53124 Artisans and craftspersons

What this occupation covers

Artisans and craftspersons use manual and artistic skills to design and make ornamental objects, pottery, stained glass, jewellery, rugs, blankets, other handicrafts and artistic floral arrangements. Makers of musical instruments are also included in this unit group. Most craftspersons are self-employed. Artistic floral arrangers are usually employed in florist shops and floral departments of retail establishments, or may be self-employed. Craft instructors are also included in this unit group and are employed by artisan guilds, colleges, private studios and recreational organizations.

Official main duties

The NOC profile lists 9 main duties for this code.

• Use hand tools and woodworking machines to produce carvings from wood, stone and other materials and to carve ornamental designs into wooden furniture and other objects.
• Design and create glass objects using blowpipes and artisan's hand tools and equipment.
• Design metal jewellery, utensils, implements, wall hangings and other objects and create them from gold, silver, copper, pewter and other metals.
• Design ornamental and ceramic functional earthenware pieces and create them using clay, moulds, potter's wheels and other equipment, glazing materials and kilns.
• Design stained glass windows, lampshades and other objects and cut, paint, fire and assemble pieces of stained glass to create such products.
• Construct instruments by applying their knowledge of wood, ebonite, metal properties and other materials and instrument design using hand and power tools.
• Use hands or loom to interlace strips of flexible material such as wool, cotton, silk, grasses, bark and rawhide to make baskets, wreaths, wall hangings, clothing, rugs, blankets and other objects.
• Prepare craftmaking lessons, gather the required working materials and demonstrate and teach craftmaking techniques.
• Design bouquets, corsages, sprays, wreaths and other floral arrangements and select natural and artificial flowers, foliage and decorative accessories to create arrangements or other floral items to suit customers' requirements.

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.

• 72311 Cabinetmakers
• 62202 Jewellers, jewellery and watch repairers and related occupations
• 53122 Painters, sculptors and other visual artists
• 94131 Weavers, knitters and other fabric making occupations

Excluded from this code

• Cabinetmakers (See 72311 Cabinetmakers)
• Jewellers, jewellery and watch repairers and related occupations (See 62202 Jewellers, jewellery and watch repairers and related occupations)
• Painters, sculptors and other visual artists (See 53122 Painters, sculptors and other visual artists)
• Weavers, knitters and other fabric making occupations (See 94131 Weavers, knitters and other fabric making occupations)

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.

Aboriginal art carver · Aboriginal craftwork instructor · artificial flower presser · artisan · artistic bouquet designer · artistic floral arranger · artistic floral bouquet designer · artistic floral designer · arts and crafts teacher (except education) · bag maker - arts and crafts · balalaika maker · basket weaver · batik artisan · bellows maker · canoe builder - arts and crafts · canoe repairer - arts and crafts · carver · cello maker · ceramic artist · ceramic potter · ceramics teacher (except education) · ceramist · copperplate engraver - artisan · craft instructor (except education)

Employment requirements

• Skills are often learned through apprenticeship with a master craftsperson.
• Training programs are offered by artisan guilds, colleges and private studios.
• Creative ability and talent, as demonstrated by a portfolio of work, and knowledge of safe handling of material, tools and equipment are required.
• A college diploma in fine craft techniques may be required.