National Occupational Classification (NOC): 31120
Fast Facts
- Average Pay: N/A
- Future Growth: N/A
- Skill Level: N/A
- Employment Size: N/A
- Unemployment: N/A
- Full-time Share: N/A
Sample Job Titles
- community pharmacist
- drug information pharmacist
- druggist
- health care institution pharmacist
- hospital pharmacist
- industrial pharmacist
- pharmacist consultant
- pharmacy officer - Canadian Armed Forces
- registered pharmacist
- retail pharmacist
What do pharmacists do?
Community pharmacists and hospital pharmacists compound and dispense prescribed pharmaceuticals and provide consultative services to both clients and health care providers. They are employed in retail pharmacies and health center pharmacies, or they may be self-employed. Industrial pharmacists participate in the research, development, promotion and manufacture of pharmaceutical products. They are employed in pharmaceutical companies and government departments and agencies.
These groups perform some or all of the following duties:
Community pharmacists and hospital pharmacists
- Check prescriptions for proper dosage
- Compound prescribed pharmaceutical products by calculating, measuring and mixing the quantities of drugs and other ingredients required and filling appropriate containers with correct quantity
- Dispense prescribed pharmaceuticals to customers or to other health care professionals and advise them on indications, contra-indications, adverse effects, drug interactions and dosage
- Maintain medication profiles of customers including registry of poisons and narcotic and controlled drugs
- Ensure proper preparation, packaging, distribution and storage of vaccines, serums, biologicals and other drugs and pharmaceuticals
- Order and maintain stock of pharmaceutical supplies
- Advise customers on selection and use of non-prescription medication
- Renew existing prescriptions in limited circumstances
- May adapt the formulation, regimen, duration or route of administration of medication
- May supervise and coordinate the activities of other pharmacists, pharmacy assistants, pharmacy technicians and other staff.
Industrial pharmacists
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- Participate in research for the development of new drugs
- Formulate new drug products developed by medical researchers
- Test new drug products for stability and to determine absorption and elimination patterns
- Coordinate clinical investigations of new drugs
- Control the quality of drug products during production to ensure that they meet standards of potency, purity, uniformity, stability and safety
- Develop information materials concerning the uses, properties and risks of particular drugs
- Evaluate labelling, packaging and advertising of drug products
- Promote pharmaceutical products to health professionals
Source: National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021, Employment and Social Development Canada
Pharmacists work in the following subsectors (NAICS) in Newfoundland and Labrador:
- 446 Health and personal care stores
- 622 Hospitals
- 621 Ambulatory health care services
- 912 Provincial and territorial public administration
Source: 2021 Census, Statistics Canada.
Short and Long Term Occupational Projections
Short Term Projections for 2025-2027
The employment outlook will be good for Pharmacists in Newfoundland and Labrador (rating of 4 out of 5) for the 2025-2027 period.
Source: Job Bank, Government of Canada
Number of Job Postings in 2025
During 2025, there were 102 public job postings for this occupation, with the following distribution:
| Avalon: 40% | Western: 11% |
| Eastern: 17% | Labrador: 2% |
| Central: 19% | NL-unspecified: 12% |
Source: Vicinity Jobs (note: data used in this analysis reflects new unique monthly postings which are totaled for the calendar year).
Who works as pharmacists in Newfoundland and Labrador?
During the reference week of May 2021, there were approximately 605 people working in this occupation in Newfoundland and Labrador. 45% of those employed were Male+ and 56% of those employed were Female+.
Here is the age group breakdown for this group of workers:
| 15 to 24 | 25 to 54 | 55 to 64 | 65+ |
| 2% | 83% | 13% | 2% |
Source: 2021 Census, Statistics Canada.
How much money do pharmacists make?
Annual Earnings
The median employment income for all pharmacists in the reference year 2020 (665 workers in total, including those working part-time and full-time, as well as part-year and full-year) was $98,000.00.
Source: 2021 Census, Statistics Canada.
Hourly Earnings
Salary information for pharmacists in Newfoundland and Labrador is as follows:
| Low ($/hour) | Median ($/hour) | High ($/hour) | |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $33.00 | $51.00 | $59.00 |
The following low, median, and high wages are for Canada:
| Low ($/hour) | Median ($/hour) | High ($/hour) |
| $40.00 | $55.49 | $67.00 |
Source: Job Bank, Government of Canada
Most Frequently Sought Skills from Job Postings (2025)
- Patient care
- Customer service
- Leadership
- Teamwork
- Medication management
- Problem solving
Source: Vicinity Jobs
What training is required?
- A university degree in pharmacy and a period of supervised practical training are required.
- Licensure is required in all provinces and territories for community and hospital pharmacists.
Source: National Occupational Classification 2021, Statistics Canada
* Find public and private education, training and skills development opportunities in Newfoundland and Labrador here.