Career change as a customs officer
With your experience you can switch to 8 jobs in Germany: 6 with on-the-job training and 2 with training or a course.
In the job search you can sort by what matters to you, save jobs and see where they lead.
Career change paths
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Customs declarant at a freight forwarder
Also: Customs and foreign trade clerk
With on-the-job training
At freight forwarders, logistics companies or industrial companies you prepare customs declarations, clear up classification questions and make sure goods cross the border without delay.
- What you bring:
- You know the customs tariff, rules of origin, import duties and customs procedures from your work in the customs administration.
- How to get there:
- Freight forwarders, logistics companies and industrial companies usually give specialists from the customs administration a few weeks of on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) in their customs software and customer processes. If you are a civil servant, your civil servant status ends when you move to the private sector, so clarify beforehand how your retirement provision continues.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsPhysically lightIn an office€3,917gross per monthMedian salary
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Head of customs and foreign trade
Also: Customs officer in industry
With on-the-job trainingPromotion
As head of a customs department in industry or trade you are responsible for customs processes, authorizations such as Authorized Economic Operator status, and compliance with embargoes and export rules.
- What you bring:
- You know customs law, export control and preference rules, and you know where companies make mistakes in audits.
- How to get there:
- Larger exporting companies also fill such jobs with experienced customs specialists, often after some time as a clerk in the company. The Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) and training providers offer courses on export control and preference law, and the duration depends on the provider.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contactIn an office€6,004gross per monthMedian salary
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Immigration office clerk
Also: Passport and ID card clerk
With on-the-job training
In immigration offices or citizens' offices you process applications for residence permits, visas or ID cards, check documents and advise applicants.
- What you bring:
- You know residence and entry rules, check documents confidently for authenticity and stay objective when dealing with people from many countries.
- How to get there:
- Municipalities hire career changers as employees under collective pay agreements (Tarif) and give them a few months of on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) in residence law and specialist procedures. Administrative course I (Verwaltungslehrgang I) often follows alongside the job.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with peopleIn an office€3,822gross per monthMedian salary
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Municipal public order officer
Also: Trade supervision field officer
With on-the-job training
In the municipal public order service you are out and about in the city, pursue administrative offenses, carry out youth protection and business checks, and work with the police and other authorities.
- What you bring:
- You carry out inspections confidently, enforce rules in a friendly but firm way and stay calm in conflicts.
- How to get there:
- Cities and municipalities usually hire public order staff as employees under collective pay agreements (Tarif) and train them in a course lasting a few weeks to a few months in public order law, personal safety and communication. Experience from customs or border protection is an advantage. Tasks and powers differ by state.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Shift workLots of contact with peopleLots of time outdoors€3,715gross per monthMedian salary
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Fraud prevention claims adjuster
Also: Insurance investigator
With on-the-job training
At insurers or claims service providers you examine suspicious claims, research the background, question those involved and prepare decisions on settlement.
- What you bring:
- You check documents carefully, spot contradictions and write up facts clearly and comprehensibly.
- How to get there:
- Insurers usually give specialists from customs, the police or public administration a few months of on-the-job training (Einarbeitung) in insurance terms and claims handling. Alongside your job, you can take further training in claims settlement and fraud prevention at training providers of the insurance industry.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically light€5,261gross per monthMedian salary
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Audit officer at the pension insurance provider
Also: Contribution audit clerk
With on-the-job training
As an audit officer at the pension insurance provider you check at employers whether social insurance contributions were calculated and paid correctly, and you resolve disputed cases.
- What you bring:
- You know audits at businesses, business documents and wage questions, for example from checks on undeclared work and the minimum wage.
- How to get there:
- The pension insurance providers train new auditors in internal courses over several months in contribution and reporting law. Experience from the Financial Control of Undeclared Work unit (Finanzkontrolle Schwarzarbeit) is an advantage, but some jobs require training in administration or social insurance.*
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically light€5,226gross per monthMedian salary
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Prison officer
Also: Officer in the general prison service
With vocational training
In the prison service you look after and supervise prisoners, check cells and visits, and oversee daily life in the facility.
- What you bring:
- You carry out instructions consistently, work reliably in shift work (Schichtdienst) and treat even difficult people with respect.
- How to get there:
- You train as a civil servant on a revocable basis (Beamtenverhältnis auf Widerruf), which usually takes about two years depending on the state, and you are paid during training. You usually need an intermediate school-leaving certificate (mittlerer Schulabschluss) or a lower secondary school certificate (Hauptschulabschluss) with completed vocational training (Berufsausbildung). You also have to pass a sports test and a medical examination, and depending on the state a maximum age limit applies.*Regulated by law (Training and examination regulations of the states for the general prison service).
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Often at weekendsShift workPhysically demanding€4,041gross per monthMedian salary
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Operations manager in a security company
Also: Certified master for protection and security (Meister für Schutz und Sicherheit)
With further trainingPromotion
As an operations manager in a security company you plan assignments at airports, industrial sites or events, lead security staff and keep in contact with clients and authorities.
- What you bring:
- You know control procedures, hazard recognition and safety rules, and you are used to working in a team and in shift work (Schichtdienst).
- How to get there:
- For certain security tasks, such as patrols in public spaces or management functions at large events, you need to pass the expertise exam under § 34a GewO (Sachkundeprüfung) at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK); a career examination (Laufbahnprüfung) in the armed customs service or in the federal police replaces it. For management tasks, the further training course for certified master for protection and security (Meister für Schutz und Sicherheit) prepares you. You take it alongside a job, the duration depends on the provider, and it can be funded through Aufstiegs-BAföG (state funding for advanced vocational qualifications).*Regulated by law (Trade Regulation Act (GewO) § 34a (1a); Security Services Ordinance (BewachV) §§ 8, 12).
* No guarantee of accuracy.
Often at weekendsShift work€5,181gross per monthMedian salary
Salary: median of all full-time employees in the job, gross per month excluding special payments, as of April 2025. Half earn more, half earn less. Source: Federal Statistical Office of Germany (Destatis), table 62361-0030, license dl-de/by-2-0. Assigned to the jobs by quereinsteiger.de. No guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently asked questions
Which jobs can I do as a customs officer without vocational training or retraining?
Without a new qualification, often with on-the-job training: Customs declarant at a freight forwarder, Head of customs and foreign trade, Immigration office clerk, Municipal public order officer, Fraud prevention claims adjuster and Audit officer at the pension insurance provider.
Which retraining or further training suits me as a customs officer?
With vocational training, retraining, further training or a course: Prison officer and Operations manager in a security company.
What promotion options do I have as a customs officer?
Promotions include, for example: Head of customs and foreign trade and Operations manager in a security company.
Which of these jobs pay the most?
According to official statistics, the highest median full-time salaries are: Head of customs and foreign trade (€6,004 gross per month), Fraud prevention claims adjuster (€5,261 gross per month) and Audit officer at the pension insurance provider (€5,226 gross per month). Half of employees earn more, half earn less; when you start it is often lower. Source: Federal Statistical Office of Germany (Destatis), April 2025. No guarantee of accuracy.
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