52111 Graphic arts technicians

What this occupation covers

Graphic arts technicians assist in conceptualizing a project, interpreting design specifications or sketches, preparing the page make-up, lay-out and lettering, and preparing production materials for press, electronic or multimedia publishing. They are employed by publishing, communications, advertising, marketing, printing and multimedia establishments, and by television and film production companies. They may also be self-employed.

Official main duties

The NOC profile lists 10 main duties for this code.

• Review the graphic designer's instructions
• Produce or assist in developing and producing design concepts
• Capture elements such as titles, text, drawings, illustrations, graphics, lettering and colour harmonization, using a computer
• Produce computerized images and drawings
• Digitize images using peripherals and transform them using retouching systems, graphic palettes or specialized software
• Perform the layout, page make-up and placement using the conceptual mock-ups provided
• Produce proofs and camera-ready materials and prepare film and any other prepress materials
• Paint or ink individual cells of 2-D or 3-D animated drawings according to animator's specifications using an electronic palette
• Lay out, draw or paint letters, figures, logos and designs for windows, advertisements, billboards, vehicles, books and publications using specialized software or painting equipment
• Work in an interdisciplinary environment.

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 10 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.

• 94151 Camera, platemaking and other prepress occupations
• 14301 Correspondence, publication and regulatory clerks
• 14112 Desktop publishing operators and related occupations
• 52120 Graphic designers and illustrators

Excluded from this code

• Camera, platemaking and other prepress occupations (See 94151 Camera, platemaking and other prepress occupations)
• Correspondence, publication and regulatory clerks (See 14301 Correspondence, publication and regulatory clerks)
• Desktop publishing (DTP) specialist (See 14112 Desktop publishing operators and related occupations)
• Graphic designers and illustrators (See 52120 Graphic designers and illustrators)

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.

airbrush artist · animated cartoon inker · animated cartoon painter · animated cartoon technician · animated cartoons inker and painter · animation camera operator · animation inker · animation painter · apprentice sign painter · art work assembler · cartoon background artist · compositor - animation · compositor - film · computer graphics design technician · computer graphics operator · computer graphics technician · design assistant - advertising production · digital graphic design technician · graphic arts assembler · graphic arts copy stylist · graphic arts renderer · graphic arts technician · graphics technician · hand painter - graphic arts

Employment requirements

• A college diploma in commercial or graphic arts, computer graphics or animated design is required.
• Experience or training in multimedia design at a post-secondary, college or technical institution may be required.
• Creative ability and artistic talent, as demonstrated by a portfolio of work, are required.