If you run a customs department at a U.S. forwarder, you have had a long year. The volume of change in 2026 has been relentless, and it has landed on a small group of people: licensed customs brokers, entry writers and classification specialists.
Demand for those people is not a short-term spike. Several changes now under way will keep it high well into 2027.
The End of the $800 Free Pass
For years, low-value shipments under $800 could enter the U.S. duty-free with minimal paperwork. That is over. Duty-free de minimis treatment was suspended for all countries in August 2025, and in June 2026 CBP updated its regulations to suspend the exemption indefinitely. Those shipments now need informal or formal entry.
CBP has also created a new informal entry process for goods arriving by international mail. Only importers or licensed customs brokers can file those entries, and each one needs a 10-digit HTS classification and a bond.
Congress has gone further. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act repeals the de minimis privilege worldwide from July 1, 2027. The change is permanent, so the extra filing work is permanent too.
CBP has also proposed requiring entry on or before the day of arrival for low-value goods, which would remove the current post-arrival filing window. The proposal is not yet final, but it shows the direction of travel toward more filing, done faster.
A New Tariff Structure
The tariff picture also changed in 2026. In February the Supreme Court struck down the tariffs imposed under IEEPA. A temporary global tariff under Section 122 came and went, and new Section 301 tariffs now apply to imports from 60 economies. Section 232 tariffs on a growing list of products, from steel and copper to semiconductors and pharmaceuticals, remain in place, with further changes scheduled for 2027.
Every one of those changes lands on the entry writer's desk. Classification decisions have bigger financial consequences, and clients expect their broker to explain what applies to them and why.
Refunds Are Customs Work Too
The IEEPA ruling also opened a refund process on a scale the industry has not seen before. CBP built a dedicated refund tool in ACE, called CAPE, and the first filing phase opened on April 20, 2026. Importers of record and their authorized customs brokers can file.
Later phases cover more complicated entries. For forwarders with a brokerage arm, that means reviewing historical entries, coordinating with clients and managing claims. All of it needs people who understand entry data and liquidation.
Why Licensed Brokers Are So Hard to Find
The supply side has not caught up. The Customs Broker License Exam is held only twice a year, in April and October, and it is notoriously difficult. Passing the exam is only the first step, because a background check and the licensing process follow.
There is also a new requirement for existing brokers. Under CBP's continuing education rule, individual licensed brokers must report their credits with the triennial status report due in February 2027. That is 20 credits for the first, shortened period and 36 credits for each three-year period after that. Most brokers will meet it, but it adds to the workload, and some late-career brokers may decide it is the right time to retire.
The result is a small pool of licensed, experienced people with more demand for their time than ever.
The Roles in Demand
From our conversations with U.S. forwarders, these are the roles that are hardest to fill right now:
- Licensed customs brokers who can supervise entry teams and sign off on complex filings.
- Entry writers with strong ACE experience, especially in formal entries and Section 232/301 duties.
- Classification and trade compliance specialists who can advise clients, not just process paperwork.
- Customs managers who can build processes for higher entry volumes and tighter deadlines.
- E-commerce customs specialists to handle the shift of low-value parcels into formal and informal entry.
Employers should expect to compete on more than salary. Licensed brokers are weighing flexibility, the quality of the systems they will work in and whether the role is advisory or purely production.
A Career Worth Considering
For operations professionals thinking about their next step, customs is one of the clearest career paths in forwarding right now. Getting licensed takes commitment, but in this market the license is worth having.
Need licensed brokers or entry writers? Speak with one of our consultants or submit a vacancy. Customs professional exploring options? Submit your resume.
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At Altius Talent, we believe recruitment should be built on real conversations, not endless email chains. Too many hiring processes fail because important details are missed until late stages. We help freight forwarding businesses and candidates make better decisions early through honest dialogue, market expertise, and a human approach to hiring.