National Occupational Classification, TEER 3
NOC 63221: Upholsterers
Upholsterers cover furniture, fixtures and similar items with fabric, leather or other upholstery materials. Below are the main duties, all 20 job titles it covers, what it means for Express Entry and what it pays in each province.
Updated
- Official NOC 2021 data
- Job Bank wages
What is NOC 63221?
NOC 63221 is the code for upholsterers in the National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021. Job titles in this group include automobile upholsterer, custom upholsterer, furniture upholsterer and upholsterer. It is a TEER 3 occupation (usually a college diploma, an apprenticeship of less than 2 years, or more than 6 months of on-the-job training), so it counts as skilled work for the Federal Skilled Worker Program and the Canadian Experience Class. The Job Bank median wage across Canada is $22.46 an hour.
- NOC code
- 63221
- TEER
- 3: College diploma, apprenticeship under 2 years or 6+ months of training
- Broad category
- Sales and service occupations
- Express Entry
- Skilled (TEER 0 to 3)
- Category draws
- None
- Median wage
- $22.46 an hour
Job titles under NOC 63221
Upholsterers cover furniture, fixtures and similar items with fabric, leather or other upholstery materials. They are employed by furniture, aircraft, motor vehicle and other manufacturing companies, furniture retail outlets and repair shops or they may be self-employed.
Main job titles
- automobile upholsterer
- custom upholsterer
- furniture upholsterer
- upholsterer
- upholstery repairer
All 20 job titles in the NOC index
aircraft custom upholsterer, aircraft furnishing technician, aircraft patternmaker and upholsterer, aircraft upholsterer, automobile upholsterer, automotive upholsterer, casket upholsterer, chair upholsterer, custom upholsterer, furniture upholsterer, industrial upholsterer, patternmaker-upholsterer, preparation upholsterer, production upholsterer, railway car upholsterer, re-upholsterer, upholsterer, upholstery mechanic, upholstery repairer, vehicle upholstery repairer.
Main duties of NOC 63221
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Discuss upholstery fabric, colour, and style with customers and provide cost estimate for upholstering furniture or other items
- Lay out, measure and cut upholstery materials according to sketches or design specifications
- Replace worn-out webbing, springs and other furniture parts using hand and power tools
- Operate sewing machines or sew upholstery materials by hand to seam cushions and join sections of covering materials
- Install padding and underlays and fasten covering materials to furniture frames
- Tack, glue or sew ornamental trim, braids or buttons on upholstered items
- Lay out, cut, fabricate and install upholstery in aircrafts, motor vehicles, railway cars, boats and ships
- May repair furniture frames and refinish wood surfaces
- May make upholstery patterns from sketches, customer descriptions or blueprints
- May install, fabricate, maintain and repair interior components of aircraft, such as seats, coverings, drapes, cargo nets, flooring, closets, bins and panels.
Employment requirements
- Completion of secondary school is usually required.
- Completion of college or other specialized courses or an apprenticeship program in furniture upholstering and repair or Several years of on-the-job training, including working as an upholsterer helper are usually required.
- Trade certification is available, but voluntary, in Quebec.
Additional information
- Progression to supervisory positions is possible with experience.
Is NOC 63221 eligible for Express Entry?
Yes for the programs that need skilled work: TEER 3 is in the TEER 0 to 3 range IRCC accepts.
| Program or draw | NOC 63221 |
|---|---|
| Federal Skilled Worker Program | Counts as skilled work (TEER 0 to 3) |
| Canadian Experience Class | Counts as skilled work (TEER 0 to 3) |
| Federal Skilled Trades Program | Not a listed trade |
| Occupation category draws (2026) | Not on any occupation list |
| French-language proficiency (category draw) | Open to any occupation with NCLC 7 in French |
Read how TEER categories work and the full list of NOC codes in each 2026 category draw. Category draws also need at least 12 months of full-time work (or the same amount part-time) in one listed occupation within the past 3 years.
How much does NOC 63221 pay?
Job Bank wages for this occupation, per hour. Low and high are, in most cases, the 10th and 90th percentiles, so 8 in 10 workers earn somewhere between them.
| Area | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | $17.99 | $22.46 | $31.00 |
| Quebec | $18.00 | $22.00 | $27.63 |
| Ontario | $18.50 | $24.45 | $35.00 |
| Manitoba | $16.00 | $19.95 | $24.56 |
Source: Job Bank, Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank 2025 wages, revised November 19, 2025), data from 2023-2024 (Employment Insurance Survey Data). Wages for job offers in LMIA and provincial programs are compared with these figures, so check the current numbers on Job Bank before you rely on them.
Using NOC 63221 duties on your resume
Canadian resumes do not list NOC codes. Employers read your job titles, what you did and what came of it. The NOC duties are still a useful checklist: if you did these tasks, say so in your own words and add the numbers that prove it.
For Express Entry, the reference letter from your employer should describe the duties you really performed, in line with this lead statement and most of the main duties, without copying the NOC text word for word. The free reference letter generator checks your duties against NOC 63221 as you write.
- Start each bullet with a strong verb and end it with a result: how many, how often, how fast.
- Use the job title your employer used, even if the NOC title is different.
- Keep immigration details such as your NOC code and permit type off the resume.
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Where this information comes from
Occupation codes, titles and descriptions are adapted from Statistics Canada, National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 Version 1.0. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.
Wages come from Job Bank, Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank 2025 wages, revised November 19, 2025). Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada.
Express Entry rules come from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC): the program pages for the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Canadian Experience Class and the Federal Skilled Trades Program, and the category-based selection page as modified on June 22, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
What is the NOC code for a automobile upholsterer?
NOC 63221, Upholsterers, a TEER 3 occupation in NOC 2021.
What TEER is NOC 63221?
TEER 3. Usually a college diploma, an apprenticeship of less than 2 years, or more than 6 months of on-the-job training. The TEER is the second digit of the code. See all TEER categories.
Is NOC 63221 eligible for Express Entry?
Yes. As a TEER 3 occupation it counts as skilled work for the Federal Skilled Worker Program and the Canadian Experience Class. You still have to meet every other requirement, and your duties must match the NOC description.
Is NOC 63221 in an Express Entry category-based draw?
No. It is not on any 2026 occupation list. The French-language proficiency category is open to any occupation if you reach NCLC 7 in French. See every category.
How much does NOC 63221 pay in Canada?
The Job Bank median across Canada is $22.46 an hour, with most wages between $17.99 and $31.00. Pay varies by province: see the table above.
Where is the official description?
On the Statistics Canada and ESDC NOC site: search 63221 in NOC 2021 Version 1.0. This page shows the same text, from the open data Statistics Canada publishes.
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More on NOC codes and Canadian resumes
- NOC Code Finder: Describe your duties and get your NOC 2021 code, TEER and Express Entry eligibility. Free.
- NOC Codes Canada: Full List: All 516 NOC 2021 codes with their TEER, duties and wages.
- TEER Categories Explained: What TEER 0 to 5 means, which count for Express Entry, and every job in each one.
- Express Entry Category Draws: NOC Codes: Every NOC code on the 2026 healthcare, STEM, trades, education and other lists.
- Canadian Resume Examples by Job: Real examples for cashiers, caregivers, trades, tech, students and more.
- Newcomer Resume Guide: Turn international experience into a resume Canadian employers understand.