NOC 72311: Cabinetmakers

Cabinetmakers use a variety of woods and laminates to construct and repair wooden cabinets, furniture, fixtures and related products. They are employed by furniture manufacturing or repair companies, construction companies and cabinetmaking contractors, or they may be self-employed. Apprentices are also included in this unit group.

Express Entry eligibility

• Skilled work (TEER 0 to 3): yes, TEER 2.
• Canadian Experience Class: counts as skilled Canadian work (1 year in the last 3 years).
• Federal Skilled Worker Program: counts as skilled work (1 year of continuous work in the last 10 years).
• Federal Skilled Trades Program: an eligible skilled trade (2 years in the last 5 years).
• High-wage occupation (from November 3, 2026): no. No high-wage add-on, and a job offer in it earns no CRS points.

TEER 2: Occupations that usually need a college diploma, an apprenticeship of 2 or more years, or supervisory duties. Every program has other requirements too, such as language test results and, for FSW, a points test.

Category-based draws

• Trade occupations

  At least 12 months of full-time work (or the same amount part-time) in this occupation within the last 3 years, in Canada or abroad.

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

CRS points for work in NOC 72311

Skilled Canadian work in this occupation earns the standard points, the same before and after November 3, 2026, with no high-wage add-on:

See Canadian work points and the median-wage rule.

Main duties

This group performs some or all of the following duties:

• Study plans, specifications or drawings of articles to be made, or prepare specifications
• Mark outlines or dimensions of parts on wood
• Operate woodworking machines, such as power saws, jointers, mortisers and shapers, and use hand tools to cut, shape and form parts and components
• Trim joints and fit parts and subassemblies together to form complete unit using glue and clamps and reinforce joints using nails, screws or other fasteners
• Sand wooden surfaces and apply veneer, stain or polish to finished products
• Repair or restyle wooden furniture, fixtures and related products
• May estimate amount, type and cost of materials required.

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

Example job titles

• cabinetmaker
• cabinetmaker apprentice
• custom wood furniture maker
• furniture cabinetmaker

Employment requirements

• Completion of secondary school is usually required.
• Completion of a four-year apprenticeship program or A combination of over four years of work experience in the trade and some high school or college courses in cabinetmaking is usually required to be eligible for trade certification.
• Trade certification is available, but voluntary, in all provinces and territories.
• Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified cabinetmakers upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.

Similar jobs with a different code

• 72013Cabinetmakers foreman/woman
• 72310Carpenters
• 94124Woodworking machine operators