NOC 53124: Artisans and craftspersons
What artisans and craftspersons do
Artisans and craftspersons use manual and artistic skills to design and make ornamental objects, pottery, stained glass, jewellery, rugs, blankets, other handicrafts and artistic floral arrangements. Makers of musical instruments are also included in this unit group. Most craftspersons are self-employed. Artistic floral arrangers are usually employed in florist shops and floral departments of retail establishments, or may be self-employed. Craft instructors are also included in this unit group and are employed by artisan guilds, colleges, private studios and recreational organizations.
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Carvers
- Use hand tools and woodworking machines to produce carvings from wood, stone and other materials and to carve ornamental designs into wooden furniture and other objects.
- Glass blowers
- Design and create glass objects using blowpipes and artisan's hand tools and equipment.
- Metal arts workers
- Design metal jewellery, utensils, implements, wall hangings and other objects and create them from gold, silver, copper, pewter and other metals.
- Potters
- Design ornamental and ceramic functional earthenware pieces and create them using clay, moulds, potter's wheels and other equipment, glazing materials and kilns.
- Stained glass artists
- Design stained glass windows, lampshades and other objects and cut, paint, fire and assemble pieces of stained glass to create such products.
- Instrument makers
- Construct instruments by applying their knowledge of wood, ebonite, metal properties and other materials and instrument design using hand and power tools.
- Weavers
- Use hands or loom to interlace strips of flexible material such as wool, cotton, silk, grasses, bark and rawhide to make baskets, wreaths, wall hangings, clothing, rugs, blankets and other objects.
- Craft instructors
- Prepare craftmaking lessons, gather the required working materials and demonstrate and teach craftmaking techniques.
- Artistic floral arrangers
- Design bouquets, corsages, sprays, wreaths and other floral arrangements and select natural and artificial flowers, foliage and decorative accessories to create arrangements or other floral items to suit customers' requirements.
Job titles under NOC 53124
107 job titles are classified here, including artistic floral arranger, carver, craft instructor (except education).
- Aboriginal art carver
- Aboriginal craftwork instructor
- artificial flower presser
- artisan
- artistic bouquet designer
- artistic floral arranger
- artistic floral bouquet designer
- artistic floral designer
- arts and crafts teacher (except education)
- bag maker - arts and crafts
- balalaika maker
- basket weaver
- batik artisan
- bellows maker
- canoe builder - arts and crafts
- canoe repairer - arts and crafts
- carver
- cello maker
- ceramic artist
- ceramic potter
- ceramics teacher (except education)
- ceramist
- copperplate engraver - artisan
- craft instructor (except education)
Employment requirements
- Skills are often learned through apprenticeship with a master craftsperson.
- Training programs are offered by artisan guilds, colleges and private studios.
- Creative ability and talent, as demonstrated by a portfolio of work, and knowledge of safe handling of material, tools and equipment are required.
- A college diploma in fine craft techniques may be required.
Artisans and craftspersons wages in Canada
Low, median and high hourly wages from Job Bank’s 2025 wage data. Annual figures assume full-time work (1,950 hours a year).
| Where | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
Canada | $15.60/hr | $20.00/hr | $28.00/hr |
Toronto ON | $17.60/hr | $21.00/hr | $28.00/hr |
Montréal QC | $16.25/hr | $20.54/hr | $28.00/hr |
Vancouver Lower Mainland region, BC | $17.85/hr | $23.00/hr | $32.00/hr |
Edmonton AB | $16.50/hr | $20.00/hr | $33.00/hr |
Québec City Quebec region, QC | $17.00/hr | $20.75/hr | $28.00/hr |
Hamilton Hamilton–Niagara Peninsula region, ON | $17.60/hr | $21.00/hr | $25.09/hr |
| Where | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
New Brunswick | $15.65/hr | $15.91/hr | $21.87/hr |
Quebec | $17.00/hr | $20.75/hr | $28.00/hr |
Ontario | $17.60/hr | $21.00/hr | $27.50/hr |
Alberta | $16.50/hr | $20.00/hr | $33.00/hr |
British Columbia | $18.00/hr | $23.00/hr | $33.00/hr |
Using NOC 53124 for your resume or Express Entry profile
- IRCC asks you to make sure the main duties listed for your NOC match what you actually did at your job. If they don’t, look for another unit group whose duties do.
- Describe your own work in your own words. Recruiters and ATS software look for concrete tools, results and scope, not text copied from the NOC.
- Applying from outside Canada? Run your resume through the Canadian resume format checker to catch things Canadian employers don’t expect, like a photo or date of birth.
- Use the job title the employer’s posting uses. The 107 titles above are how the same work is named across employers.
Not in this group
Similar jobs classified under a different NOC code:
- Cabinetmakers (NOC 72311)
- Jewellers, jewellery and watch repairers and related occupations (NOC 62202)
- Painters, sculptors and other visual artists (NOC 53122)
- Weavers, knitters and other fabric making occupations (NOC 94131)
Frequently asked questions
What is the NOC code for artisans and craftspersons?
Artisans and craftspersons are NOC 2021 unit group 53124. Example job titles in this group include artistic floral arranger, carver, craft instructor (except education), craftsperson.
What TEER is NOC 53124?
NOC 53124 is TEER 3 (College or apprenticeship (under 2 years)). Usually requires a college program or apprenticeship of less than 2 years, or more than six months of on-the-job training. TEER 0, 1, 2 and 3 work counts as skilled work experience for Express Entry’s Federal Skilled Worker and Canadian Experience Class programs.
How much do artisans and craftspersons earn in Canada?
Job Bank's 2025 wage data puts the median at $20.00/hr, about $39,000 a year full-time, with a range of $15.60/hr to $28.00/hr.
Related occupations
Sources: Statistics Canada, National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 Version 1.0; Employment and Social Development Canada, Job Bank wages (2025). Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. OfferJetAI is not affiliated with the Government of Canada. Check IRCC’s NOC guidance before you apply.