NOC 65201: Food counter attendants, kitchen helpers and related support occupations

Food counter attendants and food preparers prepare, heat and finish cooking simple food items and serve customers at food counters. Kitchen helpers, food service helpers and dishwashers clear tables, clean kitchen areas, wash dishes, and perform various other activities to assist workers who prepare or serve food and beverages. They are employed by restaurants, cafés, hotels, fast food outlets, cafeterias, hospitals and other establishments.

Express Entry eligibility

• Skilled work (TEER 0 to 3): no, TEER 5 does not count for Express Entry.
• Canadian Experience Class: does not count.
• Federal Skilled Worker Program: does not count.
• Federal Skilled Trades Program: not one of the eligible trades.
• High-wage occupation (from November 3, 2026): no. No high-wage add-on, and a job offer in it earns no CRS points.

TEER 5: Occupations that usually need short-term work demonstration and no formal education. Every program has other requirements too, such as language test results and, for FSW, a points test.

Category-based draws

NOC 65201 is not on any of IRCC’s occupation category lists. You can still be invited in general, Canadian Experience Class or other program draws if you qualify through other experience.

Category lists checked on canada.ca on 2026-10-17. IRCC category-based selection

CRS points for work in NOC 65201

None. Work in TEER 4 and 5 occupations earns no Canadian work points in the CRS.

See Canadian work points and the median-wage rule.

Main duties

This group performs some or all of the following duties:

• Food counter attendants and food preparers
• Take customers' orders
• Clean, peel, slice and trim foodstuffs using manual and electric appliances
• Use deep fryer, grill, oven, dispensers and other equipment to prepare fast food items such as sandwiches, hamburgers, fries, salads, ice cream dishes, milkshakes and other beverages
• Portion, assemble, and wrap food or place it directly on plates for service to patrons, and package take-out food
• Use equipment to prepare hot beverages such as coffee and tea specialties
• Serve customers at counters or buffet tables
• Stock refrigerators and salad bars and keep records of the quantities of food used
• May receive payment for food items purchased.
• Kitchen helpers
• Wash and peel vegetables and fruit
• Wash work tables, cupboards and appliances
• Remove trash and clean kitchen garbage containers
• Unpack and store supplies in refrigerators, cupboards and other storage areas
• Sweep and mop floors, and perform other duties to assist cook and kitchen staff.
• Food service helpers
• Clear and clean tables and trays in eating establishments
• Bring clean dishes, flatware and other items to serving areas and set tables
• Replenish condiments and other supplies at tables and in serving areas
• Remove dishes before and after courses
• Perform other duties such as scraping and stacking dishes, carrying linen to and from laundry area and running errands.
• Dishwashers
• Wash dishes, glassware, flatware, pots and pans using dishwasher or by hand
• Place dishes in storage area
• Scour pots and pans, and may clean and polish silverware.

For Express Entry your duties must match the lead statement and most of the main duties above.

Example job titles

• bartender helper
• bus boy/girl
• cafeteria counter attendant
• cook's helper
• dishwasher
• fast-food preparer
• food counter attendant
• food preparer
• food service helper
• ice cream counter attendant
• kitchen helper
• salad bar attendant
• sandwich maker

Employment requirements

• Some secondary school education is usually required.
• On-the-job training is provided.

Similar jobs with a different code

• 62200Chefs
• 63200Cooks
• 65200Food and beverage servers
• 62020Food service supervisors