Industrial butchers and meat cutters, poultry preparers and related workers
Occupation · NOC 2021 94141 · Canada
- NOC 2021 code
- 94141
- TEER
- 4
- Positions on positive LMIAs, all lists
- 6,292
- Median wage, Canada
- C$23.00 per hour
- Job Bank postings, Jan–Sep 2026
- 543
OC<CANINDUSTRIAL<BUTCHERS<AND<MEAT<CUTTERS<P 941417<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<4
About this occupation
Industrial butchers and meat cutters, poultry preparers and related workers prepare meat and poultry for further processing or for packaging for wholesale distribution. They are employed in meat and poultry slaughtering, processing and packing establishments.
Example job titles
- beef boner
- ham cutter
- industrial butcher
- industrial meat cutter
- meat trimmer
- poultry preparer
- slaughterer
Main duties
- This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Industrial butchers
- Slaughter livestock using stunning devices and knives
- Skin, clean and trim carcasses
- Remove viscera and other inedible parts from carcasses
- Split carcasses into smaller portions to facilitate handling
- May slaughter cattle, calves and sheep as prescribed by religious laws.
- Industrial meat cutters
- Cut beef, lamb, pork or veal carcasses or sides or quarters of carcasses into primal cuts for further cutting, processing or packaging
- Remove bones from meat
Employment requirements
- Completion of secondary school may be required.
- For industrial meat cutters, completion of a program in industrial meat cutting or Experience as an industrial butcher is required.
- On-the-job training is provided for industrial butchers, meat cutters and poultry preparers.
Temporary foreign worker positions (LMIA)
Positions on positive LMIAs in ESDC employer lists, by year of the list.
Approved positions by year
Data table
| 2016 | 143 |
| 2017 | 329 |
| 2018 | 285 |
| 2019 | 436 |
| 2020 | 430 |
| 2021 | 339 |
| 2022 | 1,548 |
| 2023 | 971 |
| 2024 | 897 |
| 2025 | 815 |
| 2026 | 99 |
- Alberta2,348
- Quebec2,325
- Ontario864
- British Columbia360
- Manitoba264
- Prince Edward Island74
- Saskatchewan37
- New Brunswick19
- Nova Scotia1
- JBS Food Canada ULC1,735
- Olymel s.e.c / l.p918
- Cargill Ltd.379
- HyLife Foods LP240
- Les Viandes duBreton203
- Conestoga Meat Packers Ltd170
- Cargill Limited155
- Unidindon inc/Uniturkey inc150
- Aliments Asta inc.112
- Exceldor coopérative110
- Viandes du Breton Inc. (Les)109
- Atlantic Beef Products Inc.74
- Bouvry Exports Calgary Ltd.73
- Canards du Lac Brome Ltee73
- Montpak international70
Work permits
Work permit holders by year the permit took effect, mapped from NOC 2016 where the code has a single NOC 2021 successor (IRCC).
| Year | TFWP permits | IMP permits |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 660 | 310 |
| 2025 | 610 | 300 |
| 2024 | 990 | 330 |
| 2023 | 1,530 | 360 |
| 2022 | 660 | 360 |
| 2021 | 335 | 370 |
| 2020 | 340 | 385 |
| 2019 | 335 | 375 |
| 2018 | 280 | 330 |
| 2017 | 315 | 395 |
| 2016 | 335 | 325 |
| 2015 | 270 | 235 |
All work permits by year
Data table
| 2015 | 505 |
| 2016 | 660 |
| 2017 | 710 |
| 2018 | 610 |
| 2019 | 710 |
| 2020 | 725 |
| 2021 | 705 |
| 2022 | 1,020 |
| 2023 | 1,890 |
| 2024 | 1,320 |
| 2025 | 910 |
| 2026 | 970 |
Permanent residence
Admissions of permanent residents by intended occupation and Express Entry invitations by occupation (IRCC).
New permanent residents by year
Data table
| 2015 | 240 |
| 2016 | 190 |
| 2017 | 190 |
| 2018 | 295 |
| 2019 | 395 |
| 2020 | 95 |
| 2021 | 325 |
| 2022 | 275 |
| 2023 | 440 |
| 2024 | 455 |
| 2025 | 230 |
| 2026 | 245 |
Wages
Median wage by province and territory (2025 release). Hourly unless marked per year.
| Area | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | C$18.00 | C$23.00 | C$26.15 |
| Alberta | C$18.00 | C$23.00 | C$26.00 |
| British Columbia | C$19.00 | C$25.00 | C$28.00 |
| Manitoba | C$17.00 | C$20.00 | C$23.20 |
| New Brunswick | C$18.00 | C$20.44 | C$21.00 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | C$18.59 | C$20.49 | C$23.27 |
| Nova Scotia | C$17.50 | C$20.00 | C$22.00 |
| Ontario | C$18.70 | C$22.50 | C$26.15 |
| Quebec | C$20.00 | C$24.00 | C$26.80 |
| Saskatchewan | C$15.35 | C$19.00 | C$24.00 |
- Job Bank postings, Jan–Sep 2026
- 543
- Vacancies advertised
- 5,139
- Median advertised minimum hourly wage
- C$22.30
Official data, not advice. Visa Atlas publishes figures from government registers and statistics. It does not assess eligibility or give immigration advice; for advice, consult a regulated adviser. Read more