and firearms instruction. During training, the posting location is assigned, which could be anywhere in Canada.
For more information, visit www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/job-emploi/menu-eng.html
For a short video, visit https://bit.ly/31UmSaE