NOC 83121: Fishermen/women

Fishermen/women operate fishing vessels less than 100 gross tonnes to pursue and land fish and other marine life. They are usually self-employed owner-operators of fishing vessels.

Express Entry eligibility

• Skilled work (TEER 0 to 3): yes, TEER 3.
• 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 3: Occupations that usually need a college diploma, an apprenticeship of less than 2 years, or more than 6 months of on-the-job training. Every program has other requirements too, such as language test results and, for FSW, a points test.

Category-based draws

NOC 83121 is not on any of IRCC’s occupation category lists. You can still be invited in general, Canadian Experience Class or other program draws.

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

CRS points for work in NOC 83121

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:

• Operate fishing vessel to pursue and catch fish and other marine life
• Select area for fishing, plot courses and compute navigational positions using compasses and charts or electronic fishing aids
• Steer vessel and operate navigational instruments
• Operate fishing gear, direct fishing operation and supervise fishing crew members
• Maintain engine, fishing gear and other on-board equipment
• Record fishing activities, weather and sea conditions
• Estimate costs of operations and plan budget for each fishing season
• Establish fish marketing plan and keep records of all financial transactions
• May transport fish to processing plants or fish buyers.

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

Example job titles

• fisherman/woman
• fishing vessel skipper
• inshore fisherman/woman
• lobster fisherman/woman
• longliner fisherman/woman
• seiner fisherman/woman

Employment requirements

• Several years of experience as fishing vessel crew member or helper are usually required.
• Marine Emergency Duties Certificate is required by Transport Canada.
• A valid Fishing Vessel Operator Certificate is required.
• A commercial fishing licence is required.
• Licences are required for each species of fish pursued.
• Trade certification for fish harvesters is available, but voluntary, in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Similar jobs with a different code

• 83120Fishing masters and officers
• 84121Fishing vessel deckhands