Welders and related machine operators
Occupation · NOC 2021 72106 · Canada
- NOC 2021 code
- 72106
- TEER
- 2
- Positions on positive LMIAs, all lists
- 11,729
- Median wage, Canada
- C$30.00 per hour
- Job Bank postings, Jan–Sep 2026
- 6,133
OC<CANWELDERS<AND<RELATED<MACHINE<OPERATORS< 721064<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<8
About this occupation
Welders operate welding equipment to weld ferrous and non-ferrous metals. This unit group also includes machine operators who operate previously set up production welding, brazing and soldering equipment. They are employed by companies that manufacture structural steel and platework, boilers, heavy machinery, aircraft and ships and other metal products, and by welding contractors and welding shops, or they may be self-employed. Apprentices are also included in this unit group.
Example job titles
- aviation welding technician
- brazing machine operator
- brazing machine setter
- electric arc welder
- journeyman/woman welder
- laser welding operator
- pressure vessel welder
- production welder
- soldering machine operator
- spot welder
- submerged arc welder
- welder
- welder apprentice
- welder-fitter
Main duties
- This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Welders
- Read and interpret blueprints or welding process specifications
- Operate manual or semi-automatic welding equipment to fuse metal segments using processes such as gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW), gas metal arc welding (GMAW), flux-cored arc welding (FCAW), plasma arc welding (PAW), shielded metal arc welding (SMAW), oxy-acetylene welding (OAW), resistance welding and submerged arc welding (SAW)
- Operate manual or semi-automatic flame-cutting equipment
- Operate brazing and soldering equipment
- Operate metal shaping machines such as brakes, shears and other metal straightening and bending machines
- Repair worn parts of metal products by welding on extra layers.
- Welders may specialize in certain types of welding such as custom fabrication, ship building and repair, aerospace precision welding, pressure vessel welding, pipeline construction welding, structural construction welding, or machinery and equipment repair welding.
- Welding, brazing and soldering machine operators
Employment requirements
- Welders
- Completion of secondary school is usually required.
- Completion of a three-year apprenticeship program or A combination of over three years of work experience in the trade and some college or industry courses in welding is usually required to be eligible for trade certification.
- Trade certification is compulsory in Alberta and available, but voluntary, in all other provinces and the territories.
- Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified welders upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.
- Welding, brazing and soldering machine operators
- Some secondary school education is required.
- Several months of on-the-job training are usually provided.
Temporary foreign worker positions (LMIA)
Positions on positive LMIAs in ESDC employer lists, by year of the list.
Approved positions by year
Data table
| 2016 | 201 |
| 2017 | 282 |
| 2018 | 329 |
| 2019 | 854 |
| 2020 | 915 |
| 2021 | 920 |
| 2022 | 2,352 |
| 2023 | 2,057 |
| 2024 | 1,903 |
| 2025 | 1,688 |
| 2026 | 228 |
- MANAC INC313
- Charl-Pol inc.268
- Groupe Canam Inc. /Canam Group204
- Alberta Council of Turnaround Industry Maintenance Stakeholders191
- Rotobec inc.168
- ESTAMPRO INC145
- Industries Fabkor inc.124
- Industries Canatal inc.119
- MARMEN INC.98
- Dalkotech inc92
- CANAM PONTS CANADA INC.88
- Linamar Corporation84
- Canam Bâtiments et Structures inc.82
- Plessitech inc.76
- Lar Machinerie Inc.67
Work permits
Work permit holders by year the permit took effect, mapped from NOC 2016 where the code has a single NOC 2021 successor (IRCC).
| Year | TFWP permits | IMP permits |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1,060 | 560 |
| 2025 | 1,325 | 165 |
| 2024 | 1,720 | 270 |
| 2023 | 2,100 | 405 |
| 2022 | 1,330 | 235 |
| 2021 | 975 | 270 |
| 2020 | 570 | 205 |
| 2019 | 680 | 565 |
| 2018 | 320 | 190 |
| 2017 | 175 | 205 |
| 2016 | 195 | 340 |
| 2015 | 265 | 315 |
All work permits by year
Data table
| 2015 | 580 |
| 2016 | 535 |
| 2017 | 380 |
| 2018 | 510 |
| 2019 | 1,245 |
| 2020 | 775 |
| 2021 | 1,245 |
| 2022 | 1,565 |
| 2023 | 2,505 |
| 2024 | 1,990 |
| 2025 | 1,490 |
| 2026 | 1,620 |
Permanent residence
Admissions of permanent residents by intended occupation and Express Entry invitations by occupation (IRCC).
New permanent residents by year
Data table
| 2015 | 410 |
| 2016 | 330 |
| 2017 | 295 |
| 2018 | 85 |
| 2019 | 105 |
| 2020 | 15 |
| 2021 | 560 |
| 2022 | 480 |
| 2023 | 840 |
| 2024 | 1,295 |
| 2025 | 1,100 |
| 2026 | 345 |
- Canadian Experience Class2,290
- Provincial Nominee Program1,505
- Federal Skilled Trades115
- Federal Skilled Worker45
Wages
Median wage by province and territory (2025 release). Hourly unless marked per year.
| Area | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | C$22.00 | C$30.00 | C$47.00 |
| Alberta | C$25.00 | C$38.00 | C$52.18 |
| British Columbia | C$23.25 | C$35.00 | C$51.87 |
| Manitoba | C$21.00 | C$27.00 | C$40.16 |
| New Brunswick | C$22.00 | C$28.00 | C$46.00 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | C$23.46 | C$38.41 | C$54.00 |
| Nova Scotia | C$21.00 | C$29.00 | C$43.00 |
| Ontario | C$21.00 | C$28.00 | C$41.28 |
| Quebec | C$22.00 | C$28.00 | C$35.38 |
| Saskatchewan | C$22.00 | C$32.00 | C$46.00 |
- Job Bank postings, Jan–Sep 2026
- 6,133
- Vacancies advertised
- 10,537
- Median advertised minimum hourly wage
- C$28.00
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