• Français
  • Contact us
  1. Home  
  2. Information and services  
  3. Employment  
  4. Learning About a Trade or an Occupation  
  5. Exploring Trades and Occupations  
  6. Painters and Decorators

Exploring Trades and Occupations

Painters and Decorators

On this page

  • Job description
  • Advancement and mobility
  • Hourly wage
  • Job prospects for 2024-2028
  • Sectors of activity
  • Training and requirements
  • Main skills and characteristics
  • Personality profiles (RIASEC)
  • Additional information

Job description

These individuals apply finishing coats (paint, wallpaper, etc.) to interior and exterior surfaces of buildings.

Environment

  • Controlled ambient temperature
  • Climatic conditions
  • Equipment, machinery, tools
  • Hazardous chemical
  • Odours
  • Nontoxic dust
  • Hazardous workplaces

Main tasks

  • Study quotes to determine the quantity of materials required.
  • Prepare and clean surfaces to be painted (remove old wallpaper and peeling paint, repair cracks and holes, smooth and seal surfaces, etc.).
  • Mix and thin paint to obtain the desired colours and textures.
  • Apply paint or stain.
  • Measure, cut, and lay wallpaper or fabric.
  • Assemble and erect scaffolding.
  • Advise customers on colour matching or choice of wall coverings.
  • Estimate costs and prepare a quote, as required.

Advancement and mobility

  • Qualified Painters and Decorators obtain a Red Seal endorsement upon successful completion of the Interprovincial Examination.
  • Experience leads to supervisory positions.

Hourly wage

The hourly wage is calculated by averaging wages from 2022 to 2024.
Minimum
$20.00
Median
$35.00
Maximum
$41.00

Job prospects for 2024-2028

Les 2 champs de sélection ci-dessous vous permettent de comparer 2 régions. Les données des régions seront automatiquement mises à jour à la sélection. Par défaut, la province de Québec est sélectionnée pour la première région.

Job prospects for 2024-2028

Job prospects

All of Québec

Non available
Limited
Good
Very good
Very good

All of Québec

Non available
Limited
Good
Very good
Non available

Total jobs for 2023

All of Québec

9,000

All of Québec

na

Gender distribution

All of Québec

Not available.
20.6% Female
79.4% Male

Not available.
  • 20.6% Female
  • 79.4% Male

Job types

All of Québec

Not available.
Full time
Part time

Not available.
  • Full time
  • Part time

Yearly wage on 2020

All of Québec

$45,200

All of Québec

Other characteristics

All of Québec

  • Non traditional for women
  • None

All of Québec

  • Non traditional for women
  • None

Sectors of activity

All of Québec

Not available.
  1. Construction
    NAICS 23
    84% of jobs
  2. Health Care
    NAICS 621, 622, 623
    2% of jobs
  3. Business, building and other support services
    NAICS 55, 56
    2% of jobs
  4. Public Administration
    NAICS 91
    2% of jobs
  5. Real Estate and Rental and Leasing
    NAICS 53
    2% of jobs
  6. Others
    8% of jobs

All of Québec

Not available.
  1. Construction
    NAICS 23
    84% of jobs
  2. Health Care
    NAICS 621, 622, 623
    2% of jobs
  3. Business, building and other support services
    NAICS 55, 56
    2% of jobs
  4. Public Administration
    NAICS 91
    2% of jobs
  5. Real Estate and Rental and Leasing
    NAICS 53
    2% of jobs
  6. Others
    8% of jobs

Training and requirements

Formation

Most training programs are offered in French only.

Secondary

DVS in commercial and Residential Painting
Code : 5836
More on graduates’ employment situation
DVS in peinture en bâtiment
Code : 5336

Placement rate: 87%

2.6% of graduates pursue further studies

More on graduates’ employment situation

Also required

  • Certificate of qualification.

Main skills and characteristics

Skills

  • Data collection

Abilities

  • Hand-arm stability
  • Near vision
  • Manual dexterity
  • Colour perception and distinction
  • Digital dexterity

Knowledge and attributes

  • Capacity to establish and maintain interpersonal relations
  • Capacity to work under pressure
  • Capacity to work in a team
  • Rigour
  • Creativity
  • Sense of observation
  • Commitment to quality
  • Knowledge of buildings and construction
  • Timeliness
  • Open-mindedness

Interests

  • Make, build, install
  • Self-employment
  • Work manually
  • Assist and advise

Personality profiles (RIASEC)

Realistic
People with this profile prefer carrying out concrete tasks and being physically involved in what they do.
Conventional
People with this profile prefer specific, well-defined tasks. They like to respect the order of things and follow established rules.
Investigative
People with this profile prefer relying on theoretical knowledge before acting. They like observation, analysis and problem solving.
Additional information

Official name of the NOC 73112

Painters and decorators (except interior decorators)

Job titles

  • Painters
  • Construction painter
  • Maintenance painter
  • House painter
  • Painter and decorator
  • Apprentice painter and decorator
  • Apprentice industrial painter and decorator
  • Paperhanger
  • Journeyman/woman painter and decorator
  • Building painter
  • Commercial building painter
  • Plant maintenance painter
  • Industrial maintenance painter
  • Bridge painter
  • Roof painter
  • Commercial construction painter
  • Industrial construction painter
  • Residential construction painter
  • Rough painter - construction
  • Specialized painter and decorator
  • Painter and paperhanger
More Less job titles

Skill type

Trades, transport and equipment operators and related occupations

Related occupations

  • Auto body collision, refinishing and glass technicians and damage repair estimators
  • Contractors and supervisors, other construction trades, installers, repairers and servicers
  • Industrial painters, coaters and metal finishing process operators
  • Interior designers and interior decorators

See also

  • Glossary (PDF 229 Kb)
  • Québec emploi

See also

Non traditional

Hats Off to You!

Last update: January 29, 2026

Page evaluation
Form submission successful Your feedback has been submitted. Thank you for helping us make Québec.ca better.

Was the information on this page helpful?

Please complete the reCAPTCHA verification.

Was the information on this page helpful?

Report a problem
Form submission successful Your feedback has been submitted. Thank you for helping us make Québec.ca better.
Fields marked with * are required

Why was this information unhelpful? *

You must select an option

What issue are you experiencing? *

You must select an option

Why was the information useful?

Please describe the problem
Gouvernement du Québec

Footer navigation | Québec.ca

Information and services

  • Agriculture, environment and natural resources
  • Culture
  • Education
  • Employment
  • Businesses
  • Family and support for individuals
  • Finance, income and other taxes
  • Housing and Territory
  • Immigration
  • Justice and civil status
  • Health
  • Public safety and Emergencies
  • Tourism and recreation
  • Transports

Government

  • Departments and agencies
  • Services Québec
  • Work in government
  • Information feed
  • Laws and regulations
  • Copyright and request for authorization

How to reach us

  • General information
  • Service offices

Follow us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
    • Accessibility
    • Sitemap
    • Access to information
    • Privacy policy
    • Who can consult this page