Securities Agents, Investment Dealers, and Brokers

(NOC 1113)

in All Business, Finance, and Administration

Securities agents and investment dealers buy and sell stocks, bonds, treasury bills, mutual funds and other securities for individual investors, pension fund managers, banks, trust companies, insurance firms and other businesses. Brokers buy and sell stocks, bonds, commodity futures, foreign currencies and other securities at stock exchanges on behalf of investment dealers. They work for investment companies, stock brokerage firms, stock and commodity exchanges and other companies in the securities industry.

Job Outlook

Average

Read more

  • Estimate Moderate growth employment change, 2021-2023
  • Estimate 30 openings due to growth and retirements, 2021-2023
  • Estimate Low rate of unemployment in 2022

Compared to: All Business, Finance, and Administration

  • Estimate 3555 employment change, 2021-2023
  • Estimate 9370 openings due to growth and retirements, 2021-2023
  • Estimate rate of unemployment not available for these occupation.

Hourly Pay

$20.92

Minimum

$33.09

Median

$59.24

Maximum

Annual Pay

N/A

Minimum

$42,278

Median

N/A

Maximum

Compared to: All Business, Finance, and Administration

Hourly Pay

$15.00

Minimum

$23.00

Median

$38.50

Maximum

Annual Pay

$6,754

Minimum

$36,515

Median

$70,271

Maximum

About the job

Nature of work

Securities agents and investment dealers buy and sell stocks, bonds, treasury bills, mutual funds and other securities for individual investors, pension fund managers, banks, trust companies, insurance firms and other businesses. Brokers buy and sell stocks, bonds, commodity futures, foreign currencies and other securities at stock exchanges on behalf of investment dealers. They work for investment companies, stock brokerage firms, stock and commodity exchanges and other companies in the securities industry.

Job duties

Securities agents and investment dealers:

  • Develop long-term relationships with their clients by preparing investment strategies to help them achieve their financial goals, offering advice and information on various investments to guide them in managing their portfolios.
  • Review financial periodicals, stock and bond reports, business publications and other material, and develop a network within the financial industry to gather relevant information and identify potential investments for clients.
  • Complete investment orders by buying and selling stocks, bonds, treasury bills, mutual funds and other securities for individual investors, pension fund managers or companies like banks, trust companies and insurance firms.
  • Monitor clients' investment portfolios and ensure that investment transactions are carried out according to industry regulations.

Brokers may do the following duties:

  • Buy and sell stocks, bonds, commodity futures, foreign currencies and other securities at stock exchanges on behalf of investment dealers.
  • Develop trading strategies by reviewing investment information and monitoring market conditions from the exchange floor and through contact with trading departments of other investment firms, pension fund managers and investment company financial analysts.
  • Make bids and offers to buy and sell securities and complete details of sales on exchange trade tickets.
  • Prepare reviews of portfolios' positions.

Sample job titles

  • commodity trader
  • financial broker
  • floor trader - commodity exchange
  • investment broker
  • investment dealer
  • mutual fund sales representative
  • registered investment representative
  • securities agent
  • stockbroker

Skills

  • You should have excellent organizational, analytical, and spoken and written communication skills. Good judgement, integrity, and persistence are important. You must have an mathematics skills and be capable of detailed and precise work. Business skills are essential.

Job requirements

  • A bachelor's or master's degree in economics, business or other discipline.
  • Securities sales representatives and brokers require completion of industry investment and sales training programs and completion of the Canadian Securities course and the Registered Representative Manual Exam offered by the Canadian Securities Institute.
  • Specialized courses are also available for securities sales representatives and brokers who want to trade in specific investment products like securities options and futures contracts.
  • Licensure by the provincial securities commission in the province of employment is required for securities agents, investment dealers and brokers.

Other considerations

  • Movement to related management positions is possible with experience.

By the numbers

Quick look

130

employed in 2016

92.3%

employed full-time

26.9%

self employed

34.6%
Icons/female Created with Sketch.
65.4%
Icons/male Created with Sketch.
55.1

median age

Compared to: All Business, Finance, and Administration

63,775

employed in 2016

78.4%

employed full-time

6.6%

self employed

73.4%
Icons/female Created with Sketch.
26.6%
Icons/male Created with Sketch.
47.9

median age

Where will I likely work?

65.5%

Halifax

$38,740 median annual income
13.8%

North Shore

N/A
6.9%

Southern

N/A
6.9%

Cape Breton

N/A
6.9%

Annapolis Valley

N/A

Compared to: All NS Occupations

47.0%

Halifax

15.6%

North Shore

12.9%

Annapolis Valley

12.7%

Cape Breton

11.8%

Southern

Top Industries of Employment

76.9%

Finance and insurance

7.7%

Construction

7.7%

Real estate and rental and leasing

7.7%

Professional, scientific and technical services

What is the age of Employment?

27.0%

55-64

23.0%

65+

23.0%

45-54

12.0%

25-34

8.0%

35-44

8.0%

15-24

Compared to: All Business, Finance, and Administration

26.3%

45-54

22.6%

55-64

19.4%

35-44

16.7%

25-34

7.5%

65+

Top levels of education

53.8%

Bachelor

$40,088 median annual income
19.2%

College Diploma

N/A
15.4%

High school

N/A

Compared to: All Business, Finance, and Administration

33.8%

College Diploma

$36,304 median annual income
23.8%

High school

$32,903 median annual income
22.8%

Bachelor

$41,755 median annual income
5.8%

Trade Certification

$34,807 median annual income
4.9%

Less than high school

$23,174 median annual income

Education & training

Business Administration and Management

College, Trades, or University Program

These programs prepare students to plan, organize, direct, and control the functions and processes of a firm or organization. They include courses in management theory, human resources management and behaviour, accounting and other quantitative methods, purchasing and logistics, organization and production, marketing, and business decision-making.

Institutions providing this program

Maritime Business College

Lower Sackville, NS

Academy of Learning Career College - Halifax

Halifax, NS

Acadia University

Wolfville, NS

Dalhousie University

Halifax, NS

Mount Saint Vincent University

Halifax, NS

Universite Sainte-Anne

Pointe-de-l'Église, NS

St. Francis Xavier University

Antigonish, NS

Saint Mary's University

Halifax, NS

Cape Breton University

Sydney, NS

Dalhousie University Faculty of Agriculture

Truro, NS

Nova Scotia Community College

Various, NS

Business/Commerce

College, Trades, or University Program

These programs focus on the general study of business, including the processes of interchanging goods and services (buying, selling and producing), business organization, and accounting as used in profit-making and non-profit public and private institutions and agencies. They prepare students to apply business principles and techniques in various occupational settings.

Institutions providing this program

Dalhousie University

Halifax, NS

University of King's College

Halifax, NS

Universite Sainte-Anne

Pointe-de-l'Église, NS

Saint Mary's University

Halifax, NS

Economics

College or University Program

These programs focus on the systematic study of the production, conservation and allocation of resources in conditions of scarcity, together with the organizational frameworks related to these processes. They include courses in economic theory, microeconomics and macroeconomics, comparative economic systems, money and banking systems, international economics, quantitative analytical methods, and applications to specific industries and public policy issues.

Institutions providing this program

Acadia University

Wolfville, NS

Dalhousie University

Halifax, NS

University of King's College

Halifax, NS

Mount Saint Vincent University

Halifax, NS

St. Francis Xavier University

Antigonish, NS

Saint Mary's University

Halifax, NS

Cape Breton University

Sydney, NS

Employment requirements & contacts

Regulations

Securities Agents, Investment Dealers, and Brokers

Right to Practice: This job is regulated in Nova Scotia. A licence shows that the holder has met provincial requirements and is required to legally do this work.

Regulating body:
Nova Scotia Securities Commission
Halifax, NS

Contacts

Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada
Toronto, ON
Nova Scotia Securities Commission
Halifax, NS
Canadian Securities Institute
Toronto, ON
CFA Institute
Charlottesville, VA - USA

Additional resources

There are no additional resources for this occupation.