Home / Federal careers / GS-1816
Immigration Inspection
Performs immigration inspection work including port of entry inspection, document verification, and immigration enforcement.
What GS-1816 pays
2025 base rates, before locality. Most federal employees add a locality adjustment on top.
| Grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 | Step 9 | Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS-5 | $34,454 | $35,603 | $36,752 | $37,901 | $39,050 | $40,199 | $41,348 | $42,497 | $43,646 | $44,786 |
| GS-7 | $42,679 | $44,102 | $45,525 | $46,948 | $48,371 | $49,794 | $51,217 | $52,640 | $54,063 | $55,486 |
| GS-9 | $52,205 | $53,945 | $55,685 | $57,425 | $59,165 | $60,905 | $62,645 | $64,385 | $66,125 | $67,865 |
| GS-11 | $63,163 | $65,268 | $67,373 | $69,478 | $71,583 | $73,688 | $75,793 | $77,898 | $80,003 | $82,108 |
| GS-12 | $75,706 | $78,229 | $80,752 | $83,275 | $85,798 | $88,321 | $90,844 | $93,367 | $95,890 | $98,422 |
Base pay only. Locality pay adds 15 to 40 percent or more depending on where the job sits. Source: OPM 2025 General Schedule.
Qualification requirements
OPM's standard for GS-1816, as written.
⚠️ CANCELLED SERIES\n\nThis occupational series has been officially cancelled by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM).\n\nStatus: Cancelled\n\nReplacement Series:\n- GS-1895: Customs and Border Protection Series\n- GS-1896: Border Patrol Enforcement Series\n\nNote: If you are interested in this type of work, please search for the replacement series listed above.
What this means if you served
- Write the duties, not the billet. OPM credits military experience on the work performed, and does not use rank or pay to judge specialized experience.
- Put the training and certifications you earned in service on the page. They count here.
- Claim your veterans preference on the application. It is not applied for you.
- No positive education requirement here, so qualifying experience can stand in for the education.
How to qualify for GS-1816
1Review Qualification Requirements
Read the OPM qualification standards above to understand the education and experience requirements for your target grade level.
2Find Your Grade Level
Grade follows the scope and complexity of the work you can document against the announcement, not the rank you held. OPM does not use military rank or pay when it evaluates specialized experience. Roughly: GS-5 entry, GS-7/9 junior, GS-11/12 journey, GS-13 and up senior.
3Gather Documentation
Collect your DD-214, SF-50 (if applicable), transcripts, certifications, and any training records that demonstrate your qualifications.
4Build Your Federal Resume
Two pages. USAJOBS has enforced that limit since 27 September 2025 and will not accept a longer resume from a Title 5 agency posting, so the space has to answer every qualification requirement. Include hours worked per week, supervisor contact details, and the accomplishments with numbers on them.
5Apply on USAJOBS
Search for open positions, carefully answer all assessment questions, and submit your application before the closing date.
Military jobs that map to this series
Maritime Enforcement Specialist
Border and maritime enforcement, boardings, and document and identity checks map directly to port-of-entry immigration inspection.
Skills that carry over: Border enforcement, Document verification, Boarding operations, Interviewing, Use-of-force.
Usually opens at: GS-5, GS-7, GS-9.
Military Police
Access control, identity and document checks, and enforcement duty transfer to port-of-entry inspection and immigration enforcement.
Skills that carry over: Access control, Document verification, Law enforcement, Interviewing, Report writing.
Usually opens at: GS-5, GS-7, GS-9.
Master-at-Arms
Access control, identity verification, and force protection experience line up with immigration inspection at ports of entry.
Skills that carry over: Access control, Identity verification, Security screening, Interviewing, Enforcement.
Usually opens at: GS-5, GS-7.
Your record can qualify you even when your code is not on this list. The crosswalk is a starting point, not the gate.
Typical duties
- Inspect travelers at ports of entry
- Verify travel documents
- Determine admissibility
- Identify fraudulent documents
- Process immigration cases
- Coordinate with law enforcement
Key competencies
Immigration Law
Knowledge of immigration laws and regulations.
Document Examination
Skill in examining travel documents.
Interviewing
Ability to conduct immigration interviews.
Fraud Detection
Skill in detecting fraudulent documents.
Decision Making
Ability to make admissibility determinations.
Cultural Awareness
Understanding of diverse cultures and customs.
Communication
Skill in communicating with travelers.
Enforcement
Ability to take appropriate enforcement actions.
Words the announcement will use
Use the ones your record actually supports. A rater is matching your experience against the specialized experience statement, and a keyword with nothing behind it does not survive that.
Questions about GS-1816
What is an Immigration Inspector?
NOTE: GS-1816 Immigration Inspection is a CANCELLED series. This occupational classification has been officially discontinued by OPM. Immigration and border inspection work is now covered under GS-1895 (Customs and Border Protection) and GS-1896 (Border Patrol Enforcement) series. If you are interested in this type of work, search for those replacement series.
What replaced the Immigration Inspector series?
The GS-1816 Immigration Inspection series was replaced by GS-1895 Customs and Border Protection series and GS-1896 Border Patrol Enforcement series when CBP was formed under the Department of Homeland Security. CBP Officers (GS-1895) now perform port of entry inspections that were previously done by Immigration Inspectors.
How do I become a CBP Officer instead?
To pursue the work formerly done by Immigration Inspectors, apply for GS-1895 Customs and Border Protection Officer positions through USAJOBS. CBP Officers inspect travelers at ports of entry, verify documents, determine admissibility, and enforce immigration and customs laws. Search USAJOBS.gov for "CBP Officer" or series 1895.
What are the requirements for the replacement series?
GS-1895 CBP Officer positions require U.S. citizenship, bachelor's degree or equivalent experience, physical fitness, ability to carry firearms, and passing background investigation. Age limits apply (generally under 40 at entry). Veterans receive preference points and may qualify through military experience in lieu of education.
Can military experience qualify for CBP Officer positions?
Yes, military experience is highly valued for CBP Officer (GS-1895) positions. Veterans with military police, security forces, infantry, or law enforcement experience have excellent backgrounds. Military discipline, weapons proficiency, and experience in controlled environments transfer directly. Veterans preference provides significant hiring advantages.
Where can I find current immigration enforcement jobs?
Search USAJOBS.gov for GS-1895 (CBP Officer) for port of entry work, GS-1896 (Border Patrol Agent) for border security, or GS-1801/1811 for ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) investigative positions. Department of Homeland Security hires extensively for immigration and customs enforcement across these series.
Ready to apply for GS-1816?
A rater matches your record against the announcement's specialized experience statement, inside two pages. BMR writes that shape from your own experience: competency headers, real scope, hours per week, and the supervisor detail the rater checks.