What Do I Need to Work in a Morgue / Mortuary in Canada?

New brunswick occupations in demand 2023

How do I become a mortician in Canada?

How do I become a mortuary attendant in Canada?

Are funeral directors in demand in Canada?

How much does an embalmer make in Canada?

How much does a funeral home worker make in Canada?

What are jobs in morgues in Canada?

What types of careers work in a morgue in Canada?

These and many more are the questions I will be addressing in this article.

What's Covered in This Article

Jobs in Morgues: 5 Career Opportunities in Canada Working in a Morgue

Below are the career opportunities and jobs in morgues in Canada, the different jobs in Canada, the basic educational requirements to get into this field, and essential skills for morticians in Canada.

1. Funeral services director jobs in Canada

National average salary: $53,704 per year

Primary duties: A funeral director is responsible for the management of a funeral home. These individuals oversee all aspects of the funeral home, cemetery, or sales department. They often engage directly with families to determine their specific requirements for an approaching service, such as the services of a religious officiant, flower delivery, or catering coordination. Funeral services directors also arrange every detail of the funeral, from the day, time, and place to vendors and transportation to and from the cemetery.

2. Morgue attendant jobs in Canada

National average salary: $38,487 per year

Primary duties: A morgue attendant receives and assists in the placement of deceased patients’ corpses in compartment trays, confirms body identification, and releases corpses as necessary. A morgue attendant may also help pathologists during autopsies. Additionally, they are responsible for disinfecting the corpse and cleaning the workstation prior to the coroner inspecting the body to ascertain the cause of death.

3. Esthetician jobs in Canada

National average salary: $32,513 per year

Primary duties: Once the majority of post-mortem operations are complete, a qualified esthetician is responsible for styling the corpse. Applying cosmetics for the burial ceremony and washing and polishing finger nails are all part of styling the body, and they often construct looks using photographs that relatives provide. Licensed estheticians in this role are called desairologists.

4. Forensic science technician jobs in Canada

National average salary: $50,468 per year

Primary duties: Forensic science technicians gather evidence from deceased individuals and crime scenes. They operate in a mortuary whenever a death necessitates a criminal inquiry. Forensic science technicians analyze and collect body parts that investigators use as evidence in criminal investigations. They often take samples of hair, fingerprints, and bodily tissue. Apart from working in the mortuary, forensic science professionals also work in their own labs to analyze the data they acquire. To submit their results as part of a criminal inquiry, they collaborate with a coroner to conduct a chemical examination of the corpse.

5. Pathology assistant jobs in Canada

National average salary: $62,753 per year

Primary duties: Pathology assistants work with pathologists in hospital morgues to conduct autopsies. They sometimes pay visits to private funeral homes to give extra support when necessary. They also prepare and evaluate cadaver tissue samples to aid pathologists in determining the cause of death.

Morgue Attendant Supervisor Job in Canada

Typically, to work as a morgue attendant supervisor in Canada, you will need to meet these requirements which are also applicable to all Medical laboratory technicians and pathologists’ assistants (NOC 3212).

Employment requirements

This is what you typically need for the job.

  • Medical laboratory technicians/assistants require completion of a college certificate program in medical laboratory science.
  • Certification by the Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science may be required for medical laboratory technicians/assistants.
  • Combined laboratory and X-ray technicians require completion of a combined laboratory X-ray technology program.
  • Pathologists’ assistants require some post-secondary courses or a university degree in life sciences and Specialized on-the-job training.

Source National Occupational Classification

Professional certification and licensing

You might need to get a certification from a regulatory authority before you start working.

Table listing provincial regulation requirements
Location Job title Regulation Regulatory body
British Columbia Medical Laboratory Technicians And Pathologists’ Assistants Regulated Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science

Funeral Services Director Jobs in Canada

Typically, to work as a funeral services director in Canada, these requirements are applicable to all Funeral directors and embalmers (NOC 6346):

Funeral Services Director Employment requirements

This is what you typically need for the job.

  • Completion of a one- to two-year college program and a twelve- to twenty-month practical apprenticeship program during or following the educational program is usually required for funeral directors.
  • Completion of a two- to three-year college program and a twelve- to twenty-month practical apprenticeship program during or following the educational program or Completion of a three-year college program is required for embalmers.
  • Funeral directors require licensure in most provinces and territories.
  • Funeral directors may be required to be licensed embalmers depending on provincial requirements.
  • Embalmers require licensure in all provinces.

Source National Occupational Classification

Professional certification and licensing

You might need to get a certification from a regulatory authority before you start working.

Table listing provincial regulation requirements
Location Job title Regulation Regulatory body
Alberta Embalmer Regulated Alberta Funeral Services Regulatory Board
Funeral Director Regulated Alberta Funeral Services Regulatory Board
Pre-need Salesperson (funeral Home) Regulated Alberta Funeral Services Regulatory Board
British Columbia Embalmer Regulated Consumer Protection British Columbia
Funeral Director Regulated Consumer Protection British Columbia
Cremationist Regulated Consumer Protection British Columbia
Manitoba Embalmer Regulated Funeral Board of Manitoba
Funeral Director Regulated Funeral Board of Manitoba
New Brunswick Embalmer Regulated Board For Registration of Embalmers, Funeral Directors and Funeral Providers
Funeral Director Regulated Board For Registration of Embalmers, Funeral Directors and Funeral Providers
Newfoundland and Labrador Embalmer Regulated Embalmers and Funeral Directors Board of Newfoundland and Labrador
Funeral Director Regulated Embalmers and Funeral Directors Board of Newfoundland and Labrador
Nova Scotia Embalmer Regulated Nova Scotia Board of Registration of Embalmers and Funeral Directors
Funeral Director Regulated Nova Scotia Board of Registration of Embalmers and Funeral Directors
Ontario Funeral Director Authorized To Perform Embalming Regulated Bereavement Authority of Ontario
Funeral Director Not Authorized To Perform Embalming Regulated Bereavement Authority of Ontario
Prince Edward Island Embalmer Regulated Prince Edward Island Funeral Services and Professions Board
Funeral Director Regulated Prince Edward Island Funeral Services and Professions Board
Québec Embalmer Or Thanatopractor Regulated Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux (MSSS)
Funeral Director Regulated Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux (MSSS)
Saskatchewan Embalmer/funeral Director Regulated Funeral and Cremation Services Council of Saskatchewan
Yukon Embalmer (licensed) Regulated Health and Social Services, Government of Yukon
Funeral Director Regulated Professional Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Government of Yukon

Morgue / Mortuary Attendant Jobs in Canada

Searching on Job Bank Canada using ‘funeral home’ as the key word brings up 6 morgue attendant jobs in Canada as at the writing of this article.

View job postings >

The job postings listed are for funeral home attendant NOC 6346 – Funeral directors and embalmers.

However, searching using the terms ‘Other assisting occupations in support of health services (NOC 3414)’, you find 120 morgue attendant jobs in Canada.

As usual, make sure to do your own due diligence before engaging anyone.

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