The General Customs & Trade Practitioner is responsible for consulting and / or dispute management relating to some or all of the following:

• Customs classification under the Harmonised System,
• Customs valuation under the World Customs Organisation valuation code,
• Rules of origin and preferences under preferential trade agreements, and
• Customs procedures and documentation.

Note: As per the recognition of criteria for RCBs and Tax Practitioners, the SARS readiness programme will be compulsory for individuals who want to register as tax practitioners from 1 July 2022. Click here​ to read more.

2. AWARDING CRITERIA

The applicant for membership as a General Customs & Trade Practitioner will have to satisfy both academic and workplace experience requirements. Workplace experience accumulated in the customs field is based on the number of years of tax practice undertaken as endorsed by third parties. Academic experience is based on officially recognised National Qualifications Framework (NQF) levels achieved.

Experiential Learning or Experience Component

In terms of the practical workplace component, applicants must have work experience in some of the following:

• Provide technical assistance in interpretation of laws/regulations, product description, harmonized tariff codes, country of origin and for the resolution of all import/export compliance issues;
• Review or audit compliance systems relating to customs, including valuation, tariff codes and country of origin;
• Develop and implement risk assessments / gap analysis on customs / trade issues;
• Support supply chains and provide alternatives to cross-border supply chain sourcing decisions; and
• Develop procedures, training, and assessment programmes to identify defects, develop solutions and coordinate supply chain implementation.

In terms of the above, the applicant must have work experience in customs or trade law as his or her sole or main activity for 5 consecutive years out of the last 7 years. Proof of this requirement is achieved by providing a resume of work experience (verified by an employer or other senior customs expert).

Academic Component

In terms of the academic component, the applicant must have successfully completed an NQF Level 7 or 8 qualification that preferably includes customs, trade, economics, logistics or tax modules. An NQF Level 7 or 8 qualification of this nature includes various forms of accounting degrees, law degrees, economics degrees, degrees in logistics or postgraduate degrees in tax or trade.

Other NQF 7 or 8 qualifications are sufficient if further supported by passed certificates or diplomas in customs or trade. Applicants are alternatively eligible for this membership if they hold a diploma or degree at an NQF level 6 if that diploma or degree is dedicated to international trade or customs. Because many seasoned experts lack a formal university degree, recognition of prior learning for very seasoned customs applicants may be allowed for the "master" designation based on the level of strategic practical experience.

3. RETAINING CRITERIA

In order to ensure their currency of professional knowledge and to retain the General Customs & Trade Practitioner Designation, members must comply with the following 3 requirements:

     Code of Conduct

Members must adhere to the Professional Body Codes of Conduct and Ethics. 

    Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

Members must demonstrate a commitment to maintaining their skills by regularly involving themselves in continuous professional development. This requirement must be satisfied annually upon the close of each calendar year in which the person is a member of SAIT.

Undertaking regular continuing professional development (CPD) ensures that the member:

• Maintains knowledge and skills to provide services of the highest quality;
• Remains current in terms of tax interpretation, legislation and policy direction; and
• Can properly advise clients of their rights and obligations in terms of the tax system. 

Members are required to fulfil mandatory 18 hours of annual CPD in order to maintain their SARS practitioner registration and their SAIT membership. This annual CPD requirement consists of:

These 18 hours must consist of:

10 hours of tax;

2 hours of ethics;

6 hours of learning related to the service provided by the member (such as accounting or law).

These CPD hour requirements include professional ethics.