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Customs Broker

Logistics

Prepare customs documentation and ensure that shipments meet all applicable laws to facilitate the import and export of goods. Determine and track duties and taxes payable and process payments on behalf of client. Sign documents under a power of attorney. Represent clients in meetings with customs officials and apply for duty refunds and tariff reclassifications. Coordinate transportation and storage of imported goods.

You can enter this career straight after SPM. A degree is optional, not required.

Logistics & Supply ChainBusiness

What you'd do all day

The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.

  1. 1Prepare and process import and export documentation according to customs regulations, laws, or procedures.
  2. 2Clear goods through customs and to their destinations for clients.
  3. 3Pay, or arrange for payment of, taxes and duties on shipments.
  4. 4Calculate duty and tariff payments owed on shipments.
  5. 5Request or compile necessary import documentation, such as customs invoices, certificates of origin, and cargo-control documents.
  6. 6Classify goods according to tariff coding system.
  7. 7Sign documents on behalf of clients, using powers of attorney.
  8. 8Stay abreast of changes in import or export laws or regulations by reading current literature, attending meetings or conferences, or conferring with colleagues.
  9. 9Advise customers on import and export restrictions, tariff systems, insurance requirements, quotas, or other customs-related matters.
  10. 10Post bonds for the products being imported or assist clients in obtaining bonds.
  11. 11Quote duty and tax rates on goods to be imported, based on federal tariffs and excise taxes.
  12. 12Arrange for transportation, warehousing, or product distribution of imported or exported products.
  13. 13Monitor or trace the location of goods.
  14. 14Confer with officials in various agencies to facilitate clearance of goods through customs and quarantine.
  15. 15Inform importers and exporters of steps to reduce duties and taxes.
  16. 16Provide advice on transportation options, types of carriers, or shipping routes.
  17. 17Obtain line releases for frequent shippers of low-risk commodities, high-volume entries, or multiple-container loads.
  18. 18Contract with freight forwarders for destination services.
  19. 19Apply for tariff concessions or for duty drawbacks and other refunds.
  20. 20Insure cargo against loss, damage, or pilferage.
  21. 21Prepare papers for shippers to appeal duty charges.
  22. 22Suggest best methods of packaging or labeling products.
  23. 23Maintain relationships with customs brokers in other ports to expedite clearing of cargo.

Also known as

What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.

  • Exporter
  • Importer
  • CBP Agent
  • Cargo Agent
  • Cargo Broker
  • Entry Writer
  • Export Agent
  • Import Agent
  • Customs Agent
  • Boarding Agent

How far is this from you?

Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.

  1. 1

    Entry straight after SPM

  2. 2

    SPM + sijil / short TVET course

  3. Typical entry

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. 4

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. 5

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Typical educationHigh school diploma

Subjects that matter here

The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.

EnglishDraws directly on English Language — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
BusinessDraws directly on Administrative — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
History (Sejarah)Draws directly on Law and Government — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Computer Science / ICTDraws directly on Computers and Electronics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Electrical & Electronic Eng. StudiesDraws directly on Computers and Electronics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).

What you'd need to know

The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.

  • Transportation83%
  • English Language82%

    English

  • Administrative81%

    Business

  • Law and Government80%

    History (Sejarah)

  • Customer and Personal Service79%
  • Computers and Electronics69%

    Computer Science / ICTElectrical & Electronic Eng. Studies

Tools you'd use

Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.

Where to learn these, free

Scholarships & funding

What the work feels like

Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.

  • Face-to-face discussionsAlmost never
  • Contact with other peopleNo contact
  • Dealing with customers or the publicNot at all
  • Leading or coordinating othersNot at all
  • Handling conflict situationsAlmost never
  • Indoors, air-conditionedAlmost never
  • Outdoors, in all weatherAlmost never
  • Noisy environmentAlmost never

Where this job is heading

Newer tasks O*NET has flagged for this occupation, a hint at how the role is changing.

  • Develop guidelines for nondiscriminatory employment practices, such as affirmative action plans and equal opportunity employment policies.
  • Train employees on equal opportunity laws, guidelines, or policies, such as discrimination, diversity, harassment, or affirmative action.
  • Use emerging technologies, such as drones, for remote or automated inspections.
  • Complete or review death certificates, including the assignment of cause and manner of death.
  • Observe and record the positions and conditions of bodies and related evidence at the scene, through documentation or photographs.
  • Develop regulatory strategies for products.

AI and demand for this job

A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.

32%

Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)

This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.

Pay in Malaysia

We don't have a sourced Malaysian salary range for this job yet, and we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.

Where to check:

  • JobStreet and Hiredly job ads for this title
  • DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey
  • SSPA scheme tables, if you're aiming for a government post
See pay for a related career: Compliance / Regulatory Officer

Check what you may qualify for

Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.

Check my eligibility Not sure yet? Take the quiz

How to get here

Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.

Asasi / Foundation

One-year runway into a specific university: public via UPU or private direct entry.

12 months

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About this information

This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.

O*NET occupation: Customs Brokers

Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org