U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced a new retention incentive today for all GS-12 and GS-13 Border Patrol agents. The 5% retention incentive is the product of months of collaboration between CBP and the National Border Patrol Council.
“Investing in the men and women of the United States Border Patrol continues to be my top priority,” said Carla Provost, U.S. Border Patrol Chief. “Their experience and expertise is critical to successfully accomplishing the border security mission.”
Agents who participate in a 12-month service agreement will receive a retention bonus on a quarterly basis, equal to 5% of their base salary. Service agreements will be available in May. Incentives will begin to accrue in June and agents will begin to receive incentive payments as soon as September.
On Jan. 25, 2017, President Donald J. Trump signed Executive Order 13767: Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements. Section 8 of the Executive Order states, “subject to available appropriations, the Secretary, through the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, shall take all appropriate action to hire 5,000 additional Border Patrol agents, and all appropriate action to ensure that such agents enter on duty and are assigned to duty stations as soon as is practicable.”
This retention incentive is part of a comprehensive recruitment and retention strategy for the U.S. Border Patrol.
“CBP has aggressively implemented an innovative and multifaceted recruitment and retention strategy, improving the frontline hiring process and related capabilities,” said John P. Sanders, senior official performing the duties of Commissioner. While these efforts have led to considerable progress, CBP continues to strengthen all aspects of its strategy to meet the Executive Order’s mandate.”
“We are facing a humanitarian and border security crisis on the Southwest border, and those who serve on the frontline are vital to that effort,” said Sanders. “I would like to thank the National Border Patrol Council for their support in moving this initiative forward.”