64200 Tailors, dressmakers, furriers and milliners

What this occupation covers

Tailors, dressmakers and furriers make, alter and repair tailored clothing, dresses, coats and other made-to-measure garments. Milliners make, alter and repair hats. This unit group also includes alterationists who fit, alter and repair garments. They are employed by clothing retailers, clothing alteration shops, dry cleaners and garment manufacturing companies or they may be self-employed.

Official main duties

The NOC profile lists 6 main duties for this code.

• Make made-to-measure garments, such as dresses, suits and coats according to customers' and clothing manufacturers' specifications and fit
• Design, select and/or modify commercial patterns to customers' and clothing manufacturers' specifications
• Fit, mark, cut and sew fabric
• Fit, alter and repair garments according to customers' requests by hand or using sewing machines.
• Make, alter, restyle and repair natural fur garments and accessories.
• Design, lay out, cut, sew and press fabric, leather and other materials into hats and related accessories.

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 6 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.

• 53123 Theatre, fashion, exhibit and other creative designers

Excluded from this code

• Couturier - haute couture (See 53123 Theatre, fashion, exhibit and other creative designers)

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.

alterations dressmaker · alterations seamstress · custom fur joiner · custom furrier · custom tailor · dressmaker · fur remodeller · fur repair estimator · fur repairman/woman · fur tailor · furrier · garment alterationist · garment fitter · garment repair seamstress · garment sample maker · made-to-measure garment tailor · master tailor · men's garment alterations tailor · milliner · millinery maker · ready-to-wear garment tailor · seamstress · shop tailor · tailor

Employment requirements

• Completion of secondary school may be required.
• Tailors and dressmakers require demonstrated ability to sew, style and fit men's or women's garments and may require completion of college or other courses in tailoring or dressmaking.
• Furriers require several years of experience in selecting pelts and making, fitting, styling and altering fur garments and accessories.
• Milliners require demonstrated ability to sew, style and fit hats and caps.
• Alterationists require demonstrated ability to sew, alter and repair garments.