Couriers, Messengers, and Door-to-door Distributors

(NOC 1513)

in All Business, Finance, and Administration

Couriers, messengers and door-to-door distributors pick up and deliver letters, parcels, packages, newspapers, flyers and other items within and between organizations. They work for courier service companies and throughout the private and public sectors.

Job Outlook

Average

Read more

  • Estimate Moderate growth employment change, 2021-2023
  • Estimate 110 openings due to growth and retirements, 2021-2023
  • Estimate Moderate 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.

This occupational group only includes walking/bicycling couriers, not courier drivers. As such, there are very few ads for this job. Occasional vacancies may exist for flyer, newspaper, and similar deliveries where a vehicle is not required. Opportunities would be best in Halifax and are often part-time or temporary. Low entry requirements suggest a large potential pool of external applicants.

Hourly Pay

$14.50

Minimum

$20.51

Median

$30.66

Maximum

Annual Pay

$2,599

Minimum

$15,690

Median

$56,447

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

Couriers, messengers and door-to-door distributors pick up and deliver letters, parcels, packages, newspapers, flyers and other items within and between organizations. They work for courier service companies and throughout the private and public sectors.

Job duties

Couriers, messengers and door-to-door distributors:

  • Pick up messages, letters, envelopes, parcels, airline tickets, legal documents, packages, bonds, cheques, securities and other items from customers, and hand-deliver those to addresses within an organization or in other organizations by walking or cycling within set time periods.
  • Collect payment for items delivered.
  • Keep record of items received and delivered using delivery information acquisition devices.
  • Deliver newspapers, flyers, handbills, telephone directories and similar items to residences and businesses.

Sample job titles

  • courier
  • delivery person - courier service
  • door-to-door distributor
  • flyer distributor
  • mail courier - courier service
  • messenger-clerk
  • newspaper carrier and vendor
  • newspaper deliverer
  • office messenger
  • runner - courier service

Skills

  • You must be organized, responsible, and reliable. Your work must be accurate.

Job requirements

  • High school education may be required.
  • Eligibility for bonding may be required.

Other considerations

  • Ability to navigate streets and follow directions is usually required. Physical fitness is required for some jobs in this group. There is some movement into other delivery jobs like delivery drivers. There may be movement to clerical roles within the company. Movement to supervisor positions may be possible with experience.

By the numbers

Quick look

905

employed in 2016

54.7%

employed full-time

18.8%

self employed

23.2%
Icons/female Created with Sketch.
76.8%
Icons/male Created with Sketch.
50.2

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?

45.3%

Halifax

$13,748 median annual income
17.1%

North Shore

$26,297 median annual income
13.8%

Cape Breton

$16,065 median annual income
12.2%

Southern

$8,012 median annual income
11.6%

Annapolis Valley

$15,347 median annual income

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

47.9%

Transportation and warehousing

16.2%

Information and cultural industries

12.0%

Professional, scientific and technical services

11.3%

Retail trade

4.2%

Public administration

What is the age of Employment?

31.0%

45-54

23.0%

55-64

14.0%

35-44

14.0%

15-24

10.0%

65+

8.0%

25-34

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

33.1%

High school

$17,587 median annual income
32.0%

Less than high school

$10,942 median annual income
19.9%

College Diploma

$14,865 median annual income
8.3%

Trade Certification

$24,180 median annual income
3.9%

Bachelor

$33,098 median annual income

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

High School Diploma or Equivalent

High School Program

Adults without a high school diploma can contact the Nova Scotia School for Adult Learning (NSSAL) for tuition-free programming across the province. NSSAL oversees adult education programs in Nova Scotia. NSSAL partners with the Nova Scotia Community College, Adult High Schools, Université Sainte-Anne, and community-based learning organizations to deliver programs. NSSAL offers clear, accessible pathways from adult basic education to a high school credential or GED.

Institutions providing this program

Universite Sainte-Anne

Pointe-de-l'Église, NS

Nova Scotia Community College

Various, NS

Adult High Schools

Various, NS

Community Learning Organizations

Various, NS

Employment requirements & contacts

No regulating bodies were found under this occupation profile

Contacts

Canada Post Corporation
Halifax, NS

Additional resources

There are no additional resources for this occupation.