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**Recruitment Incentive** Newly appointed Border Patrol Agents (as defined in 5 CFR 575.102) will be offered a $20,000 incentive. The first $10,000 to be paid upon successfully completing the academy and the remainder to be paid in full after completing a three-year service agreement. New Agents accepting a prioritized location will be eligible for an additional $10,000 (for a total of $30,000).
03/01/2025 to 03/31/2025
$49,739 - $89,518 per year
A fully trained Border Patrol Agent may be eligible for an additional 25% of base pay in accordance with the BPA Pay Reform Act of 2014.
GL 5 - 7
Many vacancies in the following location:
No
No
Occasional travel - Travel may be required based on operational needs.
No
Permanent
Full-time - May include rotating shifts, assignments, and overtime on a regular and recurring basis.
Excepted
12
No
Yes
BPA VRA 25-6
832573400
ONLY VRA ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS CAN APPLY: To be eligible you must have: served during a war or have a campaign or expeditionary medal; OR are a disabled veteran; OR have an Armed Forces Service Medal (includes the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal); OR are a recently separated veteran (within 3 years since discharge), OR will be separating from the military within 120-days from the closing date of this announcement AND separated under honorable conditions.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is calling on those who want to help protect American interests and secure our Nation. DHS Components work collectively to prevent terrorism; secure borders and our transportation systems; protect the President and other dignitaries; enforce and administer immigration laws; safeguard cyberspace; and ensure resilience to disasters. We achieve these vital missions through a workforce spanning hundreds of occupations. Make an impact; join DHS.
Being a Border Patrol Agent makes you a valuable member of the Federal Law Enforcement Officer (LEO) profession. Typical assignments include:
Polygraph Examination: You will be required to undergo a polygraph exam and must have favorable results in order to continue in the process. For more information, see Polygraph Examination. NOTE: CBP may accept the results of a prior federal polygraph exam in lieu of a CBP polygraph exam. Certain veterans may be eligible for a polygraph waiver.
Formal Training: You will attend the U.S. Border Patrol Academy in Artesia, New Mexico, for approximately 6 months of intensive instruction in immigration and nationality laws, Border Patrol-specific operations and other courses. Successful completion of the academy is required for this position. For more information, please see the Hiring Process Deep Dive Video: Preparing for the Border Patrol Academy
Age Requirement: In accordance with Public Law 100-238, this position is covered under law enforcement retirement provisions. Candidates must be referred for selection to this position before their 40th birthday in accordance with DHS Directive 251-03. The age restriction may not apply if you are currently serving or have previously served in a federal civilian law enforcement (non-military) position covered by Title 5 U.S.C. 8336(c) or Title 5 U.S.C. 8412(d). The age restriction does not apply if you are a Veterans' Preference eligible.
Firearm Requirement: This position requires that the incumbent meet initial and continuing qualifications in the use of firearms as outlined in the Gun Control Act of 1968, amended by the Lautenberg Amendment of 1996. An applicant whose background includes any of the following will be ineligible for consideration: 1) convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment exceeding one year; 2) has any outstanding warrants or is a fugitive from justice; 3) unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance; 4) adjudicated as a mental defective or has been committed to a mental institution; 5) illegally or unlawfully in the United States; 6) renounced U. S. citizenship; 7) subject to a court-ordered restraining (protection) order from harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner (spouse, former spouse, parent of applicant's child, individual who cohabitates or has cohabitated with the applicant), or child; or 8) convicted under Federal, State, or Tribal Court of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence against an intimate partner or child.
More requirements listed below.
See the Qualifications Section for education substitution.
This is a VRA Excepted Service appointment. You are eligible to be considered under this announcement if you:
You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this position
Driver's License: You must possess the ability to operate a Government Owned Vehicle. A valid driver's license is required. Any legal restrictions on a driver's license are not acceptable.
Misdemeanor Crime of Domestic Violence: The Border Patrol Agent position is a weapons-carrying position. Any person who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence cannot lawfully possess a firearm or ammunition. Therefore, if you have been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, you are not qualified for this position.
Pre-Screening Interview: As part of the suitability process, you may be required to undergo a pre-screening interview.
After you successfully complete all the pre-employment steps, you will be at the final offer step. For more information on the final offer, please see the Hiring Process Deep Dive Video: The Final Offer.
Residency Requirement: U.S. Customs and Border Protection has a residency requirement that applies to all applicants not currently employed by CBP. Individuals are required to have physically resided in the United States or its protectorates (as declared under international law) for at least three (3) of the last five (5) years, before completing an application for CBP employment. If you do not meet the residency requirement and you have been physically located in a foreign location for more than two (2) of the last five (5) years, you may request an exception to determine if you are eligible for a residency waiver by meeting one or more of the following conditions:
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents, etc.), your responses to the online application questionnaire, and the results of the Entrance Exam. If you are found qualified and receive a tentative job offer, you will be required to complete and pass all required pre-employment steps before you can receive a final offer.
Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications are considered in the following order: (1) preference eligibles having a compensable service-connected disability of 10% or more; followed by (2) other 10-point preference eligibles; (3) 5-point preference eligible; and (4) non-preference eligibles (i.e., non-veterans).
Entrance Exam: The Border Patrol Agent Entrance Exam consists of two parts: 1) the Candidate Experience Record; a short online questionnaire and 2) the Logical Reasoning Test (LRT), which can be taken on a personal computer or at a local testing center.
Entrance Exam Information and Resources: Proper test preparation is essential for the successful candidate; therefore, we strongly encourage you to review the CBP.gov BPA Entrance Exam information, videos and study guides. If you have taken and failed the exam, you will need to wait 90 days from the date you failed the exam until you can retest.
Reasonable Accommodations for Testing: If you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Americans with Disabilities Act 1990 that would interfere with completing the Border Patrol Agent Entrance Exam, you are able to request a Reasonable Accommodation. Decisions on requests for Reasonable Accommodations are made on a case-by-case basis.
All applicants are required to submit a resume.
Resume: A resume in English is required. It must contain your full legal name, address, phone number, complete work history, a detailed description of your duties, the dates you performed those duties (MM/DD/YY), as well as your hours worked per week. If you are a current or former Federal employee you must include your grade and step information to receive credit for that work experience. Note: Many applicants are screened out for insufficient information on their resume. Please see the Border Patrol Agent Resume Aid for specific information and examples.
Are you qualifying based on education? Submit a copy of your college transcript (an unofficial transcript is acceptable at this time) from an accredited institution. An official transcript will be required prior to entrance on duty. Education must be from an institution accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Education obtained from a foreign university or college is not creditable unless it has been evaluated by an organization that specializes in interpretation of education credentials; see www.naces.org for a listing of some accrediting agencies. If submitting documentation of a foreign evaluation, a transcript is also required. For more information, see Recognition of Foreign Qualifications.
Are you a current or former federal employee? If you are a current/former federal employee, it is recommended you submit your most recent SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action" form to support your experience. Please do not submit a Performance Award SF-50.
Are you a veteran? If you claim veterans' preference you will be required to submit proof of eligibility as appropriate to your preference type. For more information, see Veterans Preference.
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Before you apply, it is critical that you acknowledge each of CBP's Conditions of Employment. We expect our employees to uphold these conditions throughout their tenure with CBP. This video will detail each of our main categories: appearance and health; examinations, investigations, and tests; fitness and the academy. The goal of this video is to provide you with upfront knowledge of CBP's expectations - Hiring Process Deep Dive Video: Conditions of Employment
To begin your online application, click "Apply Online" to create a login.gov account or sign in to your existing login.gov account. Your USAJOBS application packet must include responses from the online assessment questionnaire, a resume, and any applicable and/or required supporting documentation. See the Required Documents section for additional information. If you are planning to apply using your phone or tablet, see Browser Compatibility.
Please upload your resume under "Resume" and any other applicable supporting documents mentioned above under the appropriate Document Type. If your Document Type is not listed, upload as "Other." Do notsubmit documents as a PDF Portfolios.
It is your responsibility to verify that any information entered or uploaded is received and is accurate. Applicants may not update any part of their application after initial submission. Human Resources will not modify or change any part of your application. Determining your eligibility and qualifications is dependent on the supporting documentation and information provided, which may impact your referral for further consideration. Applications and supporting documentation will not be accepted by mail or email. The email address posted below is for inquiries only.
Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions. View more information on applying for federal employment.
Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.
Once you submit your USAJOBS application, you will receive an email from CBPEntry_Support@talogy.com with a link to create an account to access the Candidate Experience Record, which takes approximately 1 hour. You must complete this portion of the exam within 48 hours of receipt of the email.
Upon completion of the Candidate Experience Record, you will receive a second email from CBPEntry_Support@talogy.com for the Logical Reasoning Test. You will have 14 days to schedule and complete the exam online or at a local testing center. Please be sure to check your email, spam, and junk folders daily. Please allow approximately 2-4 hours to complete the exam.
You will be notified by email after each step has been completed.
Applicants will be reviewed throughout the announcement open period as they successfully complete the entrance exam.
Any offers of employment made pursuant to this announcement will be consistent with all applicable authorities, including Presidential Memoranda, Executive Orders, interpretive U.S. Office of Personnel Management guidance, and U.S. Office of Management and Budget plans and policies concerning hiring. These authorities are subject to change.
DHS uses e-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.
If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment. All agency employees are required to participate in Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer for salary payments.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
This job originated on www.usajobs.gov. For the full announcement and to apply, visit www.usajobs.gov/job/832573400. Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.
