51113 Journalists

What this occupation covers

Journalists research, investigate, interpret and communicate news and public affairs through newspapers, television, radio and other media. They are employed by radio and television networks and stations, newspapers and magazines. Journalists may also work on a freelance basis.

Official main duties

The NOC profile lists 9 main duties for this code.

• Collect local, national and international news through interviews, investigation and observation
• Write news stories for publication and broadcast
• Receive, analyze and verify news and other copy for accuracy
• Arrange for and conduct interviews as part of research and for radio and television programs
• Research and report on developments in specialized fields such as medicine, science and technology
• Prepare regular feature columns and stories on specialized topics
• Write editorials and commentaries on topics of current interest to stimulate public interest and express the views of a publication or broadcasting station
• Write critical reviews of literary, musical and other artistic works based on knowledge, judgement and experience.
• Journalists may specialize in print, broadcast or Webcast media, in particular issues such as political affairs or entertainment news, or in a particular geographic area.

Do not copy these lines into your reference letter. The letter has to describe what you actually did, in your employer’s words. DUTYPROOF flags wording lifted from the NOC as something to review, and an officer reading a letter that mirrors the NOC reads it the same way.

What DUTYPROOF screens for

This is DUTYPROOF’s screening threshold, not IRCC’s decision. For this NOC, screening requires at least 2 of its 9 official duties to be evidenced in your own words, plus the required letter elements. IRCC asks that you performed the actions in the occupation’s lead statement and a substantial number of its main duties — so treat the duty coverage as the number that matters, not the badge.

Codes this one is confused with

The NOC profile names these itself. Choosing the wrong code of a look-alike pair is the most common way genuine work experience fails to establish eligibility.

• 52114 Announcers and other broadcasters
• 51111 Authors and writers (except technical)
• 51110 Editors
• 53110 Photographers

Excluded from this code

• Announcers and other broadcasters (See 52114 Announcers and other broadcasters)
• Authors and writers (See 51111 Authors and writers (except technical))
• Editors (See 51110 Editors)
• Photojournalist (See 53110 Photographers)

Job titles filed under this code

A title on this list does not by itself put your experience in this code — the duties in your letter decide that.

anchorman/woman · art critic · book critic · book reviewer · broadcast journalist · chronicler · columnist · commentator · correspondent · critic · culinary journalist · cyberjournalist · cyberreporter · drama critic · entertainment columnist · fashion columnist · feature reporter · field reporter · film critic · financial reporter · foreign affairs reporter · foreign correspondent · foreign news correspondent · game critic

Employment requirements

• A university degree or college diploma in journalism or a related field such as communications is usually required.