73112 Painters and decorators (except interior decorators)

What this occupation covers

Painters and decorators apply paint, wallpaper and other finishes to interior and exterior surfaces of buildings and other structures. They are employed by construction companies, painting contractors and building maintenance contractors, or they may be self-employed. Apprentices are also included in this unit group.

Official main duties

The NOC profile lists 8 main duties for this code.

• Read specifications to determine quantities of materials required
• Prepare and clean surfaces using methods such as scraping, sanding, sandblasting, hydro-blasting and steam-cleaning; remove old wallpaper and loose paint; repair cracks and holes in walls; and sandpaper and apply sealer
• Mix and thin paint to obtain desired colour and texture
• Apply paint or other materials, such as stains, lacquer, enamel, oil, varnish, fibreglass, metal coating or fire retardant using brushes, rollers or spray equipment
• Measure, cut and apply wallpaper or fabric to walls
• Assemble and erect scaffolding and swing stages
• May advise customer on selection of colour schemes and choice of wall coverings
• May provide cost estimates to clients.

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 8 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.

• 72411 Auto body collision, refinishing and glass technicians and damage repair estimators
• 94213 Industrial painters, coaters and metal finishing process operators
• 52121 Interior designers and interior decorators
• 72014 Contractors and supervisors, other construction trades, installers, repairers and servicers
• 53122 Painters, sculptors and other visual artists

Excluded from this code

• Automotive painter - motor vehicle repair (See 72411 Auto body collision, refinishing and glass technicians and damage repair estimators)
• Industrial painters, coaters and metal finishing process operators (See 94213 Industrial painters, coaters and metal finishing process operators)
• Interior decorator (See 52121 Interior designers and interior decorators)
• Painters and decorators supervisor (See 72014 Contractors and supervisors, other construction trades, installers, repairers and servicers)
• Painters, sculptors and other visual artists (See 53122 Painters, sculptors and other visual artists)

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.

apprentice industrial painter and decorator · apprentice painter and decorator · bridge painter · building painter · commercial building painter · commercial construction painter · construction painter · house painter · industrial construction painter · industrial maintenance painter · journeyman/woman painter and decorator · maintenance painter · painter · painter and decorator · painter and decorator apprentice · painter and paperhanger · painter-decorator · paperhanger · plant maintenance painter · residential construction painter · residential painter · roof painter · rough painter - construction · specialized painter and decorator

Employment requirements

• Completion of secondary school is usually required.
• Completion of a three- to four-year apprenticeship program or Over three years of work experience in the trade is usually required to be eligible for trade certification.
• Trade certification for painters and decorators is compulsory in Quebec and available, but voluntary, in all other provinces and the territories.
• Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified painters and decorators upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.