How to become an industrial butcher, meat cutter, poultry preparer or related worker
Official title: Industrial butchers and meat cutters, poultry preparers and related workers
Also called: Ham cutter, Meat boner, Meat trimmer, Poultry boner, Poultry hanger, Poultry dresser, Poultry plucker, Poultry preparer, Industrial butcher, Poultry eviscerator, Industrial meat cutter, Poultry plucker tender
Industrial butchers and meat cutters, poultry preparers and related workers prepare meat and poultry for further processing or for packaging for wholesale distribution. They are employed in meat and poultry slaughtering, processing and packing establishments.
Main tasks
- Industrial butchers
- Slaughter livestock using stunning devices and knives
- Skin, clean and trim carcasses
- Remove viscera and other inedible parts from carcasses
- Split carcasses into smaller portions to facilitate handling
- May slaughter cattle, calves and sheep as prescribed by religious laws
- Industrial meat cutters
- Cut beef, lamb, pork or veal carcasses or sides or quarters of carcasses into primal cuts for further cutting, processing or packaging
How to become one
Completion of secondary school may be required. For industrial meat cutters, completion of a program in industrial meat cutting or Experience as an industrial butcher is required. On-the-job training is provided for industrial butchers, meat cutters and poultry preparers.
Pay · Outlook
- Median pay: $44,850 a year The middle half earn $39,858 to $48,750.
- About 18,600 people worked in this job in 2023, and about 19,000 are projected by 2033. (+2.2%)
- Projected labour market to 2033: strong risk of shortage.
Related jobs
- Process control and machine operators, food and beverage processing
- Fish and seafood plant workers
- Testers and graders, food and beverage processing
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Questions people ask
How do I become an industrial butcher, meat cutter, poultry preparer or related worker?
Completion of secondary school may be required. For industrial meat cutters, completion of a program in industrial meat cutting or Experience as an industrial butcher is required. On-the-job training is provided for industrial butchers, meat cutters and poultry preparers.
How much does an industrial butcher, meat cutter, poultry preparer or related worker earn in Canada?
Median full-time pay is $44,850 a year (Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank)). The middle half earn $39,858 to $48,750.
Is an industrial butcher, meat cutter, poultry preparer or related worker a growing career in Canada?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 2% by 2033, from about 18,600 to about 19,000 people (Employment and Social Development Canada).
Do you need a degree to become an industrial butcher, meat cutter, poultry preparer or related worker?
Usually not. Only 9% 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