National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 Version 1.0
6 - Sales and service occupations
This broad category comprises middle management occupations in wholesale and retail trade, and customer services, as well as occupations concerned with wholesale and retail sales, and customer, personal and support service occupations related to a wide range of industries, such as accommodation and food services, travel, tourism and cleaning services.
64 - Sales and service representatives and other customer and personal services occupations
This major group comprises sales and service representatives and other customer and personal services occupations. These occupations come with Training, Education, Experience and Responsibility (TEER) identified as TEER 4. Occupations classified in TEER 4, as those included in this group with a 4 as the second digit of their code, typically require completion of secondary school; or several weeks of on-the-job training with some secondary school education; or experience in a related occupation from TEER 5, when applicable (TEER 5 includes occupations with a 5 as a second digit in their code).
643 - Occupations in food, accommodation and tourism
This sub-major group comprises occupations in food and beverage service; in travel and accommodation; and in tourism and amusement services.
6431 - Occupations in travel and accommodation
This minor group comprises occupations in travel and accommodation, including travel counsellors; pursers and flight attendants; airline ticket and service agents; ground and water transport ticket agents, cargo service representatives, and related clerks; and hotel front desk clerks. They are employed by travel agencies, transportation and tourism firms, travel wholesalers, bus, railway, airline, tour boat and cruise ship companies, public transit establishments, hotels, motels, resorts and freight forwarding and shipping companies.
64310 - Travel counsellors
Travel counsellors advise clients on travel options and tour packages, make bookings and reservations, prepare tickets and receive payment. They are employed in travel agencies, transportation and tourism firms and hotel chains.
Illustrative example(s)
- reservation agent - travel agency
- travel agent
- travel consultant
Exclusion(s)
- Airline ticket agent (See 64312 Airline ticket and service agents)
- Convention coordinator (See 12103 Conference and event planners)
- Travel agency manager (See 60020 Retail and wholesale trade managers)
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Provide travel information to clients regarding destinations, transportation and accommodation options and travel costs, and recommend suitable products
- Plan and organize vacation travel for individuals or groups
- Make transportation and accommodation reservations using computerized reservation and ticketing system
- Sell single fare tickets and package tours to clients
- Promote particular destinations, tour packages and other travel services
- Investigate new travel destinations, hotels and other facilities and attractions
- Provide travel tips regarding tourist attractions, foreign currency, customs, languages and travel safety.
Employment requirements
- Completion of secondary school is usually required.
- A college diploma or vocational training in travel or tourism is usually required.
- Certification with the Association of Canadian Travel Agencies (ACTA) may be required.
Additional information
- Progression to managerial positions is possible with experience.
64311 - Pursers and flight attendants
Pursers and flight attendants ensure the safety and comfort of passengers and crew members during flights. Ship pursers attend to the safety and comfort of passengers aboard ships. Airline pursers and flight attendants are employed by airline companies. Ship pursers are employed by tour boat or cruise ship companies.
Illustrative example(s)
- airline purser
- flight attendant
- flight service director
- passenger service director - water transportation
- ship purser
Exclusion(s)
- Food and beverage servers (See 65200 Food and beverage servers)
- Support occupations in accommodation, travel and facilities set-up services (See 65210 Support occupations in accommodation, travel and facilities set-up services)
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
Flight attendants
- Greet passengers, explain and demonstrate safety procedures, check the general condition of the aircraft cabin, ensure that all necessary supplies are on board
- Attend to safety of passengers during take-offs, landings and emergencies
- Serve food and beverages to passengers and make flight announcements.
Flight pursers, customer service directors and
passenger service directors- Coordinate the activities of flight attendants, provide service to passengers during flight and complete reports.
Ship pursers
- Supervise ship attendants and arrange activities for passengers
- Conduct ship's business, such as signing on crew, maintaining payroll records, assisting passengers in preparing customs declarations and supervising baggage storage.
Employment requirements
- Flight attendants and flight pursers require the completion of secondary school and a training program approved by Transport Canada.
- Flight pursers/customer service directors require experience as a flight attendant.
- Ship pursers may require experience as a ship attendant.
- Flight attendants and ship pursers usually require experience working with the public.
Additional information
- There is little mobility between airline pursers and ship pursers.
- It is an advantage for pursers and flight attendants to speak more than one language.
64312 - Airline ticket and service agents
Airline ticket and service agents issue tickets, provide fare quotations, make reservations, conduct passenger check-in, trace missing baggage, arrange for cargo shipments and perform other related customer service duties to assist airline passengers. They are employed by airline companies.
Illustrative example(s)
- airline baggage agent
- airline cargo agent
- airline load planner
- airline passenger agent
- airline reservation agent
- airline ticket agent
- baggage tracer - airline
- client service representative - airline
- counter services agent - airline
- customer service agent - airline
- station agent - airline
Exclusion(s)
- Airline sales and service agents supervisor (See 62022 Accommodation, travel, tourism and related services supervisors)
- Baggage handler (See 65210 Support occupations in accommodation, travel and facilities set-up services)
- Ground and water transport ticket agents, cargo service representatives and related clerks (See 64313 Ground and water transport ticket agents, cargo service representatives and related clerks)
- Travel counsellors (See 64310 Travel counsellors)
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
Airline passenger, baggage and ticket agents
- Help customers plan travel time and routes, prepare and issue tickets, assign seats, prepare boarding passes, check baggage, attend boarding gates
- Assist pre-boarding passengers and provide information on fares and flight schedules and routes
- Trace lost, delayed or misdirected baggage for customers.
Airline cargo and freight agents
- Weigh cargo and compute freight costs, calculate charges for services and insurance, process bills of lading, cargo manifests and other documents
- Trace lost or misdirected cargo and maintain shipping and other records
- Complete pre-flight documents regarding passenger and cargo load, catering count, special requests and other flight information
- Relay operational messages to operations control and downline stations
- Calculate load weights for compartments of aircraft using charts and computers
- Plan load to distribute and balance cargo.
Airline reservation agents
- Reserve seats for tour companies, travel agencies, wholesalers and the general public using computerized systems
- Provide information on airline passengers and process mileage points.
Employment requirements
- Completion of secondary school is usually required.
- Several weeks of on-the-job and classroom training are provided for all occupations in this unit group.
- Airline station agents usually require experience as a ticket, baggage or cargo agent.
- Load planners require a restricted radio operator's licence and usually require airline operations experience.
Additional information
- Depending on the size of the airline or airport, the duties of workers in this unit group may overlap.
- Progression to supervisory positions is possible with experience.
64313 - Ground and water transport ticket agents, cargo service representatives and related clerks
Ground and water transport ticket agents, cargo service representatives and related clerks, quote fares and rates, make reservations, issue tickets, process cargo shipments, check baggage and perform other related customer service duties to assist travellers. They are employed by bus and railway companies, freight forwarding and shipping companies, boat cruise operators and other public transit establishments and by travel wholesalers.
Illustrative example(s)
- bus ticket agent
- cargo customer service representative - railway
- counter service agent - railway
- railway passenger agent
- railway reservations clerk
- reservations clerk - cruise line
- ticket agent (except airline)
Exclusion(s)
- Accommodation, travel, tourism and related services supervisors (See 62022 Accommodation, travel, tourism and related services supervisors)
- Airline ticket and service agents (See 64312 Airline ticket and service agents)
- Travel counsellors (See 64310 Travel counsellors)
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
Ticket agents
- Answer customer inquiries, quote fares and assist clients in planning travel times and routes
- Reserve seats for tour companies, travel agencies, wholesalers and the general public
- Issue tickets, handle cash transactions and check baggage
- Receive and record bookings for package tours from retail travel agencies and supply information regarding available vacancies when working for wholesale travel companies.
Cargo service representatives
- Quote fare and rates for cargo shipment
- Compute shipment costs including charges for services and insurance using rate tables and schedules and prepare and maintain shipping and other documents
- Check in passenger baggage and sort for loading by baggage handlers or may load baggage directly into buses, railway cars or cruise ships
- Trace lost or misdirected passenger baggage or cargo shipment.
Employment requirements
- Completion of secondary school is usually required.
- Up to 10 weeks of training may be provided.
Additional information
- Ticket agents and cargo service representatives may perform the same duties depending on the size and location of the operations.
- Progression to supervisory positions is possible through experience.
64314 - Hotel front desk clerks
Hotel front desk clerks make room reservations, provide information and services to guests and receive payment for services. They are employed by hotels, motels and resorts.
Illustrative example(s)
- guest services agent - hotel
- hotel front desk clerk
- night clerk
- reservations clerk - hotel
- room clerk
Exclusion(s)
- Hotel clerk supervisor (See 62022 Accommodation, travel, tourism and related services supervisors)
- Travel counsellors (See 64310 Travel counsellors)
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Maintain an inventory of vacancies, reservations and room assignments
- Register arriving guests and assign rooms
- Answer enquiries regarding hotel services and registration by letter, by telephone and in person, provide information about services available in the community and respond to guests' complaints
- Compile and check daily record sheets, guest accounts, receipts and vouchers using computerized or manual systems
- Present statements of charges to departing guests and receive payment.
Employment requirements
- Completion of secondary school or equivalent is usually required.
- Completion of a two-year apprenticeship program, or a college program in front desk operations or hotel management may be required.
- Guest services representative trade certification is available, but voluntary, in Saskatchewan.
Additional information
- Progression to senior positions such as accommodations manager is possible with additional training and experience.
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