SAQA

All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.

SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY

REGISTERED QUALIFICATION:

Occupational Certificate: Customs Compliance Manager

SAQA QUAL ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE
102499	Occupational Certificate: Customs Compliance Manager
ORIGINATOR
Development Quality Partner - TETA (Management)
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY			NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
-			OQSF - Occupational Qualifications Sub-framework
QUALIFICATION TYPE	FIELD		SUBFIELD
Occupational Certificate	Field 03 - Business, Commerce and Management Studies		Generic Management
ABET BAND	MINIMUM CREDITS	PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL	NQF LEVEL	QUAL CLASS
Undefined	250	Not Applicable	NQF Level 07	Regular-ELOAC
REGISTRATION STATUS		SAQA DECISION NUMBER	REGISTRATION START DATE	REGISTRATION END DATE
Reregistered		EXCO 0425/24	2018-07-01	2025-12-30
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT		LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2026-12-30		2029-12-30

In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise.

This qualification does not replace any other qualification and is not replaced by any other qualification.

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION

Purpose:
The purpose of this qualification is to prepare a learner to operate as a Customs Compliance Manager. A Customs Compliance Manager manages, maintains and controls customs compliance and other statutory requirements within the organisation relating to international logistics and supply chain activities, beyond the generic management skills. A qualified learner will be able to:

Manage organisational compliance to customs and other statutory requirements.

Support national and international collaborations to source best practices for the customs compliance environment.

Manage and control risks affecting the security of supply chain in the organisation.

Maintain physical, electronic document and environment safety and integrity through contemporary technology.

Rationale:
This qualification was developed with the full participation of different associations and organisations operating within the Freight Forwarding and Customs Compliance environment. The need to improve the functioning of practitioners in this environment is necessitated by the World Customs Organisation's (WCO) introduction of the SAFE Framework of Standards; South Africa is a member of the WCO. This is an initiative which seeks to enhance the global efficiency of Customs administrations in the collection of duties, enforcement of compliance and the management of risks such as trade in endangered species, drug smuggling, human trafficking and money laundering. As a member of WCO South Africa has had to comply with the SAFE Framework of Standards by implementing new legislation which is aligned to these standards. An integral element of this legislation is the requirement that practitioners whose function is to interact with Customs in ensuring statutory measures are complied with having the required competence to carry out these very complex functions. In light of this, the Customs Compliance Manager qualification has been established to impart the required competencies to those involved.

Customs broking is an integral offering of the third party international logistics provider. As such the competencies to be imparted through this qualification are critical to the survival of the logistics industry. The logistics and supply chain management practices are critical for facilitation of international trade and ensuring national safety during the movement of the goods both within national boundaries and between countries, using all forms of goods transportation. The successful management of this function including the movement of goods within SA and between SA and other countries is important for our national economic growth as it creates opportunities for SA to earn foreign currencies and improve our balance of payments position.

Learners for this qualification will be drawn from those who have had relevant experience in this field. Since the qualification represents a progression from the Freight Forwarding and Customs Compliance qualification at Level 5, it also provides an aspirational target for those entering the industry in the sense that, as a scarce and critical skill area, the acquisition thereof enhances the employability of the individual into the future. Those who acquire these specialised competencies addressed by the qualification will be in high demand in the industry. Learners will grow into a strategic management position within the Freight Forwarding, Import and Export organisations. The legalistic nature of Customs compliance will make it possible in future for an incumbent to pursue careers within the legal occupational environment as well.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
RPL for access to the external integrated summative assessment.

Accredited providers and approved workplaces must apply the internal assessment criteria specified in the related curriculum document to establish and confirm prior learning. Accredited providers and workplaces must confirm prior learning by issuing a statement of result or certifying a work experience record.

RPL for access to the qualification:
Accredited providers and approved workplaces may recognise prior learning against the relevant access requirements.

Entry Requirements:

Occupational Certificate: Clearing and Forwarding Agent, Level 5.
Or

National Diploma: Freight Forwarding and Customs Compliance, Level 5.

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING?

QUALIFICATION RULES

This qualification is made up of the following compulsory Knowledge, Practical Skills and Work Experience Modules.

Knowledge Modules:

132401002-KM-01: Customs Compliance Management Principles and legislations, Level 7, 50 Credits.

132401002-KM-02: International Customs Environment Theory and Legislation, Level 7, 30 Credits.

132401002-KM-03: Customs Integrated Supply Chain Management, Level 5, 40 Credits.

132401002-KM-04: Strategic Management Principles, Level 6, 30 Credits.
Total number of credits for Knowledge Modules: 150.

Practical Skill Modules:

132401002-PM-01: Develop customs compliance organisational strategy and systems, Level 7, 10 Credits.

132401002-PM-02: Manage customs compliance operational resources (human, finance and technical), Level 6, 10 Credits.

132401002-PM-03: Promote customs compliance, local and international logistics and supply chain management best practices and safety standards programmes, Level 6, 10 Credits.

132401002-PM-04: Manage customs compliance organisational risk, Level 7, 10 Credits.

132401002-PM-05: Review and monitor organisational physical, electronic, document and environmental safety and integrity management systems for compliance, Level 6, 10 Credits.
Total number of credits for Practical Skill Modules: 50.

Work Experience Modules:

132401002-WM-01: Participate in the development processes for company planning documentation, Level 7, 12 Credits.

132401002-WM-02: Participate in local and international consultative forums, Level 6, 9 Credits.

132401002-WM-03: Communicate best practices within the organisation, Level 6, 12 Credits.

132401002-WM-04: Risk assessment and management processes, Level 7, 10 Credits.

132401002-WM-05: Management processes for physical and electronic documentation, Level 6, 7 Credits.
Total number of credits for Work Experience Modules: 50.

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES

1. Manage organisational compliance to customs legislation, all relevant statutes and risk management requirements to ensure safety and security for all customs operations.
2. Support collaboration and sharing best practice initiatives locally and internationally for efficient operations between all parties involved in the customs environment.
3. Maintain physical and electronic documentation safety and security to ensure the integrity of customs operations.

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level 1:

Organisational strategies and policies developed for customs compliance comply with both national and international statutory requirements.

Human, finance and technical resources identified against the planned performance requirements are compatible with industry practices.

Plans for performance management conform to identified targets and legal compliance requirements.

Organisational strategies, systems, and records are monitored for compliance with performance standards.

Organisational risks identification processes follow standard techniques and processes applicable to the industry.

Organisational customs compliance risk assessment and management strategies are proportional to the impact and established tolerance levels.

Processes identified for familiarisation of staff with the customs and statutory risks and risk management follow accepted standards for workshop facilitation.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:

The correct industry role-players at both national and international level within the customs compliance environment are covered by stakeholder and partnerships engagement.

An opportunity to work with organisations that will enhance continuous best practice assimilation and learning has been provided by a system created for information gathering.

Experiences ranging local and international logistics, statutory compliance, safety and security standards and supply chain management practices are covered by best practice initiatives collected.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:

The organisational physical and electronic document management practices are developed for compliance with legal requirements and internal control standards are promoted.

Process for review and monitoring of physical and electronic document and environmental safety and integrity processes complies to set industry standards.

Audit outcomes of the documentation management practices are attended to by developing remedial actions or performance improvement plans addressing actual root causes of audit findings.

Document disposal regimes and confidentiality agreements are subject to regulated document lifecycle requirements.

Integrated Assessment:
Integrated Formative Assessment:
The skills development provider will use the curriculum to guide them on the stipulated internal assessment criteria and weighting. They will also apply the scope of practical skills and applied knowledge as stipulated by the internal assessment criteria. This formative assessment leads to entrance into the integrated external summative assessment.

Integrated Summative Assessment:
An external integrated summative assessment, conducted through the relevant Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) Assessment Quality Partner is required for the issuing of this qualification. The external integrated summative assessment will focus on the Exit Level Outcomes and Associated Assessment Criteria.

INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY

The purpose of this international comparability is to facilitate the development of a meaningful learning path and its associated curriculum incorporating both theoretical and practical vocational skills which will ensure compatibility, comparability, and compliance with existing international qualification specification and regulation. It also enables the development of curriculum to benefit from best practices internationally. The desktop research undertaken indicates that there are no qualifications directly comparable to this specific qualification. Many countries ran online training programmes intended to benefit practitioners already employed in the specific custom compliance position.

In addition, this qualification aims to ensure compliance with the SAFE Framework of the World Customs Organisation (WCO) and be aligned to the current South African Revenue Service amendment legislation, other qualifications including those identified below from the United Kingdom and Canada, do not profess such alignment.

As such the broad competencies of this qualification were compared to similar qualifications or programmes from the following countries:

United Kingdom:

Canada:

Many other countries offer short online programmes not comparable to this qualification at all.

United Kingdom:
The Institute of Export and International Trade in the UK offers an online Diploma in World Customs Compliance at Level 5 over a period of 18 months that aims to detail the procedures involved in dealing with trade from the UK to outside of the European Union (EU). The programme ensures that the learners understand the following topics covered in the curriculum: How World Customs is organised, The History and Structure of the International Regulator and Administrative Bodies, Development of International Conventions and Instruments, Key aims of international Customs Authorities, Practical Aspects of International Customs Procedures, Structure of the Tariff and Tariff Controls, International Guidelines on Customs Valuation Rules, International Guidelines on the Rules of Origin, Initiatives on Supply Chain Security and Partnership with Trade.

The programme also addresses curriculum content that enables the learner to understand customs compliance procedures involved in dealing with UK to EU trade, ensuring the learner understand the following topic areas amongst others: The European Union as a customs union, The History and Structure of the European Customs Union, The EU Customs Code and International Trade Regulations, EU Systems, Tools and Documentation controls, EU customs code and the union customs code developments, EU Customs Tariff, Customs Duty Management and Tariff Measures, EU Valuation of Goods for Customs Purposes, EU Preferential Trade Agreements, Authorised Economic Operator Status, Customs Procedure and regimes.

Lastly within the UK, the Diploma covers the following areas: HM Revenue & Customs and other controlling bodies, Customs Declarations, Declaring goods to HMRC, Maintaining and reporting the information required for declarations, third Country customs procedures in the UK, Storage Procedures, Customs Procedures and Processing Regimes, Temporary Movements and Returned Goods, etc.

Canada:
The Canadian Society of Customs Brokers also offers an online training programme for a Certified Trade Compliance Specialist (CTCS) for international trade professionals seeking in-depth knowledge of specific customs topics. For this programme, the learners are introduced to an in-depth study in the following areas: Harmonized System of Tariff Classification, Valuation and Transfer Pricing, Rules of Origin and Trade Agreements, GST/HST/PST/Excise Tax, Refunds, Duty Deferral and Remissions, Customs Compliance, Verification and Audit, Export Controls and Documentation, Freight and Documentation, Customs Brokerage Management and Client Relations, Trusted Traders, Importing Food and Courier Low Value Shipment Program (CLVS).

Conclusion:
This qualification is only comparable to those listed above only to the extent that in every case, countries will have to train and comply with their respective customs and tax legislation. However, none of those countries from which lessons and comparisons were drawn, dealt with the challenges of supply chain issues and implications of the SAFE Framework.

ARTICULATION OPTIONS

Horizontal Articulation:
This qualification articulates horizontally with the following qualification:

Advanced Diploma: Supply Chain Management, Level 7.

Vertical Articulation:
This qualification articulates vertically with the following qualification:

Postgraduate Diploma in Transport Economics, Logistics and Supply Chain Management, Level 8.

MODERATION OPTIONS

N/A

CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS

N/A

NOTES

Qualifying for external assessment:
In order to qualify for an external assessment, learners must provide proof of completion of all required standards by means of statements of results and work experience.

Additional legal or physical entry requirements:
None.

Criteria for the accreditation of providers:
Accreditation of providers will be done against the criteria as reflected in the relevant curriculum on the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) website.

The curriculum title and code is Customs Compliance Manager: 132401002.

Encompassed Trades:
This is not a trade qualification.

Part Qualifications:
None.

LEARNING PROGRAMMES RECORDED AGAINST THIS QUALIFICATION:

NONE

PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS QUALIFICATION:

This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here.

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