NOC 65202: Meat cutters and fishmongers - retail and wholesale
What meat cutters and fishmongers - retail and wholesale do
Meat cutters and fishmongers prepare and package pieces of meat, poultry and fish that are sold by food retailers or wholesalers. They use tools to cut, trim and package meat, poultry and fish on a daily basis. They are employed in grocery stores, fish stores, or they may be self-employed.
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Grind meats and slice cooked meats using powered grinders and slicing machines
- Cut, weigh, package, label and price meat, meat products, fish and seafood for sale
- Suggest complementary and/or alternative meat or fish products to consumers
- Inspect the quality of meat, fish and seafood, expiry dates and ensure proper product rotation
- Ensure the maintenance of equipment, displays and work area
- Receive and store merchandise in accordance with the company's established standards
- Comply with government health and safety standards and occupational health and safety standards.
Job titles under NOC 65202
9 job titles are classified here, including fishmonger, fishmonger - retail, meat cutter - retail or wholesale.
- butcher helper - retail and wholesale
- fish cutter - retail or wholesale
- fishmonger
- fishmonger - retail
- meat cutter - retail or wholesale
- meat portion cutter - retail or wholesale
- pork cutter - retail or wholesale
- retail meat cutter
- supermarket meat cutter
Employment requirements
- Completion of secondary school may be required.
- On-the-job training in food stores is usually offered to meat cutters and fishmongers for retail sale.
- An apprenticeship program in meat cutting is available but voluntary.
- Trade certification for meat cutter is available, but voluntary, in Saskatchewan and British Columbia.
Meat cutters and fishmongers - retail and wholesale 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 | $15.50/hr | $19.50/hr | $28.00/hr |
Toronto ON | $17.60/hr | $17.60/hr | $26.00/hr |
Montréal QC | $16.77/hr | $17.84/hr | $21.51/hr |
Vancouver Lower Mainland region, BC | $17.85/hr | $23.00/hr | $33.28/hr |
Calgary AB | $16.00/hr | $20.50/hr | $27.00/hr |
Edmonton AB | $16.00/hr | $20.50/hr | $27.00/hr |
Ottawa ON | $17.60/hr | $17.60/hr | $26.00/hr |
Winnipeg MB | $16.00/hr | $17.00/hr | $22.00/hr |
Québec City Quebec region, QC | $16.16/hr | $17.17/hr | $21.08/hr |
Hamilton Hamilton–Niagara Peninsula region, ON | $17.60/hr | $17.60/hr | $26.00/hr |
Kitchener-Waterloo Kitchener–Waterloo–Barrie region, ON | $17.60/hr | $17.60/hr | $26.00/hr |
London ON | $17.60/hr | $17.60/hr | $26.00/hr |
Victoria Vancouver Island and Coast region, BC | $21.62/hr | $23.91/hr | $26.79/hr |
Saskatoon Saskatoon–Biggar region, SK | $15.35/hr | $18.00/hr | $29.00/hr |
Regina Regina–Moose Mountain region, SK | $15.35/hr | $18.00/hr | $29.00/hr |
| Where | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
Newfoundland and Labrador | $16.00/hr | $17.00/hr | $21.50/hr |
Nova Scotia | $16.50/hr | $17.00/hr | $21.50/hr |
New Brunswick | $15.65/hr | $17.00/hr | $21.50/hr |
Quebec | $16.16/hr | $17.17/hr | $21.08/hr |
Ontario | $17.60/hr | $17.60/hr | $26.00/hr |
Manitoba | $16.00/hr | $17.00/hr | $22.00/hr |
Saskatchewan | $15.35/hr | $18.00/hr | $29.00/hr |
Alberta | $16.00/hr | $20.50/hr | $27.00/hr |
British Columbia | $17.85/hr | $23.00/hr | $31.50/hr |
Using NOC 65202 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 9 titles above are how the same work is named across employers.
Not in this group
Similar jobs classified under a different NOC code:
- Butchers - retail and wholesale (NOC 63201)
- Fish cutter - fish processing (NOC 94142)
- Industrial butchers and meat cutters, poultry preparers and related workers (NOC 94141)
- Seafood sales clerk (NOC 64100)
Frequently asked questions
What is the NOC code for meat cutters and fishmongers - retail and wholesale?
Meat cutters and fishmongers - retail and wholesale are NOC 2021 unit group 65202. Example job titles in this group include fishmonger, fishmonger - retail, meat cutter - retail or wholesale, supermarket meat cutter.
What TEER is NOC 65202?
NOC 65202 is TEER 5 (Short work demonstration). Usually requires a short work demonstration and no formal education. TEER 4 and 5 work does not count as skilled work experience for Express Entry’s Federal Skilled Worker or Canadian Experience Class programs.
How much do meat cutters and fishmongers - retail and wholesale earn in Canada?
Job Bank's 2025 wage data puts the median at $19.50/hr, about $38,000 a year full-time, with a range of $15.50/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.