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Couriers, messengers and door-to-door distributors (NOC 1513)

High opportunity occupation
Table of contents
About this job Earnings and Outlook Duties Work environment Workforce and employment statistics
Job requirements Work-related skills Related careers Career paths and resources
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About this job

Couriers, messengers and door-to-door distributors pick up and deliver letters, parcels, packages, newspapers, flyers and other items within and between organizations.

Want to learn more? Watch this WorkBC Career Trek video and see what it’s like to work in this type of career.

People in this career group work for courier service companies and other establishments throughout the private and public sectors.

Common job titles
  • bank messenger / runner
  • copy runner, courier service
  • courier
  • distributor, bill / flyer / sample
  • handbill passer - courier service
  • messenger-clerk
  • bank messenger / runner
  • copy runner, courier service
  • courier
  • courier, mail
  • delivery person - parcels / packages
  • delivery person, advertising / newspaper

Earnings

Annual provincial median salary

$33,370

Source: 2020 Job Bank Wage data

Note:Estimated median employment income based on 2020 Job Bank median hourly wage rate (median annual salary = hourly wage rate x 40 (hours per week) x 52.14 (weeks per year))

Provincial hourly rate

  • High
  • Median
  • Low

Source: 2020 Job Bank Wage Report

B.C. Labour Market Outlook (2019-2029)

Provincial outlook

Forecasted average employment growth rate

  • 2019 - 2024
  • 2024 - 2029

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Job openings

10 year expected job openings: 1,200

  • 2019
  • 2024
  • 2029

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Composition of job openings

 
New jobs due to economic growth:
20.3%
240 openings
 
Replacement of retiring workers:
79.7%
940 openings

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Regional outlook

Select a region to view regional outlook
Vancouver Island / Coast Mainland / Southwest Thompson-Okanagan Kootenay Cariboo Northeast North Coast & Nechako
Cariboo
Employment in 2019:
100
Average annual employment growth(%) 2019-2029:
0.2%
Expected number of job openings 2019-2029:
30
Kootenay
Employment in 2019:
150
Average annual employment growth(%) 2019-2029:
0.8%
Expected number of job openings 2019-2029:
60
Mainland / Southwest
Employment in 2019:
2,390
Average annual employment growth(%) 2019-2029:
0.4%
Expected number of job openings 2019-2029:
610
North Coast & Nechako
Employment in 2019:
80
Average annual employment growth(%) 2019-2029:
1.6%
Expected number of job openings 2019-2029:
30
Northeast
Employment in 2019:
N/A
Average annual employment growth(%) 2019-2029:
N/A
Expected number of job openings 2019-2029:
N/A
Thompson-Okanagan
Employment in 2019:
420
Average annual employment growth(%) 2019-2029:
1.1%
Expected number of job openings 2019-2029:
170
Vancouver Island / Coast
Employment in 2019:
880
Average annual employment growth(%) 2019-2029:
0.7%
Expected number of job openings 2019-2029:
280

N/A - Data not available

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Duties

Couriers, messengers and door-to-door distributors:

  • pick up messages, letters, envelopes, parcels, airline tickets, legal documents, packages, bonds, cheques, securities and other items from customers, and hand-deliver them to addresses within an organization or in other organizations by walking or cycling within specified time periods
  • collect payment for items delivered
  • keep record of items received and delivered using delivery information devices
  • deliver newspapers, flyers, handbills, telephone directories and similar items to residences and businesses

Work environment

  • An outdoor work environment with exposure to varied weather conditions.
  • An interior space such as a vehicle.

Workforce and employment statistics

Workforce characteristics

4,000 workers are employed
40% of workers are working mostly full time

Source: 2016 Census

Employment by gender

  Men
  Women

Source: 2016 Census

Employment by age group

  15 - 24 years
  25 - 44 years
  45 - 64 years
  65+ years

Source: 2016 Census

Labour force by industry

Transportation and Warehousing:
46%
Information, Culture and Recreation:
29%
Retail Trade:
11%
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services:
4%
Manufacturing:
2%
View more industry data

Source: 2016 Census

Employment by region

Select your region:
Vancouver Island / Coast Mainland / Southwest Thompson-Okanagan Kootenay Cariboo Northeast North Coast & Nechako
  % employment of this occupation
  % employment of all occupations
Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland / Southwest
North Coast & Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island / Coast

Source: 2016 Census

Career paths and resources

Career paths

There is some mobility into other delivery occupations such as delivery drivers. Progression to supervisory positions may be possible with experience. There may also be mobility to clerical occupations within the company.

Additional resources

Additional resources are not currently available for this career.

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Profile last updated:
March 25, 2021
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