Oil and gas well drillers, servicers, testers and related workers
Occupation · NOC 2021 83101 · Canada
- NOC 2021 code
- 83101
- TEER
- 3
- Positions on positive LMIAs, all lists
- 46
- Median wage, Canada
- C$47.12 per hour
- Job Bank postings, Jan–Sep 2026
- 58
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About this occupation
Oil and gas well drillers and well servicers control the operation of drilling and hoisting equipment on drilling and service rigs, and direct the activities of the rig crew under supervision of the rig manager. Oil and gas well loggers, testers and related workers operate specialized mechanical or electronic equipment, tools or instruments to provide services in conjunction with well drilling, completion or servicing. They are employed by drilling and well service contractors, petroleum producing companies and well logging or testing companies.
Example job titles
- assistant driller - oil and gas well drilling
- directional drilling operator
- downhole tool operator
- drill stem tester
- driller - oil and gas drilling
- electric line operator
- logging and perforating operator
- service rig operator
- slickline operator
- well testing operator
- wireline operator
Main duties
- This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Oil and gas well drillers and well servicers
- Direct rig crew in setting up rigs and drilling, completing or servicing oil and gas exploration and producing wells
- Operate controls of drill or service rig drilling and hoisting machinery
- Train or arrange for training of crew
- Maintain records of drilling and servicing operations
- Ensure safety procedures are followed.
- Oil and gas well loggers, testers and related workers
- Drive well service or wireline truck to well site
- Assemble and attach equipment, tools or recorders to drill stem or wireline to conduct required procedures and tests
Employment requirements
- Completion of secondary school is usually required.
- Oil and gas well drillers and well servicers require three to six months of formal on-the-job training, college or petroleum industry-approved training courses and four or more years of work experience in subordinate rig crew positions.
- A college diploma in drilling may be required.
- Offshore work requires several years of experience in an equivalent position on land.
- Certificates in first aid, hydrogen sulphide awareness, blowout prevention, well control, workplace hazardous materials information system (WHMIS), transportation of dangerous goods (TDG) and a special oil well operator (boiler) certificate are required.
- Oil and gas well loggers, testers and related workers require three to six months of formal on-the-job training and several years of experience in subordinate logging and testing positions or on drilling and servicing rigs.
- Completion of a college program in electronics or engineering technology may be required for open hole well logging.
- A provincial blaster's licence, and seismic blaster and oil well blaster certification are required for well perforation services.
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 | 10 |
| 2017 | 17 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 5 |
| 2023 | 3 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 8 |
- Transocean Canada Drilling Company13
- Seadrill Canada Ltd.6
- Michels Canada Co.5
- Tier 1 Energy Solutions5
- Newcart Contracting (1993) Ltd.3
- Mitey Titan Industries Inc3
- Bothar Inc3
- Test Pro Energy Services Inc.2
- Grant Production Testing Services LTD2
- Earth Boring Co Limited1
- Innovative Pipeline Crossings Inc1
- MWDPlanet & Lumen Corporation1
- Agassiz Drilling (2000) Ltd.1
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 | 0 | 30 |
| 2025 | 0 | 5 |
| 2024 | 25 | 20 |
| 2023 | 20 | 10 |
| 2022 | 15 | 5 |
| 2021 | 10 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 | 5 |
| 2019 | 0 | 40 |
| 2018 | 5 | 45 |
| 2017 | 15 | 35 |
| 2016 | 5 | 40 |
| 2015 | 5 | 25 |
All work permits by year
Data table
| 2015 | 30 |
| 2016 | 45 |
| 2017 | 50 |
| 2018 | 50 |
| 2019 | 40 |
| 2020 | 5 |
| 2021 | 10 |
| 2022 | 20 |
| 2023 | 30 |
| 2024 | 45 |
| 2025 | 5 |
| 2026 | 30 |
Permanent residence
Admissions of permanent residents by intended occupation and Express Entry invitations by occupation (IRCC).
New permanent residents by year
Data table
| 2019 | 5 |
- Canadian Experience Class40
- Federal Skilled Worker25
- Provincial Nominee Program20
Wages
Median wage by province and territory (2025 release). Hourly unless marked per year.
| Area | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | C$26.37 | C$47.12 | C$70.00 |
| Alberta | C$25.00 | C$48.50 | C$70.00 |
| British Columbia | C$25.00 | C$43.00 | C$70.97 |
| Manitoba | C$32.00 | C$35.77 | C$52.00 |
| New Brunswick | C$21.87 | C$34.73 | C$52.36 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | C$28.75 | C$35.00 | C$60.00 |
| Nova Scotia | C$22.16 | C$36.81 | C$71.84 |
| Ontario | C$21.00 | C$34.34 | C$44.00 |
| Saskatchewan | C$34.50 | C$42.00 | C$57.00 |
- Job Bank postings, Jan–Sep 2026
- 58
- Vacancies advertised
- 183
- Median advertised minimum hourly wage
- C$55.70
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