NOC 73112: Painters and decorators (except interior decorators)
What painters and decorators (except interior decorators) do
Painters and decorators apply paint, wallpaper and other finishes to interior and exterior surfaces of buildings and other structures. They are employed by construction companies, painting contractors and building maintenance contractors, or they may be self-employed. Apprentices are also included in this unit group.
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Read specifications to determine quantities of materials required
- Prepare and clean surfaces using methods such as scraping, sanding, sandblasting, hydro-blasting and steam-cleaning; remove old wallpaper and loose paint; repair cracks and holes in walls; and sandpaper and apply sealer
- Mix and thin paint to obtain desired colour and texture
- Apply paint or other materials, such as stains, lacquer, enamel, oil, varnish, fibreglass, metal coating or fire retardant using brushes, rollers or spray equipment
- Measure, cut and apply wallpaper or fabric to walls
- Assemble and erect scaffolding and swing stages
- May advise customer on selection of colour schemes and choice of wall coverings
- May provide cost estimates to clients.
Job titles under NOC 73112
24 job titles are classified here, including construction painter, maintenance painter, painter.
- apprentice industrial painter and decorator
- apprentice painter and decorator
- bridge painter
- building painter
- commercial building painter
- commercial construction painter
- construction painter
- house painter
- industrial construction painter
- industrial maintenance painter
- journeyman/woman painter and decorator
- maintenance painter
- painter
- painter and decorator
- painter and decorator apprentice
- painter and paperhanger
- painter-decorator
- paperhanger
- plant maintenance painter
- residential construction painter
- residential painter
- roof painter
- rough painter - construction
- specialized painter and decorator
Employment requirements
- Completion of secondary school is usually required.
- Completion of a three- to four-year apprenticeship program or Over three years of work experience in the trade is usually required to be eligible for trade certification.
- Trade certification for painters and decorators is compulsory in Quebec and available, but voluntary, in all other provinces and the territories.
- Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified painters and decorators upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.
Painters and decorators (except interior decorators) 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 | $20.00/hr | $28.00/hr | $40.99/hr |
Toronto ON | $20.00/hr | $29.00/hr | $39.45/hr |
Montréal QC | $24.00/hr | $34.00/hr | $41.43/hr |
Vancouver Lower Mainland region, BC | $21.00/hr | $28.00/hr | $35.00/hr |
Calgary AB | $20.00/hr | $25.00/hr | $32.00/hr |
Edmonton AB | $20.00/hr | $27.00/hr | $36.86/hr |
Ottawa ON | $20.00/hr | $25.00/hr | $30.00/hr |
Winnipeg MB | $18.00/hr | $24.00/hr | $30.00/hr |
Québec City Quebec region, QC | $24.00/hr | $34.98/hr | $41.83/hr |
Hamilton Hamilton–Niagara Peninsula region, ON | $20.00/hr | $25.00/hr | $30.38/hr |
Kitchener-Waterloo Kitchener–Waterloo–Barrie region, ON | $20.00/hr | $26.00/hr | $34.08/hr |
London ON | $19.50/hr | $23.78/hr | $30.00/hr |
Halifax NS | $18.00/hr | $23.00/hr | $27.88/hr |
Victoria Vancouver Island and Coast region, BC | $22.00/hr | $27.00/hr | $32.40/hr |
Saskatoon Saskatoon–Biggar region, SK | $18.00/hr | $24.00/hr | $33.00/hr |
Regina Regina–Moose Mountain region, SK | $16.00/hr | $23.50/hr | $30.00/hr |
| Where | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
Newfoundland and Labrador | $18.00/hr | $25.00/hr | $38.00/hr |
Nova Scotia | $18.00/hr | $23.00/hr | $33.24/hr |
New Brunswick | $18.00/hr | $22.00/hr | $29.12/hr |
Quebec | $24.00/hr | $34.98/hr | $41.83/hr |
Ontario | $20.00/hr | $25.00/hr | $34.80/hr |
Manitoba | $17.00/hr | $24.00/hr | $30.00/hr |
Saskatchewan | $18.00/hr | $23.00/hr | $30.00/hr |
Alberta | $20.00/hr | $26.00/hr | $34.82/hr |
British Columbia | $21.00/hr | $28.00/hr | $35.00/hr |
Using NOC 73112 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 24 titles above are how the same work is named across employers.
Not in this group
Similar jobs classified under a different NOC code:
- Automotive painter - motor vehicle repair (NOC 72411)
- Industrial painters, coaters and metal finishing process operators (NOC 94213)
- Interior decorator (NOC 52121)
- Painters and decorators supervisor (NOC 72014)
- Painters, sculptors and other visual artists (NOC 53122)
Frequently asked questions
What is the NOC code for painters and decorators (except interior decorators)?
Painters and decorators (except interior decorators) are NOC 2021 unit group 73112. Example job titles in this group include construction painter, maintenance painter, painter, painter and decorator.
What TEER is NOC 73112?
NOC 73112 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 painters and decorators (except interior decorators) earn in Canada?
Job Bank's 2025 wage data puts the median at $28.00/hr, about $55,000 a year full-time, with a range of $20.00/hr to $40.99/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.