Province comparison

Funeral Director Licensing by Province

Regulated in 5 of 13NOC 62201Updated

Licence status by province and territory

Where funeral directors need certification
British Columbia: Voluntary certificationSaskatchewan: Certification requiredManitoba: Certification requiredNew Brunswick: Certification requiredNova Scotia: Certification required

Boundaries simplified for display. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Source: Statistics Canada, 2021 Census boundary files.

  • Certification required
  • Voluntary certification
  • Not confirmed yet
  • British Columbia: Voluntary certification
  • Alberta: Not confirmed yet
  • Saskatchewan: Certification required
  • Manitoba: Certification required
  • Ontario: Not confirmed yet
  • Quebec: Not confirmed yet
  • New Brunswick: Certification required
  • Nova Scotia: Certification required
  • Prince Edward Island: Not confirmed yet
  • Newfoundland and Labrador: Not confirmed yet
  • Yukon: Not confirmed yet
  • Northwest Territories: Not confirmed yet
  • Nunavut: Not confirmed yet
Funeral director: licence status, regulator and guide in each jurisdiction
WhereLicence statusRegulatorGuide
British Columbia Voluntary certification SkilledTradesBC Read the guide for British Columbia
Alberta Not confirmed yet — —
Saskatchewan Certification required Funeral and Cremation Services Council of Saskatchewan Read the guide for Saskatchewan
Manitoba Certification required Funeral Board of Manitoba (Consumer Protection Office) Read the guide for Manitoba
Ontario Not confirmed yet — —
Quebec Not confirmed yet — —
New Brunswick Certification required New Brunswick Funeral Directors' and Embalmers' Association Read the guide for New Brunswick
Nova Scotia Certification required Board of Registration of Embalmers and Funeral Directors Read the guide for Nova Scotia
Prince Edward Island Not confirmed yet — —
Newfoundland and Labrador Not confirmed yet — —
Yukon Not confirmed yet — —
Northwest Territories Not confirmed yet — —
Nunavut Not confirmed yet — —

Compare the provinces

3 of 13 provinces and territories have a full guide that lists the regulator's steps. Listed fees and time count only what the regulator states; steps without a listed fee or time are not included.

Listed one-time fees

Listed one-time fees for funeral directors by province and territoryListed fees in British Columbia: $120, for people trained outside Canada. Listed fees in Manitoba: not listed. Listed fees in Nova Scotia: $250, for people trained outside Canada.$0$100$200$300Listed fees in British Columbia: $120, for people trained outside CanadaBritish Columbia$120Listed fees in Manitoba: not listedManitobaNot listedListed fees in Nova Scotia: $250, for people trained outside CanadaNova Scotia$250
The fees the regulator lists for the steps of one route, added up in Canadian dollars. Fees that depend on your situation and annual fees are not included. Not listed: the guide lists no fee for that route. No-fee steps: steps of that route with no listed fee.
Listed one-time fees for funeral directors by province and territory (table)
WhereFeesRouteNo-fee steps
British Columbia$120Trained outside Canada5
ManitobaNot listed——
Nova Scotia$250Trained outside Canada2

Listed time

Time not stated for every step: British Columbia, Manitoba, and Nova Scotia.

Side by side

Routes, exams, language, listed fees and time, median wage and outlook in each province or territory with a full guide
WhereRoutesExamsLanguage Listed feesListed timeMedian wageOutlook
British Columbia Licensed in another province, Trained outside Canada certification exam — $120 (Trained outside Canada) 1.8 to 2.3 months (partial) $33.54 an hour Moderate (3 of 5)
Manitoba — Jurisprudence Questionnaire — Not listed — $28.85 an hour Moderate (3 of 5)
Nova Scotia Trained in Canada, Licensed in another province, Trained outside Canada Nova Scotia Mortuary Law Exam, National Board Examination — $250 (Trained outside Canada) — $25.64 an hour Moderate (3 of 5)

Moving between provinces

What each regulator says about people already licensed in another province or territory. Each answer links to its details. Only the 5 provinces and territories with a guide are shown.

Funeral director: moving a licence between provinces and territories
  • Direct transfer (4)
  • Extra steps (4)
  • Not stated (12)
All answers as a table
Funeral director: moving a licence between provinces and territories. Rows: licensed in; columns: moving to.
Licensed in / moving toBritish ColumbiaSaskatchewanManitobaNew BrunswickNova Scotia
British ColumbiaSame placeNot stated, British Columbia to SaskatchewanNot stated, British Columbia to ManitobaNot stated, British Columbia to New BrunswickExtra steps, British Columbia to Nova Scotia
SaskatchewanDirect transfer, Saskatchewan to British ColumbiaSame placeNot stated, Saskatchewan to ManitobaNot stated, Saskatchewan to New BrunswickExtra steps, Saskatchewan to Nova Scotia
ManitobaDirect transfer, Manitoba to British ColumbiaNot stated, Manitoba to SaskatchewanSame placeNot stated, Manitoba to New BrunswickExtra steps, Manitoba to Nova Scotia
New BrunswickDirect transfer, New Brunswick to British ColumbiaNot stated, New Brunswick to SaskatchewanNot stated, New Brunswick to ManitobaSame placeExtra steps, New Brunswick to Nova Scotia
Nova ScotiaDirect transfer, Nova Scotia to British ColumbiaNot stated, Nova Scotia to SaskatchewanNot stated, Nova Scotia to ManitobaNot stated, Nova Scotia to New BrunswickSame place

Check one move in the licence transfer checker

Demand and pay

Job Bank figures for NOC 62201, Funeral directors and embalmers. Wages for 2023-2024 in Canadian dollars an hour; outlook for 2025-2027.

Median wage

Median hourly wage for funeral directors by province and territoryCanada: $31.25 (low $18.00, high $50.48). British Columbia: $33.54 (low $24.50, high $54.39). Alberta: $32.33 (low $22.34, high $47.82). Saskatchewan: $25.66 (low $17.99, high $38.80). Manitoba: $28.85 (low $16.00, high $38.46). Ontario: $34.62 (low $21.00, high $51.28). Quebec: $27.00 (low $17.50, high $40.00). New Brunswick: $26.44 (low $17.00, high $30.00). Nova Scotia: $25.64 (low $22.60, high $35.00). Prince Edward Island: not stated. Newfoundland and Labrador: $26.44 (low $19.23, high $35.00). Yukon: not stated. Northwest Territories: not stated. Nunavut: not stated.$0$20$40$60Canada: $31.25 (low $18.00, high $50.48)Canada$31.25British Columbia: $33.54 (low $24.50, high $54.39)British Columbia$33.54Alberta: $32.33 (low $22.34, high $47.82)Alberta$32.33Saskatchewan: $25.66 (low $17.99, high $38.80)Saskatchewan$25.66Manitoba: $28.85 (low $16.00, high $38.46)Manitoba$28.85Ontario: $34.62 (low $21.00, high $51.28)Ontario$34.62Quebec: $27.00 (low $17.50, high $40.00)Quebec$27.00New Brunswick: $26.44 (low $17.00, high $30.00)New Brunswick$26.44Nova Scotia: $25.64 (low $22.60, high $35.00)Nova Scotia$25.64Prince Edward Island: not statedPrince Edward IslandNot statedNewfoundland and Labrador: $26.44 (low $19.23, high $35.00)Newfoundland and Labrador$26.44Yukon: not statedYukonNot statedNorthwest Territories: not statedNorthwest TerritoriesNot statedNunavut: not statedNunavutNot stated
Bars show the median wage. Lines run from the low to the high wage, which are Job Bank’s 10th and 90th percentiles. Grey is all of Canada.
Median hourly wage for funeral directors by province and territory (table)
WhereLowMedianHigh
Canada$18.00$31.25$50.48
British Columbia$24.50$33.54$54.39
Alberta$22.34$32.33$47.82
Saskatchewan$17.99$25.66$38.80
Manitoba$16.00$28.85$38.46
Ontario$21.00$34.62$51.28
Quebec$17.50$27.00$40.00
New Brunswick$17.00$26.44$30.00
Nova Scotia$22.60$25.64$35.00
Prince Edward IslandNot statedNot statedNot stated
Newfoundland and Labrador$19.23$26.44$35.00
YukonNot statedNot statedNot stated
Northwest TerritoriesNot statedNot statedNot stated
NunavutNot statedNot statedNot stated

Job outlook

Job outlook for funeral directors by province and territory, 1 to 5British Columbia: Moderate (3 of 5). Alberta: Good (4 of 5). Saskatchewan: Good (4 of 5). Manitoba: Moderate (3 of 5). Ontario: Moderate (3 of 5). Quebec: Moderate (3 of 5). New Brunswick: undetermined. Nova Scotia: Moderate (3 of 5). Prince Edward Island: Moderate (3 of 5). Newfoundland and Labrador: undetermined. Yukon: undetermined. Northwest Territories: undetermined. Nunavut: undetermined.12345British Columbia: Moderate (3 of 5)British ColumbiaModerateAlberta: Good (4 of 5)AlbertaGoodSaskatchewan: Good (4 of 5)SaskatchewanGoodManitoba: Moderate (3 of 5)ManitobaModerateOntario: Moderate (3 of 5)OntarioModerateQuebec: Moderate (3 of 5)QuebecModerateNew Brunswick: undeterminedNew BrunswickUndeterminedNova Scotia: Moderate (3 of 5)Nova ScotiaModeratePrince Edward Island: Moderate (3 of 5)Prince Edward IslandModerateNewfoundland and Labrador: undeterminedNewfoundland and LabradorUndeterminedYukon: undeterminedYukonUndeterminedNorthwest Territories: undeterminedNorthwest TerritoriesUndeterminedNunavut: undeterminedNunavutUndetermined
1 is a very limited outlook and 5 a very good one.
Job outlook for funeral directors by province and territory, 1 to 5 (table)
WhereOutlook
British ColumbiaModerate (3 of 5)
AlbertaGood (4 of 5)
SaskatchewanGood (4 of 5)
ManitobaModerate (3 of 5)
OntarioModerate (3 of 5)
QuebecModerate (3 of 5)
New BrunswickOutlook not determined
Nova ScotiaModerate (3 of 5)
Prince Edward IslandModerate (3 of 5)
Newfoundland and LabradorOutlook not determined
YukonOutlook not determined
Northwest TerritoriesOutlook not determined
NunavutOutlook not determined

Wages in every province and territory

Tools and tables

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