43201 – Correctional service officers
Lead statement
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. Correctional service officers who are supervisors are included in this unit group.
Main duties
- 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.
- May develop offenders’ correctional plan and facilitate their participation in reintegration programs in collaboration with psychologists, behavioral counsellors, parole officers and others.
Employment requirements
- Completion of secondary school is required.
- Post-secondary education in correctional services, police studies or criminology is required in New Brunswick, Quebec, and 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.
Example job titles
convict guard · detention attendant · detention guard · correctional facility guard · correctional institution guard · correctional officer · corrections officer · correctional officers supervisor · correctional service officer · head correctional officer · correctional institution head matron · head matron - correctional service · jail guard · jailer · prison guard · matron - correctional service · reformatory guard · correctional services unit supervisor · penal institution guard · penitentiary guard · institution guard - correctional service · prison officer · escort - correctional services · primary worker/kimisinaw - correctional service · primary worker – correctional service
Wages (per hour)
| Province / territory | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | $28.85 | $36.15 | $46.15 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $30.68 | $32.00 | $39.84 |
| Nova Scotia | $25.64 | $34.00 | $45.00 |
| New Brunswick | $24.04 | $34.00 | $42.79 |
| Quebec | $31.25 | $38.98 | $47.00 |
| Ontario | $29.43 | $39.00 | $48.08 |
| Manitoba | $29.14 | $37.00 | $43.75 |
| Saskatchewan | $30.00 | $35.00 | $45.00 |
| Alberta | $27.00 | $36.00 | $46.15 |
| British Columbia | $32.00 | $36.00 | $48.00 |
Source: Job Bank wages, 2025 release (ESDC). Low and high are the 10th and 90th percentiles.
Occupation details: ESDC OaSIS 2025, based on NOC 2021.