Oil and gas drilling, servicing and related labourers
Occupation · NOC 2021 85111 · Canada
- NOC 2021 code
- 85111
- TEER
- 5
- Positions on positive LMIAs, all lists
- 61
- Median wage, Canada
- C$31.00 per hour
- Job Bank postings, Jan–Sep 2026
- 169
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About this occupation
Oil and gas drilling, servicing and related labourers carry out a variety of general labouring duties and operate equipment to assist in the drilling and servicing of oil and gas wells. This unit group also includes labourers who assist in geophysical prospecting for oil and gas. They are employed by drilling and well servicing contractors and by petroleum producing companies.
Example job titles
- floorman/woman - oil and gas drilling
- leasehand
- oil field labourer
- roughneck
- roustabout
- service rig helper
- shakerhand
- swamper - oil and gas
- well treatment helper
- wireline helper
Main duties
- This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Manipulate sections of pipe or drill stem at the rig floor during drilling and during the removal and replacement of strings of pipe or drill stem and drill bit
- Maintain drilling equipment on the drill floor
- Handle, sort and move drill tools, pipe, cement and other materials
- Clean up rig areas
- Assist in setting up, taking down and transporting drilling and service rigs and service equipment
- May drive trucks to transport materials and well service equipment.
Employment requirements
- Completion of secondary school may be required.
- Completion of introductory college or petroleum industry-approved training courses may be required.
- Certificates in hydrogen sulphide awareness, workplace hazardous materials information system (WHMIS) or transportation of dangerous goods (TDG) may be required.
Temporary foreign worker positions (LMIA)
Positions on positive LMIAs in ESDC employer lists, by year of the list.
Approved positions by year
Data table
| 2017 | 8 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2022 | 17 |
| 2023 | 20 |
| 2024 | 9 |
| 2025 | 5 |
| 2026 | 1 |
- Apex Well Servicing Inc16
- Les Entreprises Robert Charette Inc.10
- Transocean Canada Drilling Company8
- Viper Steam Ltd.6
- Swab Master Ltd.5
- Global Metal Quality Solutions Inc.3
- Waste Treatment Solutions Ltd.3
- Garrison Oilwell Servicing Ltd.2
- WOODRUSHS LTD2
- Shieldfield Oilfield Maintenance Ltd.1
- KG Enterprise ltd1
- Avenge Energy1
- MSB Enterprises1
- 1606602 Alberta Ltd.1
- TKO Oilfield Services Ltd1
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 35 | 0 |
| 2023 | 30 | 0 |
| 2022 | 30 | 0 |
All work permits by year
Data table
| 2022 | 30 |
| 2023 | 30 |
| 2024 | 35 |
Wages
Median wage by province and territory (2025 release). Hourly unless marked per year.
| Area | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | C$21.52 | C$31.00 | C$39.50 |
| Alberta | C$23.00 | C$31.86 | C$39.50 |
| British Columbia | C$25.00 | C$32.00 | C$40.00 |
| Manitoba | C$26.50 | C$38.00 | C$40.00 |
| New Brunswick | C$19.00 | C$25.00 | C$38.00 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | C$20.00 | C$28.00 | C$40.00 |
| Nova Scotia | C$22.00 | C$33.00 | C$41.00 |
| Ontario | C$20.50 | C$34.00 | C$40.60 |
| Quebec | C$18.00 | C$23.00 | C$31.50 |
| Saskatchewan | C$24.00 | C$34.00 | C$40.00 |
- Job Bank postings, Jan–Sep 2026
- 169
- Vacancies advertised
- 321
- Median advertised minimum hourly wage
- C$24.00
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