13110 – Administrative assistants

Lead statement

Administrative assistants perform a variety of administrative duties in support of managerial and professional employers.

Main duties

• Prepare, key in, edit and proofread correspondence, invoices, presentations, brochures, publications, reports and related material from machine dictation and handwritten copy
• Open and distribute incoming regular and electronic mail and other material and coordinate the flow of information internally and with other departments and organizations
• Schedule and confirm appointments and meetings of employer
• Order office supplies and maintain inventory
• Answer telephone and electronic enquiries and relay telephone calls and messages
• Set up and maintain manual and computerized information filing systems
• Determine and establish office procedures
• Greet visitors, ascertain nature of business and direct visitors to employer or appropriate person
• Record and prepare minutes of meetings
• Arrange travel schedules and make reservations
• May compile data, statistics and other information to support research activities
• May supervise and train office staff in procedures and in use of current software
• May organize conferences.

Employment requirements

• Completion of secondary school is usually required.
• Completion of a one- or two-year college or other program for administrative assistants or secretaries orprevious clerical experience is required.

Example job titles

administrative secretary · church secretary · executive secretary (except legal and medical) · personal secretary · private secretary · recording secretary · school secretary · secretary (except legal and medical) · technical secretary · appointment secretary · secretary-clerk · finance secretary · human resources secretary · taxation service secretary · administrative assistant · office administrative assistant · administrative assistant - office · loans and grants administrative assistant · contracts secretary · sales secretary · human resources administrator · human resources administrator - Canadian armed forces

Wages (per hour)

Source: Job Bank wages, 2025 release (ESDC). Low and high are the 10th and 90th percentiles.