In an import-export operation at a forwarder, manufacturer, or trading company, you handle the clerical work behind international shipments — documentation, customs coordination, carrier communication, and the steady administrative work that international trade requires.
Most days mix document preparation, customs and carrier coordination, and customer-service work — preparing the bills of lading, commercial invoices, packing lists, and certificates of origin that international shipments require; coordinating with customs brokers and carriers; supporting senior staff on stuck or complex shipments. Documents prepared accurately, shipments cleared, and turnaround time shape the visible measures.
The harder part is often the regulatory-detail discipline — international shipments carry documentation, classification, and compliance requirements that vary by trade lane and product, and clerks operate with the awareness that small errors have downstream consequences. Variance across employers is real: large global operations run with mature systems and specialized clerical roles; smaller import-export operations blend clerk work with broader logistics responsibilities.
The role tends to fit folks who carry steady detail orientation, comfort with regulatory-driven document work, and patient phone presence for carrier and customs coordination. CCS credentials anchor advancement. The trade-off is modest pay at the entry rung balanced by clear progression into specialist, forwarder, or broker-licensure paths.
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Roles like this one sit within a broader occupational category. The numbers below reflect that full landscape — helpful for context, but your specific experience will depend on level, specialty, and where you work.
Roles with similar work and overlapping career paths
View all Admin & Office roles →In an import-export operation at a forwarder, manufacturer, or trading company, you handle the clerical work behind international shipments — documentation, customs coordination, carrier communication, and the steady administrative work that international trade requires.
Median pay for an Import Export Clerk is about $46K nationally, with the field ranging roughly from $30K to $76K depending on experience, employer, and metro (BLS).
Core skills for this role include Reading Comprehension, Reading Comprehension, Coordination, Monitoring, and Active Listening.
Most people in this role hold a high school diploma.
Employment in this field is projected to decline about 3.7% through 2034, with roughly 176,780 people working in it today (BLS).
Closely related roles include Import Coordinator, Air Export Agent, and Ocean Import Agent.
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