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Customs Agency Services in Australia - Market Research Report (2015-2030)

Andrew Ledovskikh Andrew Ledovskikh Melbourne, Australia Last Updated: November 2025 ANZSIC I5291

Revenue

$1.5bn

2025-26

$1.5bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

$XXX.Xm

Employees

3,117

Businesses

615

Wages

$XXX.Xm

Customs Agency Services in Australia industry analysis

Weak growth in service pricing over the past five years, which has not kept pace with inflation, has weighed down industry growth. Global trade uncertainty during the pandemic and its aftermath boosted demand for customs brokers. Supply chain logjams and changing trade restrictions pushed more customers to seek out customs brokers to avoid issues with their cargo. Chinese sanctions and tariffs on Australian exports and a shifting trade policy in the United States have continued to create uncertainty for exporters, supporting demand growth. Additionally, steady growth in trade volumes has boosted the size of the potential market for customs brokers. However, despite strong demand trends, weak pricing growth has meant that industry revenue is expected to have grown at a sluggish 0.1% over the past five years to reach $1.5 billion in 2025-26, including a 0.7% decline anticipated in the current year.
Industry participation has declined over the past five years, despite growth in demand. The number of businesses in the industry has shrunk while workforce numbers have remained relatively stable, as the industry has struggled to attract young professionals. Data from the Freight and Trade Alliance in 2023 showed that approximately 85% of customs brokers were over 40 years old and approximately 50% were over 50. The lack of young professionals entering the industry has limited the number of customs brokers branching out to start their own small business over the past five years. Weak employment growth, alongside falling industry participation, has actually boosted average margins in the industry, as capacity utilisation among the remaining businesses has improved. However, long-term sustainability remains up in the air if the industry is not able to attract more young professionals in coming years.
Growth in cargo trade import volumes, particularly air freight, over the next five years, combined with rising uncertainty in export trade environments, is forecast to support increased demand for industry services over the period. Greater trade uncertainty will also allow more customs brokers to charge additional surcharges for complexity, boosting revenue. Industry revenue is forecast to grow at an annualised 2.3% through the end of 2030-31 to total $1.7 billion. Continued declines in industry participation are set to limit internal competition and help support margins, but external competition from vertically integrated freight forwarders poses a risk to the industry.

Trends and Insights

  • Strong growth in import volumes is driving demand higher. Furthermore, increasingly complex regulations for imported products have allowed customs agents to charge additional surcharges for customs clearance and reporting services.
  • The services operators offer in the Customs Agency Services industry can be segmented into import and export clearances. Import clearances dominate the industry as most of Australia's exports are bulk commodities that are not generally managed by customs brokers.
  • The Customs Agency Services industry is heavily concentrated in the eastern states, which have large general cargo ports and airports. Over 80.0% of industry establishments are located in Victoria, New South Wales or Queensland.
  • Customs agents primarily compete in terms of price and quality of service. The scope of operations is also a significant basis of competition, with companies seeking to cater to clients transporting goods from various countries.
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Competitors

  • There are no industries to display.

Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2015-2030)

Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 0.1 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $1.5bn in 2025.

Trends and Insights

Supply chain chaos and tariffs have supported the industry's performance

  • The industry benefited from supply chain chaos associated with the pandemic and its aftermath over the past five years. During periods of uncertainty and delays, customers are more likely to turn to customs agents to ensure deliveries avoid delays and to manage changing regulations.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Customs Agency Services in Australia
Revenue (2015-2030)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2025-2030)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Growing trade is forecast to continue supporting demand

  • Non-bulk trade is set for steady growth over the next five years. Air freight will be a particular area of growth as trade in high-value products, like pharmaceuticals, continues to increase. Containerised cargo trade is also projected to be strong, driven predominantly by rising imports amid weak growth prospects for manufacturing exports.

Biggest companies in the Customs Agency Services in Australia

Company
Market Share (%)
2026
Revenue
2026

There are no companies that hold a market share exceeding 5% in the Customs Agency Services in Australia industry.

Products & Services Segmentation

Customs Agency Services in Australia
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Sea cargo reporting, Air cargo reporting and Export clearance. Sea cargo reporting is the largest segment of the Customs Agency Services in Australia.

Trends and Insights

Demand for sea cargo reporting has been boosted by increased containerised cargo imports

  • Sea cargo reporters prepare documents to submit to customs, detailing freight to be imported by sea to Australia.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

Industry operators primarily provide customs services. These services include customs clearance and documentation preparation for imports and exports, but exclude freight forwarding, border control and surveillance.

What's included in this industry?

Products and services covered in the Customs Agency Services industry in Australia include Sea cargo reporting, Air cargo reporting and Export clearance.

Companies

Companies covered in the Customs Agency Services industry in Australia include .

Purchase this report to view all major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

Related terms covered in the Customs Agency Services industry in Australia include department of home affairs, integrated cargo system and electronic data interchange (edi).

Industry Code

ANZSIC 2006

ANZSIC 5291 - Customs Agency Services in Australia

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

Strong growth in import volumes is driving demand higher. Furthermore, increasingly complex regulations for imported products have allowed customs agents to charge additional...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
  • Employees, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
  • Businesses, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
  • Profit, including historical (2015-2025)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

The services operators offer in the Customs Agency Services industry can be segmented into import and export clearances. Import clearances dominate the industry as most of Au...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2025
  • Product innovation level

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2025
  • Major market segmentation in 2025

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

The Customs Agency Services industry is heavily concentrated in the eastern states, which have large general cargo ports and airports. Over 80.0% of industry establishments a...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2025

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each region in 2025
  • Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2025
  • Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2025
  • Number and share of employees in each region in 2025

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across Asia Pacific, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Customs agents primarily compete in terms of price and quality of service. The scope of operations is also a significant basis of competition, with companies seeking to cater...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2020-2025
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

There are no companies that hold a market share exceeding 5% in the Customs Agency Services in Australia industry.

Analyst insights

The Customs Agency Services industry has no major players, as no company accounts for over 5.0% market share. The industry is highly fragmented, with a large number of small ...

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

The Department of Home Affairs licenses customs agents. There are three categories of customs broker: corporate, sole trader and nominee. The central requirements for all thr...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2015-2030) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2015-2030) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

The industry has a large number of owner-operators that draw income from profit rather than wages. As a result, average profit margins are inflated, while wages are under-rep...

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2015-2030)
  • Revenue per Employee (2015-2030)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2015-2030)
  • Employees per Establishment (2015-2030)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2015-2030)
  • Average Wage (2015-2030)
  • Wages/Revenue (2015-2030)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2015-2030)
  • IVA/Revenue (2015-2030)
  • Imports/Demand (2015-2030)
  • Exports/Revenue (2015-2030)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2015-2030)
  • IVA (2015-2030)
  • Establishments (2015-2030)
  • Enterprises (2015-2030)
  • Employment (2015-2030)
  • Exports (2015-2030)
  • Imports (2015-2030)
  • Wages (2015-2030)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Customs Agency Services industry in Australia in 2025?

The market size of the Customs Agency Services industry in Australia is $1.5bn in 2025.

How many businesses are there in the Customs Agency Services industry in Australia in 2025?

There are 615 businesses in the Customs Agency Services industry in Australia, which has declined at a CAGR of 1.3 % between 2020 and 2025.

How may import tariffs affect the Customs Agency Services industry in Australia?

The Customs Agency Services industry in Australia is unlikely to be materially impacted by import tariffs with imports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.

How may export tariffs affect the Customs Agency Services industry in Australia?

The Customs Agency Services industry in Australia is unlikely to be materially impacted by export tariffs with exports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.

Has the Customs Agency Services industry in Australia grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Customs Agency Services industry in Australia has been growing at a CAGR of 0.1 % between 2020 and 2025.

What is the forecast growth of the Customs Agency Services industry in Australia over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Customs Agency Services industry in Australia is expected to grow.

What does the Customs Agency Services industry in Australia include?

Sea cargo reporting and Air cargo reporting are part of the Customs Agency Services industry in Australia.

How competitive is the Customs Agency Services industry in Australia?

The level of competition is moderate and increasing in the Customs Agency Services industry in Australia.

Methodology

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IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in Australia include:

  • Australian Bureau of Statistics
  • Australian Taxation Office
  • Australian Securities & Investments Commission

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

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