Leaf sorter
Also called leaf selector, leaf inspector, hand leaf sorter
Leaf sorters analyse colour and condition of tobacco leaves in order to determine whether they should be used as cigar wrappers or binders. They select leaves without visible defects taking into account colour variations, tears, tar spots, tight grain, and sizes as per specifications. They fold wrapper leaves into bundles for stripping.
What you'd do
Tobacco preparers and tobacco products makers · ILO- Grading cured tobacco leaves by type, quality and locality where grown
- Mixing tobacco leaves according to formula to obtain a blend of distinct flavour
- Tending vacuum container which moistens tobacco for further processing
- Removing midribs and stalks from tobacco leaves and shredding tobacco
- Making cigars, cigarettes, snuff and other tobacco products by hand or with simple machines
- Indoors
- On your feet most of the day
- Lots of contact with people, mostly with colleagues
- Little freedom to decide
- Often more than 40 hours a week
- Deadlines most weeks
- Varied tasks, little repetition
Will there be jobs?
Limited prospectsFewer jobs than in most work will need filling by 2035.
Solid: measured. Dashed: forecast.
What does it pay?
Below averagePay depends a lot on the country: from about €1,000 a month (Bulgaria) to €4,800 (Denmark), before tax.
Pick a country at the top of the page to see typical pay there, for people under 30, and compared with all jobs.
Among craft and related trades workers in the EU, women earn 26% less per hour than men. Craft and related trades workers · Eurostat
What do I need to study?
Upper secondary or vocationalUpper secondary or vocational training in food processing is the usual route.
Pick a country at the top of the page to see where to study and the official course finders.
Will AI change it?
Very littleAI could help with only small parts of the tasks.
Average task score 0.14 on a scale from 0 (AI can't do it) to 1 (AI could do it fully).
See the score for each of the 5 tasks
Based on what AI could technically do when assessed in 2025. It is not a forecast for a future year, and not a forecast of job losses. Scores for tobacco preparers and tobacco products makers. Source: ILO (2025), adapted (credits).