NOC 65202: Meat cutters and fishmongers - retail and wholesale

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.

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 65202 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 65202

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:

• 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.

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

Example job titles

• fishmonger
• fishmonger - retail
• meat cutter - retail or wholesale
• 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.

Similar jobs with a different code

• 63201Butchers - retail and wholesale
• 94142Fish cutter - fish processing
• 94141Industrial butchers and meat cutters, poultry preparers and related workers
• 64100Seafood sales clerk