Railway and yard locomotive engineers
Occupation · NOC 2021 73310 · Canada
- NOC 2021 code
- 73310
- TEER
- 3
- Positions on positive LMIAs, all lists
- 2
- Median wage, Canada
- C$50.00 per hour
- Job Bank postings, Jan–Sep 2026
- 5
OC<CANRAILWAY<AND<YARD<LOCOMOTIVE<ENGINEERS< 733108<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<6
About this occupation
Railway locomotive engineers operate railway locomotives to transport passengers and freight. They are employed by railway transport companies. Yard locomotive engineers operate locomotives within yards of railway, industrial or other establishments. They are employed by railway transport companies and industrial or commercial users of rail transport.
Example job titles
- locomotive engineer - railway
- railway engineer
- switch engineer - railway
- transfer hostler - railway
- yard engineer - railway
Main duties
- This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Railway locomotive engineers
- Operate locomotives to transport passengers and freight on railways
- Operate communication systems to communicate with train crews and traffic controllers to ensure safe operation and scheduling of trains
- Inspect assigned locomotives and test operating controls and equipment.
- Yard locomotive engineers
- Operate locomotives to switch, couple and uncouple cars for loading and unloading
- Perform switching operations according to written switching orders or dispatched instructions
- Inspect locomotives, replenish fuel or perform routine maintenance on locomotives.
Employment requirements
- Completion of secondary school is usually required.
- Experience as a conductor is required for railway locomotive engineers and may be required for yard locomotive engineers.
- Experience as a railway yard worker may be required for yard locomotive engineers.
- Railway locomotive engineers require a Canadian Rail Operating Rules certificate.
Temporary foreign worker positions (LMIA)
Positions on positive LMIAs in ESDC employer lists, by year of the list.
Approved positions by year
Data table
| 2025 | 2 |
- Jos Ste-Croix & Fils Ltée2
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0 | 10 |
| 2024 | 0 | 5 |
| 2019 | 0 | 10 |
| 2018 | 0 | 5 |
All work permits by year
Data table
| 2018 | 5 |
| 2019 | 10 |
| 2024 | 5 |
| 2025 | 10 |
Wages
Median wage by province and territory (2025 release). Hourly unless marked per year.
| Area | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | C$33.00 | C$50.00 | C$68.85 |
| Alberta | C$35.34 | C$48.63 | C$62.16 |
| British Columbia | C$36.55 | C$54.00 | C$69.71 |
| Manitoba | C$32.88 | C$43.96 | C$72.53 |
| New Brunswick | C$37.82 | C$50.52 | C$60.68 |
| Nova Scotia | C$28.04 | C$45.85 | C$56.34 |
| Ontario | C$32.05 | C$56.09 | C$72.12 |
| Quebec | C$31.97 | C$43.00 | C$64.90 |
| Saskatchewan | C$32.05 | C$44.87 | C$67.31 |
- Job Bank postings, Jan–Sep 2026
- 5
- Vacancies advertised
- 9
- Median advertised minimum hourly wage
- C$35.00
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