NOC 2021 · 62101 · TEER 2
NOC 62101: Retail and wholesale buyers
Official NOC 2021, Job Bank and IRCC data · checked 21 October 2026
Retail and wholesale buyers buy merchandise for resale by retail or wholesale establishments and are usually responsible for the merchandising operations of retail or wholesale establishments. Retail and wholesale buyers who are supervisors and those who are assistants are included in this unit group.
TEER
TEER 2
Usually needs a college diploma, an apprenticeship of 2 or more years, or supervisory work
Median wage (Canada)
$30.00 / hour
Job Bank, 2023-2024
High-wage tier (from 3 Nov 2026)
Not on the list
No high-wage CRS points
Express Entry categories
None
General and program draws only
Express Entry
How NOC 62101 counts for Express Entry
- Federal Skilled Worker: eligible occupationNeeds 1 year of continuous skilled (TEER 0–3) work in the last 10 years and 67 points on the FSW grid.
- Canadian Experience Class: eligible occupationNeeds 1 year of skilled (TEER 0–3) work in Canada in the last 3 years.
- Federal Skilled Trades: not eligibleNeeds 2 years of work in an eligible trade group in the last 5 years, plus a job offer or a Canadian certificate of qualification.
High-wage CRS points
NOC 62101 is not one of IRCC's 186 high-wage occupations, so Canadian work or a job offer in it earns no high-wage points. Your usual Canadian work-length points still count.
See all 186 high-wage occupationsCategory-based draws
NOC 62101 is not on any of IRCC's 2026 occupation categories. You can still be invited through general, program-specific or French-language draws.
IRCC category listsDuties
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Purchase merchandise for resale by retail or wholesale establishments
- Review requirements of establishment and determine quantity and type of merchandise to purchase
- Study market reports, trade periodicals and sales promotion materials and visit trade shows, showrooms, factories and product design events
- Select the merchandise which best fits the establishment's requirements
- Interview suppliers and negotiate prices, discounts, credit terms and transportation arrangements
- Oversee distribution of merchandise to outlets and maintain adequate stock levels
- Establish and maintain contact with suppliers
- May supervise the work of other retail buyers.
- Retail and wholesale buyers may specialize in a particular merchandise line.
For Express Entry, your experience must match the lead statement and most of these duties, not only the job title.
Job titles
Example job titles
- appliance buyer
- assistant buyer
- beverage taster and buyer
- buyer - retail
- buyer - wholesale
- chief buyer
- clothing buyer
- food buyer
- produce buyer
All 32 job titles in NOC 62101
- appliance buyer
- assistant buyer
- beverage taster and buyer
- buyer - retail
- buyer - wholesale
- buyers supervisor
- cattle buyer
- chief buyer
- chief buyer - retail or wholesale
- clothing buyer
- food buyer
- fruit buyer
- fur buyer
- hardware buyer
- hog buyer
- livestock buyer
- log buyer
- lumber buyer
- meat buyer
- merchandiser
- perishable food buyer
- pharmaceuticals buyer
- produce buyer
- retail buyer
- retail merchandiser
- salvage buyer
- scrap buyer
- senior buyer - retail or wholesale
- specialty food buyer
- timber buyer
- tobacco buyer
- wholesale buyer
Also includes: merchandiser.
Requirements
Employment requirements
- Completion of secondary school is required.
- A university degree or college diploma in business, marketing or a related program is usually required.
- Previous work experience in retail or wholesale establishments is usually required.
- Supervisors and senior buyers require experience in the occupation supervised or in a particular merchandise line.
Additional information
- Retail and wholesale buyers may specialize through experience or product-related training courses.
- Progression to management positions in retail trade, sales, marketing or advertising is possible with additional training or experience.
Wages
Wages for NOC 62101 in Canada
Low, median and high wages per hour in Canadian dollars, from ESDC Job Bank's 2025 wage data.
| Region | Low | Median | High | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | $19.23 | $30.00 | $48.08 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $17.32 | $25.82 | $39.74 | Small Area Estimation, 2024 |
| Prince Edward Island | $16.50 | $21.49 | $34.99 | Small Area Estimation, 2024 |
| Nova Scotia | $16.50 | $22.61 | $38.96 | Small Area Estimation, 2024 |
| New Brunswick | $19.23 | $23.00 | $61.54 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
| Quebec | $20.00 | $32.00 | $50.97 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
| Ontario | $20.00 | $29.81 | $45.67 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
| Manitoba | $18.70 | $24.04 | $48.08 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
| Saskatchewan | $16.15 | $32.00 | $48.08 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
| Alberta | $19.23 | $28.73 | $38.46 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
| British Columbia | $20.00 | $30.77 | $47.60 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
Provinces with too little data are not shown. Wages vary by city and employer; see Job Bank for regional figures.
Job outlook
Job outlook by province, 2025–2027
Job Bank rates the 3-year outlook as good or very good in New Brunswick.
GoodNew Brunswick
The employment outlook will be Good for retail and wholesale buyers (NOC 62101) in New Brunswick for the 2025-2027 period.
The following factors contributed to this outlook:
Employment growth will lead to several new positions.
A moderate number of positions will become available due to retirements.
There are a moderate number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.
Educational requirements for these positions are typically higher than in other areas of retail and wholesale trade and candidates will typically possess degrees in business, marketing, supply chain and logistics management or related programs. Additional certifications (such as the Supply Chain Management Professional (SCMP) Designation Program) are also an asset. Employers may also prefer candidates who have industry experience—for instance, a medical supplies purchaser would benefit from experience within the health care sector.
Warehousing/distribution facilities are typically located in larger cities or in geographically centred regions where large number of stores/clients are within reach. As such, more opportunities are likely in larger urban areas such as Moncton, Fredericton and Saint John.
Here are some key facts about retail and wholesale buyers in New Brunswick:
Approximately 700 people worked in this occupation in May 2021.
Retail and wholesale buyers mainly work in the following sectors:
Other retail stores (NAICS 44-45, except 445): 50%
Wholesale trade (NAICS 41): 24%
Other professional, scientific and technical services (NAICS 5414, 5416-5419): 10%
Food, beverage and tobacco product manufacturing (NAICS 311, 312): 8%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 74% compared to 84% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 26% compared to 16% for all occupations
56% of retail and wholesale buyers work all year, while 43% work only part of the year, compared to 62% and 38% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 39 weeks compared to 42 weeks for all occupations.
10% of retail and wholesale buyers are self-employed compared to an average of 10% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 56% compared to 52% for all occupations
Women: 44% compared to 48% for all occupations
The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
no high school diploma: 15% compared to 11% for all occupations
high school diploma or equivalent: 49% compared to 30% for all occupations
apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 12% compared to 12% for all occupations
college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 15% compared to 23% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: 7% compared to 16% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: less than 5% compared to 7% for all occupations
ModerateNova Scotia
The employment outlook will be Moderate for retail and wholesale buyers (NOC 62101) in Nova Scotia for the 2025-2027 period.
The following factors contributed to this outlook:
Employment growth will lead to a few new positions.
Several positions will become available due to retirements.
There are a moderate number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.
Here are some key facts about retail and wholesale buyers in Nova Scotia:
Approximately 650 people work in this occupation.
Retail and wholesale buyers mainly work in the following sectors:
Other retail stores (NAICS 44-45, except 445): 39%
Wholesale trade (NAICS 41): 28%
Food and beverage stores (NAICS 445): 9%
Food, beverage and tobacco product manufacturing (NAICS 311, 312): 8%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 81% compared to 82% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 19% compared to 18% for all occupations
54% of retail and wholesale buyers work all year, while 46% work only part of the year, compared to 62% and 38% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 39 weeks compared to 42 weeks for all occupations.
9% of retail and wholesale buyers are self-employed compared to an average of 11% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 54% compared to 51% for all occupations
Women: 46% compared to 49% for all occupations
The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
no high school diploma: 16% compared to 10% for all occupations
high school diploma or equivalent: 41% compared to 27% for all occupations
apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 11% compared to 12% for all occupations
college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 17% compared to 22% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: 12% compared to 20% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: less than 5% compared to 10% for all occupations
ModerateQuebec
The employment outlook will be Moderate for retail and wholesale buyers (NOC 62101) in Quebec for the 2025-2027 period.
The following factors contributed to this outlook:
Employment is expected to remain relatively stable.
Several positions will become available due to retirements.
There are a moderate number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.
Here are some key facts about retail and wholesale buyers in Quebec:
Approximately 6,800 people work in this occupation.
Retail and wholesale buyers mainly work in the following sectors:
Other retail stores (NAICS 44-45, except 445): 43%
Wholesale trade (NAICS 41): 23%
Food and beverage stores (NAICS 445): 6%
Food, beverage and tobacco product manufacturing (NAICS 311, 312): 5%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 82% compared to 82% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 18% compared to 18% for all occupations
64% of retail and wholesale buyers work all year, while 36% work only part of the year, compared to 62% and 38% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 44 weeks compared to 43 weeks for all occupations.
8% of retail and wholesale buyers are self-employed compared to an average of 12% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 53% compared to 52% for all occupations
Women: 47% compared to 48% for all occupations
The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
no high school diploma: 10% compared to 12% for all occupations
high school diploma or equivalent: 28% compared to 19% for all occupations
apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 13% compared to 19% for all occupations
college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 25% compared to 22% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: 18% compared to 17% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 5% compared to 11% for all occupations
ModerateOntario
The employment outlook will be Moderate for retail and wholesale buyers (NOC 62101) in Ontario for the 2025-2027 period.
The following factors contributed to this outlook:
Employment decline will lead to the loss of some positions.
Several positions will become available due to retirements.
There are a moderate number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.
Here are some key facts about retail and wholesale buyers in Ontario:
Approximately 10,250 people work in this occupation.
Retail and wholesale buyers mainly work in the following sectors:
Other retail stores (NAICS 44-45, except 445): 50%
Wholesale trade (NAICS 41): 14%
Food and beverage stores (NAICS 445): 8%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 78% compared to 81% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 22% compared to 19% for all occupations
65% of retail and wholesale buyers work all year, while 35% work only part of the year, compared to 63% and 37% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 43 weeks compared to 43 weeks for all occupations.
6% of retail and wholesale buyers are self-employed compared to an average of 15% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 41% compared to 52% for all occupations
Women: 59% compared to 48% for all occupations
The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
no high school diploma: 8% compared to 9% for all occupations
high school diploma or equivalent: 32% compared to 25% for all occupations
apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 5% compared to 8% for all occupations
college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 25% compared to 22% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: 25% compared to 24% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 5% compared to 13% for all occupations
ModerateManitoba
The employment outlook will be Moderate for retail and wholesale buyers (NOC 62101) in Manitoba for the 2025-2027 period.
The following factors contributed to this outlook:
Employment growth will lead to a few new positions.
Several positions will become available due to retirements.
There are a moderate number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.
Here are some key facts about retail and wholesale buyers in Manitoba:
Approximately 1,050 people work in this occupation.
Retail and wholesale buyers mainly work in the following sectors:
Other retail stores (NAICS 44-45, except 445): 47%
Wholesale trade (NAICS 41): 13%
Computer, electronic and electrical product manufacturing (NAICS 334-335): 10%
Food and beverage stores (NAICS 445): 10%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 78% compared to 81% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 22% compared to 19% for all occupations
68% of retail and wholesale buyers work all year, while 32% work only part of the year, compared to 65% and 35% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 44 weeks compared to 43 weeks for all occupations.
6% of retail and wholesale buyers are self-employed compared to an average of 12% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 47% compared to 53% for all occupations
Women: 53% compared to 47% for all occupations
The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
no high school diploma: 9% compared to 12% for all occupations
high school diploma or equivalent: 46% compared to 31% for all occupations
apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 7% compared to 12% for all occupations
college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 16% compared to 17% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: 20% compared to 20% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: less than 5% compared to 8% for all occupations
ModerateSaskatchewan
The employment outlook will be Moderate for retail and wholesale buyers (NOC 62101) in Saskatchewan for the 2025-2027 period.
The following factors contributed to this outlook:
Employment decline will lead to the loss of some positions.
Several positions will become available due to retirements.
There are a moderate number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.
Here are some key facts about retail and wholesale buyers in Saskatchewan:
Approximately 550 people work in this occupation.
Retail and wholesale buyers mainly work in the following sectors:
Other retail stores (NAICS 44-45, except 445): 39%
Wholesale trade (NAICS 41): 30%
Food, beverage and tobacco product manufacturing (NAICS 311, 312): 7%
Food and beverage stores (NAICS 445): 5%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 68% compared to 81% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 32% compared to 19% for all occupations
66% of retail and wholesale buyers work all year, while 34% work only part of the year, compared to 65% and 35% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 43 weeks compared to 43 weeks for all occupations.
9% of retail and wholesale buyers are self-employed compared to an average of 16% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 45% compared to 53% for all occupations
Women: 55% compared to 47% for all occupations
The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
no high school diploma: 12% compared to 11% for all occupations
high school diploma or equivalent: 48% compared to 33% for all occupations
apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 10% compared to 15% for all occupations
college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 12% compared to 17% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: 14% compared to 18% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: less than 5% compared to 7% for all occupations
ModerateAlberta
The employment outlook will be Moderate for retail and wholesale buyers (NOC 62101) in Alberta for the 2025-2027 period.
The following factors contributed to this outlook:
Employment growth will lead to a few new positions.
Several positions will become available due to retirements.
There are a moderate number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.
Here are some key facts about retail and wholesale buyers in Alberta:
Approximately 2,750 people work in this occupation.
Retail and wholesale buyers mainly work in the following sectors:
Other retail stores (NAICS 44-45, except 445): 48%
Wholesale trade (NAICS 41): 17%
Food and beverage stores (NAICS 445): 6%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 75% compared to 80% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 25% compared to 20% for all occupations
63% of retail and wholesale buyers work all year, while 37% work only part of the year, compared to 61% and 39% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 43 weeks compared to 42 weeks for all occupations.
6% of retail and wholesale buyers are self-employed compared to an average of 15% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 40% compared to 53% for all occupations
Women: 60% compared to 47% for all occupations
The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
no high school diploma: 10% compared to 10% for all occupations
high school diploma or equivalent: 38% compared to 28% for all occupations
apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 9% compared to 13% for all occupations
college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 20% compared to 19% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: 18% compared to 21% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: less than 5% compared to 9% for all occupations
ModerateBritish Columbia
The employment outlook will be Moderate for retail and wholesale buyers (NOC 62101) in British Columbia for the 2025-2027 period.
The following factors contributed to this outlook:
Employment growth will lead to a few new positions.
Several positions will become available due to retirements.
There are a small number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.
Here are some key facts about retail and wholesale buyers in British Columbia:
Approximately 4,700 people work in this occupation.
Retail and wholesale buyers mainly work in the following sectors:
Other retail stores (NAICS 44-45, except 445): 49%
Wholesale trade (NAICS 41): 19%
Food and beverage stores (NAICS 445): 9%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 74% compared to 78% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 26% compared to 22% for all occupations
62% of retail and wholesale buyers work all year, while 38% work only part of the year, compared to 61% and 39% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 43 weeks compared to 42 weeks for all occupations.
9% of retail and wholesale buyers are self-employed compared to an average of 17% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 44% compared to 52% for all occupations
Women: 56% compared to 48% for all occupations
The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
no high school diploma: 7% compared to 8% for all occupations
high school diploma or equivalent: 38% compared to 28% for all occupations
apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 9% compared to 13% for all occupations
college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 20% compared to 17% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: 20% compared to 22% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 6% compared to 12% for all occupations
UndeterminedNewfoundland and Labrador
An employment outlook has not been assigned to this occupation in this region due to low levels of employment.
UndeterminedPrince Edward Island
An employment outlook has not been assigned to this occupation in this region due to low levels of employment.
UndeterminedNorthwest Territories
An employment outlook has not been assigned to this occupation in this region due to low levels of employment.
UndeterminedNunavut
An employment outlook has not been assigned to this occupation in this region due to low levels of employment.
Source: ESDC Job Bank, 3-year employment outlooks 2025–2027 (released December 2025).
Provinces
Provincial Nominee Programs
A provincial nomination adds 600 CRS points. Most provinces run occupation-targeted draws or in-demand lists, and some accept TEER 4 and 5 occupations that Express Entry does not.
Provincial lists change often, sometimes between draws. We check whether NOC 62101 is being targeted by any province as part of a consultation.
Similar occupations
Related NOC codes
Classified elsewhere
If your duties fit one of these better, use that code instead.
Same occupation group
Technical sales specialists in wholesale trade and retail and wholesale buyers
Questions
NOC 62101: common questions
What is the NOC code for retail and wholesale buyers?
What TEER category is NOC 62101?
Is NOC 62101 eligible for Express Entry?
Is NOC 62101 a high-wage occupation for Express Entry?
Is NOC 62101 eligible for category-based Express Entry draws?
What is the median wage for NOC 62101 in Canada?
Classification
Where it sits in NOC 2021
- 6Sales and service occupationsBroad Category
- 62Retail sales and service supervisors and specialized occupations in sales and servicesMajor Group
- 621Specialized sales occupationsSub-major Group
- 6210Technical sales specialists in wholesale trade and retail and wholesale buyersMinor Group
- 62101Retail and wholesale buyers
Enquiry
Is NOC 62101 your occupation? Ask us about your options.
Tell us your duties, experience and language scores. We will confirm your NOC code and the Canadian routes that fit.
Sources: Statistics Canada, NOC 2021 Version 1.0, Job Bank wages (2025), Job Bank outlooks 2025–2027 and IRCC. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Checked 21 October 2026.
NOC 2026 is due from Statistics Canada in December 2026. IRCC still uses NOC 2021 codes, and this page will show any change once IRCC switches.
This page is general information, not immigration advice. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Government of Canada, IRCC or ESDC.
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