How to become a collection clerk
Official title: Collection clerks
Also called: Collection clerk, Locator - collection, Skip tracer - collection, Credit and collection clerk, Collections investigation officer, Collection agent (except taxation), Collection officer (except taxation), Collector, Bill collector, Loan collector, Claims collector, Financial collector
Collection clerks collect payments on overdue accounts and bad cheques and locate debtors to make collection arrangements. They are employed by collection agencies, utility companies, department stores, loan companies, banks and credit unions, and by financial and licensing departments within governments.
Main tasks
- Notify debtors of overdue payments and accounts by telephone, mail, and registered mail, and continue the notification process if reply is not received
- Resolve collection issues by making payment arrangements by telephone or visit to debtor
- Recommend further action or discontinuation of service in cases where payment is not forthcoming
- Trace and locate debtors, and may contact debtors' friends, neighbours, relatives and employers to obtain information
- Answer correspondence, prepare reports and maintain records and files related to collection work
- May work with on-line accounts and systems
How to become one
Completion of secondary school is required. A business college diploma may be required. A period of on-the-job training is often provided for collection clerks and collection officers. A collections licence issued by the province or territory of employment is usually required.
Ways in
- Licence or registration: A collections licence issued by the province or territory of employment is usually required.
Pay · Outlook
- Median pay: $54,990 a year The middle half earn $44,070 to $66,300.
- About 9,800 people worked in this job in 2023, and about 9,900 are projected by 2033. (+1%)
- Projected labour market to 2033: balance.
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Questions people ask
How do I become a collection clerk?
Completion of secondary school is required. A business college diploma may be required. A period of on-the-job training is often provided for collection clerks and collection officers. A collections licence issued by the province or territory of employment is usually required.
How much does a collection clerk earn in Canada?
Median full-time pay is $54,990 a year (Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank)). The middle half earn $44,070 to $66,300.
Is a collection clerk a growing career in Canada?
Employment is projected to stay about the same by 2033: about 9,800 people now and 9,900 later (Employment and Social Development Canada).
Do you need a degree to become a collection clerk?
Usually not. Only 24% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
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