The Customs Compliance Practitioner is responsible for procedural and operational aspects of imports and exports, including:

• The preparation of documents related to release and clearance on behalf of traders;
• Submission of declarations and other information to Customs and other government agencies;
• Payment of duties and taxes on behalf of traders; samples before the lodging of a Customs declaration; dealing with refunds and adjustments on behalf of traders;
• Accounting of goods and the entry of goods; liaising with other government agencies for licences, permits and other requirements;
• Assistance in post clearance audits; representation of clients in dispute resolutions; and
• General guidance to traders in meeting various regulatory requirements and operational planning.

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 Customs Compliance 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 as well as an initial assessment. 

Experiential Learning or Experience Component

In order to become a Customs Compliance Practitioner, the applicant must have work experience as his or her sole or main activity for 5 consecutive years out of the last 7 years before the application for membership. Proof of workplace experience is achieved by providing a resume of customs work experience (verified by an employer or other senior customs expert).

Academic Component

The applicant must have successfully completed an NQF Level 5 qualification recognised by the Department of Higher Education. The Customs Compliance Practitioner designation also requires an entry assessment demonstrating experienced skill in Customs practice. 

3. RETAINING CRITERIA

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

1.        Code of Conduct

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

2.       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.