How to become a correctional service officer
Official title: Correctional service officers
Also called: Prison officer, Corrections officer, Correctional officer, Head correctional officer, Correctional facility guard, Correctional service officer, Matron - correctional service, Correctional institution guard, Escort - correctional services, Correctional officers supervisor, Head matron - correctional service, Correctional institution head matron
Correctional service officers guard offenders and detainees and maintain order in correctional institutions and other places of detention. Primary workers develop women offender's correctional plan and work with other service officers in the correctional team. They are employed by federal, provincial and municipal governments. Correctional service officers who are supervisors are included in this unit group.
Main tasks
- Observe conduct and behaviour of offenders and detainees to prevent disturbances and escapes
- Supervise offenders during work assignments, meals and recreation periods
- Patrol assigned area and report any problems to supervisor
- Conduct security checks and scanning of visitors, inmates and their cells, working areas and recreational activity areas
- Observe behaviour of offenders and prepare reports
- Escort detainees in transit and during temporary leaves
- Prepare admission, program, release, transfer and other reports
- May supervise and coordinate work of other correctional service officers
How to become one
Completion of secondary school is required. Post-secondary education in correctional services, police studies or criminology is required in New Brunswick, Quebec, Alberta and Prince Edward Island. Correctional officer recruits must successfully complete the Correctional Service of Canada training course to be employed by federal institutions. Correctional officer recruits are usually required to complete a basic training course to be employed by provincial/territorial institutions. Physical agility, strength and fitness requirements must be met. Correctional service supervisors require experience as a correctional service officer. First aid certification and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training are usually required.
Ways in
- College or CEGEP: College or CEGEP program. 48% of workers hold a college or other non-degree diploma (Census 2021). Common fields: Criminal justice and corrections; Criminology; Psychology, general.
Pay · Outlook
- Median pay: $70,493 a year The middle half earn $62,751 to $79,697.
- About 26,100 people worked in this job in 2023, and about 28,000 are projected by 2033. (+7.3%)
- Projected labour market to 2033: balance.
Related jobs
- Sheriffs and bailiffs
- By-law enforcement and other regulatory officers
- Border services, customs, and immigration officers
- Operations members of the Canadian Armed Forces
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Questions people ask
How do I become a correctional service officer?
Completion of secondary school is required. Post-secondary education in correctional services, police studies or criminology is required in New Brunswick, Quebec, Alberta and Prince Edward Island. Correctional officer recruits must successfully complete the Correctional Service of Canada training course to be employed by federal institutions. Correctional officer recruits are usually required to complete a basic training course to be employed by provincial/territorial institutions. Physical agility, strength and fitness requirements must be met. Correctional service supervisors require experience as a correctional service officer. First aid certification and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training are usually required.
How much does a correctional service officer earn in Canada?
Median full-time pay is $70,493 a year (Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank)). The middle half earn $62,751 to $79,697.
Is a correctional service officer a growing career in Canada?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 7% by 2033, from about 26,100 to about 28,000 people (Employment and Social Development Canada).
Do you need a degree to become a correctional service officer?
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