BCN Customs Officer C

(V)MBO | Bonaire, Saba, and St. Eustatius | 36 hours | P&O2025_07_001 | Closing date: 25 August 2025

Customs Caribbean Netherlands (Douane CN) is part of the Belastingsdienst CN (B/CN) and falls under the Dutch Tax and Customs Administration. We supervise the import, transit and export of goods within the Caribbean Netherlands. In addition, we are active in the area of combating fraud, countering smuggling, and monitoring compliance with the Algemene Bestedingsbelasting (ABB) and excise legislation on imports. With offices on Bonaire, St. Eustatius, and Saba, we have a local presence and can effectively supervise in the region.

What are you going to do?

As a Customs Officer, you have a versatile position within Physical Supervision and/or Customer Handling. You play an important role in guarding the borders of the Caribbean Netherlands. Your activities are varied and challenging. In this position, you work with colleagues in a dynamic and responsible environment.

Your responsibilities include:

• Checking goods, people and means of transport at ports, airports and other locations.
• Signalling irregularities and contributing to the detection of illegal or prohibited goods.
• Conducting physical checks on goods (e.g. containers) and enforcement actions on, for example, licence holders.
• Handling import, export and transit declarations by performing documentary checks (under supervision).
• Providing full-fledged feedback in the declaration system Asycuda World after physical checks.
• Reporting and coordinating your findings with the Risk Management Department.
• Performing (certain) Check After Import (CNI).
• Diligently performing administrative tasks, including independently preparing and handling official reports.

What does the training look like?

You start with a practical basic training of about eight months, during which you are prepared step by step for the customs work on the islands. During this training, you gain knowledge of customs legislation, work processes and supervisory tasks. You learn to supervise goods, passengers and means of transport, recognise risk signals and act professionally during checks. You also learn how to perform administrative tasks carefully and you oversee the correctness and completeness of documents.

You also attend skills training courses (IBT) focusing on safety, resilience and communication. An important part of the training takes place in the workplace, where you are supervised by experienced colleagues and gain direct practical experience.

Have you already completed a C-level Customs training? Then, of course, we also warmly invite you to apply.

What do we ask of you?

You have:

• at least a diploma at the level of: Pre-Vocational Secondary Education (VMBO) (framework. theoretical or mixed pathway), Lower General Secondary Education (MAVO) or Senior Secondary Vocational Education level 3 (MBO-3);
• a driving licence B and a swimming diploma;
• good oral and written communication skills;
• good linguistic command of Dutch, English, and preferably Papiamento and/or Spanish;
• good motivation;
• excellent physical and mental capacity.

In addition, you are willing to:

• Regularly travel within the Caribbean Netherlands;
• Work irregular shifts (also evenings, weekends, and public holidays);
• Carry a firearm (after positive stability screening and training). Some tasks require authority to use force or to conduct a security search. Therefore, you are screened and trained for this purpose.

You also are:

• Flexible;
• Enterprising;
• Situationally aware;
• Analytical;
• Decisive;
• Result oriented;
• Collaborative;
• Resistant to stress.

This is what we offer:

• An appointment in accordance with the Rechtspositiebesluit Ambtenaren BES (BES Civil Servants (Legal Status) Decree);
• Salary according to the salary table of Rijksdienst Caribisch Netherlands (RCN);
• A 36-hour working week;
• Holiday allowance (8.33% of the annual income);
• A thirteenth month (8.33% of the monthly income);
• Monthly vitality allowance;
• A pension provision placed with Pensioenfonds Caribisch Nederland (PCN);
• 182 holiday hours per annum in case of a full-time employment, including 22 additional holiday hours in case of irregular shifts;
• A temporary appointment during the training and the gaining of work experience, with the prospect of a permanent appointment;
• A removal scheme for candidates who respond from outside the island.

As a Customs Officer (C), you work in salary scale 7 (minimum gross monthly salary of $2,436 and maximum of $3,289).

During the training programme, training scale 5 applies (minimum gross monthly salary of $1,888 and maximum of $2,741). Upon completing your training, you advance to provisional scale 6 (minimum gross monthly salary of $2,132 and maximum of $2,984). Assignment to a pay scale based on knowledge and experience.

We follow this procedure:

This position is simultaneously open to internal and external candidates. The order to be followed in recruitment and selection of civil servants at RCN is:

• official staff RCN BES islands (internal), with priority given to redeployment candidates within RCN, followed by
• residents of the Caribbean part of the Netherlands (external), followed by
• other candidates (external)
• A fitness test and stability screening are mandatory parts of this selection procedure and must be passed positively, to be considered for the position.

These are the appointment requirements:

• Dutch citizenship;
• a Certificate of Good Conduct (VOG);
• a medical examination, among other things for admission to the pension fund.

Specifically for Customs CN:

• a Declaration of No Objection (VGB);
• positive opinion from the stability screening (i.e. assessment);
• positive assessment of personal (living) conditions.

Good to know for those interested outside the Caribbean Netherlands

The salary is in US dollars which is the official currency in the Caribbean Netherlands. The Caribbean Netherlands has its own tax regulations. The income exceeding the tax-free sum of $21,373 in 2025 is taxed in the first bracket, up to an income of $51,250, at 30.4%. In the second bracket, a tax rate of 35.4% applies. You are or will become a resident of the Caribbean Netherlands.

More information

For information about this position you can contact Edward Thielman, Customs Specialist, telephone number +599 795 5083, e-mail Edward.Thielman@Belastingdienst-cn.nl.

Digital application

You can send your Curriculum Vitae accompanied by a motivation to  vacature@rijksdienstCN.com