Pest controllers and fumigators
Career Overview
Pest controllers and fumigators:
- Inspect buildings and outside areas for pest infestation
- Spray chemical treatments to kill noxious and destructive insects, rodents and other pests
- Set cage traps to capture and remove animals
- Work for pest control companies
- May be self-employed
Job Titles
Duties
Pest controllers and fumigators perform some or all of the following duties:
- Inspect buildings and outside areas at regular intervals or at specific request of property owner to detect signs of infestation
- Decide the type of treatment needed and provide cost estimates to clients
- Prepare and spray chemical mixture on infested areas using mechanical or electric sprayer to kill insects, rodents and other pests
- Fumigate households
- Place and set traps to capture and remove animals, such as skunks or raccoons
- Install animal control barriers such as needle strips, netting and other devices to keep animals off property
- Clean out areas that harbour pests using rakes, shovels, brooms or mops
- Tell clients on how to prevent pest infestation
Earnings
Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.
Work Environment
# Workers Employed
580% Employed Full Time
53%Key aspects of the work in this occupation:
- Work takes place in a controlled indoor setting such as a private home
- Work can occur outdoors in various weather conditions
- Workers may be exposed to harmful chemicals, infectious bacteria and viruses in the course of their work
- The workplace may contain strong or toxic odours
Career Pathways
Progression to supervisory positions is possible with experience.
Related Careers
Occupational Interests
It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.
For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.
Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:
Education, Training and Skills
- Completion of secondary school is usually required
- Completion of courses in pest control or extermination or several months of on-the-job training are usually required
- Provincial pesticide applicator licence is required in all provinces
Education programs in B.C.
Skills
Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.
Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.
See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Talking to others to share information effectively.
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Being able to solve novel, ill-defined problems in complex, real-world settings.
Actively looking for ways to help people.
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Labour Market Statistics
Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.
Employment
Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.
Employment
580Employment by Region
| Region | Employment | % Employment of this Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 0 | 0.0% |
| Kootenay | 20 | 3.5% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 345 | 60.0% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 0 | 0.0% |
| Northeast | 0 | 0.0% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 105 | 18.3% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 110 | 19.1% |
Labour Market Outlook
The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.
Forecasted Job Openings (2024-2034)
190Forecasted Job Openings
Forecasted Employment Growth Rate
Composition of Job Openings
Job Openings by Region (2024-2034)
| Region | Job Openings | Avg. Annual Employment Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | Not available | Not available |
| Kootenay | 10 | 1.1% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 100 | 0.5% |
| North Coast and Nechako | Not available | Not available |
| Northeast | Not available | Not available |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 40 | 0.9% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 40 | 1.2% |
Industry Highlights
Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.
Forecasted Job Openings by Industry
| Industry | Job Openings (2024-2034) |
|---|---|
| Business, Building and Other Support Services | 190 |
Resources
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AgSafewww.agsafebc.ca
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Canadian Pest Management Association (CPMA)pestworldcanada.net
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Integrated Environmental Plant Management Association (IEPMA) of Western Canadawww.iepma.ca
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Integrated Vegetation Management Association (IVMA) of BCwww.ivma.com
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Invasive Species Council (ISC) of British Columbiawww.bcinvasives.ca
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North American Invasive Species Management Association (NAISMA)www.naisma.org
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Pest Control Canada – Employment Adspestcontrolcanada.com/employment-ads
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Pest Management Regulatory Agency – Health Canadawww.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/branch-dirgen/pmra-arla/index-eng.php
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Professional Pest Management Association of BC (PPMABC)www.sfu.ca/~ppmabc
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Structural Pest Management Association of BC (SPMABC)www.spmabc.com
