Occupational Profiles

This group performs some or all of the following duties:
 

Funeral directors

• Consult with the family of the deceased regarding the nature of the funeral service, the disposition of the remains and funeral costs
• Transfer, or arrange for the transfer of, the remains from the place of death to the funeral home
• Inform survivors of benefits for which they may be eligible
• Issue death notices to newspapers
• Oversee the preparation of the remains, plan and schedule funeral services, coordinate burials and cremations and complete legal documents
• Discuss and negotiate prearranged funerals with clients
• Manage funeral home operations including hiring and directing staff, maintaining financial records, preparing accounts and ordering merchandise
• Supervise embalmers, funeral home attendants and other funeral home staff
• May perform same duties as embalmers.

Embalmers

• Preserve, sanitize and prepare human remains for funeral services
• Perform cosmetic and restorative work on human remains
• Supervise funeral home attendants and other funeral home staff.

• 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.