How to become an administrative assistant
Official title: Administrative assistants
Also called: Administrative assistant, Administrative secretary, Office administrative assistant, Administrative assistant - office, Loans and grants administrative assistant, Sales secretary, Secretary-clerk, Church secretary, School secretary, Finance secretary, Private secretary, Personal secretary
Administrative assistants perform a variety of administrative duties in support of managerial and professional employers. They are employed throughout the public and private sectors.
Main tasks
- Prepare, key in, edit and proofread correspondence, invoices, presentations, brochures, publications, reports and related material from machine dictation and handwritten copy
- Open and distribute incoming regular and electronic mail and other material and coordinate the flow of information internally and with other departments and organizations
- Schedule and confirm appointments and meetings of employer
- Order office supplies and maintain inventory
- Answer telephone and electronic enquiries and relay telephone calls and messages
- Set up and maintain manual and computerized information filing systems
- Determine and establish office procedures
- Greet visitors, ascertain nature of business and direct visitors to employer or appropriate person
How to become one
Completion of secondary school is usually required. Completion of a one- or two-year college or other program for administrative assistants or secretaries or Previous clerical experience is required.
Ways in
- College or CEGEP: College or CEGEP program. 37% of workers hold a college or other non-degree diploma (Census 2021). Common fields: Business operations support and assistant services; Business administration, management and operations; Accounting and related services.
Pay · Outlook
- Median pay: $51,558 a year The middle half earn $44,090 to $60,938.
- About 233,800 people worked in this job in 2023, and about 254,300 are projected by 2033. (+8.8%)
- Projected labour market to 2033: balance.
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Questions people ask
How do I become an administrative assistant?
Completion of secondary school is usually required. Completion of a one- or two-year college or other program for administrative assistants or secretaries or Previous clerical experience is required.
How much does an administrative assistant earn in Canada?
Median full-time pay is $51,558 a year (Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank)). The middle half earn $44,090 to $60,938.
Is an administrative assistant a growing career in Canada?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 9% by 2033, from about 233,800 to about 254,300 people (Employment and Social Development Canada).
Do you need a degree to become an administrative assistant?
Usually not. Only 22% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: College or CEGEP program.
Sources
- Statistics Canada: Census 2021: employment by occupation, gender and education (98-10-0449) (2021 Census), Statistics Canada Open Licence, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Statistics Canada: National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 (Version 1.0), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Employment and Social Development Canada: Canadian Occupational Projection System (COPS) (2024 to 2033), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank): Wages by occupation (2025 (revised 2025-11-19)), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03