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NOC 72021: Contractors and supervisors, heavy equipment operator crews

Official definition ยท Statistics Canada NOC 2021 v1.0 ยท statcan.gc.ca โ†—

Contractors and supervisors of heavy equipment operator crews supervise and coordinate the activities of workers classified in the following unit groups: Crane operators (72500), Water well drillers (72501), Heavy equipment operators (73400), Drillers and blasters - surface mining, quarrying and construction (73402), Railway yard and track maintenance workers (74200), Public works maintenance equipment operators and related workers (74205), Longshore workers (75100), Material handlers (75101), and Public works and maintenance labourers (75212). They are employed in a wide range of establishments; places of employment are indicated in the above unit group descriptions. Contractors may be self-employed.

Median Pay$38.46/hrPrevailing median rate
TEER LevelLevel 2Express Entry pool
Priority StreamTrades PriorityCategory draws
Official Titles111 TitlesGovernment aliases
Interactive Reference Letter Tool

Official Main Duties for NOC 72021

Select the duties you perform in your actual job. Under IRCC guidelines, you must perform at least 60% of these duties for a successful work permit or PR reference letter.

111 official aliases
Checklist (10 official duties):Click each to toggle
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IRCC Reference Letter Rule:

Your employer reference letter must confirm you performed the main actions described in the duties above. Avoid copying words directly from the NOC description โ€” officers expect natural job descriptions with specific company context.

Live Match Scoreโš  Needs 6 More
0%
0 of 10 selected
0%60% Recommended100%
Below 60% Target (0%)To qualify for NOC 72021, your employer letter should verify at least 6 main duties. Select 6 more to see if your experience matches.
Minimum Needed6 Duties
Current StatusIncomplete

Canadian Labour Market & PR Pathways for NOC 72021

Under Canada's National Occupational Classification (NOC 2021 Version 1.0), Contractors and supervisors, heavy equipment operator crews is categorized under TEER 2. Occupations in this tier typically require completion of a 2- to 3-year post-secondary diploma, apprenticeship training, or specialized technical certifications.

Express Entry Alignment

Qualifies directly for the Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) and Canadian Experience Class (CEC) under Express Entry. Work experience must be full-time (or equivalent part-time) and continuous for at least one year.

Target Category Status

Currently evaluated under standard General and CEC invitation rounds, or targeted through provincial in-demand lists such as Ontario (OINP), British Columbia (BC PNP), or Alberta (AAIP).

NOC 2016 to NOC 2021 Transition & Equivalency

Open Full NOC Converter Toolโ†’

Under Canada's previous NOC 2016 classification, this occupation was mapped under the following 4-digit code(s). When preparing your Express Entry profile or work reference letters, you must use the new 5-digit code NOC 72021.

Former NOC 73024-Digit Legacy
Contractors and supervisors, heavy equipment operator crews
VC1 - Code Change
Job Bank Open Data (2025/2026)

Regional Wages Across Canada

Legal Benchmark for LMIA

Under Canadian immigration law, an employer hiring you under an LMIA must pay you at least the median wage listed below for your province.

Province / TerritoryLow WageMedian WageHigh Wage
Canada (National Average)$26.92$38.46/hr$55
Newfoundland and Labrador โ†’$19.23/hr$29.97/hr$46.15/hr
Prince Edward Island โ†’$19/hr$25/hr$38.46/hr
Nova Scotia โ†’$22/hr$30.77/hr$43/hr
New Brunswick โ†’$22.5/hr$31/hr$45/hr
Quebec โ†’$29/hr$38.7/hr$48.08/hr
Ontario โ†’$27/hr$40/hr$55/hr
Manitoba โ†’$26.4/hr$33/hr$53.85/hr
Saskatchewan โ†’$24.04/hr$34/hr$52.88/hr
Alberta โ†’$27.05/hr$39.5/hr$58.73/hr
British Columbia โ†’$30/hr$41.79/hr$62.35/hr
Yukon โ†’$28.52/hr$45.7/hr$59.35/hr
Northwest Territories โ†’$32.56/hr$48.67/hr$63.64/hr

Employment Requirements

These are the education, training, and certification standards usually required by Canadian employers for this occupation:

  • Completion of secondary school is usually required.
  • Several years of experience in the occupation supervised is required.
  • Journeyman/woman trade certification in a relevant trade may be required.

Official Job Titles for NOC 72021

111 Titles Listed

If your current job title matches any of these official examples, this NOC code is likely the right choice for your Express Entry reference letter:

demolition foreman/womandrilling and blasting foreman/woman - constructionexcavating contractorheavy equipment operators supervisorlogging road construction foreman/womanoil field construction supervisorpaving contractorpipeline construction supervisorrailway gang foreman/womanrailway section foreman/womanrailway track maintenance foreman/womanroad maintenance foreman/womantrack foreman/woman - railwaywater well drilling supervisorairport road paving foreman/womanairport runways road foreman/womanasphalt paving foreman/womanasphalt paving labour gang foreman/womanblasters foreman/woman - constructionbridge and highway construction gang foreman/womanbridge construction foreman/womanbuilding mover contractorbuilding movers foreman/womanbuilding moving foreman/womanbuilding wrecking contractorbuilding wrecking foreman/womancargo handling supervisorconcrete paving foreman/womanconcrete-laying gang foreman/womanconcrete-paving labour gang foreman/womanconstruction gang foreman/womanconstruction site foreman/womancrane crew foreman/womandemolition contractorditching foreman/womandock foreman/woman - marine cargodredgemaster - constructiondredging equipment operators foreman/womandredging foreman/womandynamiters foreman/woman - constructiondynamiting foreman/woman - constructionexcavating and grading labour foreman/womanexcavating equipment operators foreman/womanexcavating, grading and paving foreman/womanexcavating, grading and related work foreman/womanexcavations superintendentexcavator foreman/womanforeman/woman, railway maintenance-of-wayfreight handling foreman/womanfreight loading foreman/womanfreight terminal foreman/womangeneral construction foreman/womangeneral construction supervisorgrading equipment operators foreman/womanheavy construction crew foreman/womanheavy construction labourers foreman/womanheavy-duty equipment operators foreman/womanhighway and bridge maintenance road bosshighway construction bosshighway construction foreman/womanhighway maintenance foreman/womanhouse mover contractorhouse moving foreman/womanlabourers and other elemental workers foreman/woman - constructionloading and moving foreman/woman - constructionloading dock foreman/womanlogging road construction supervisorlongshore worker superintendentlongshore workers foreman/womanlongshoremen/women, stevedores and freight handlers foreman/womanmaintenance-of-way foreman/womanoil field construction foreman/womanpavers and surfacers foreman/womanpaving foreman/womanpaving gang road bosspaving, surfacing and related work foreman/womanpier foreman/womanpipe laying contractorpipeline installation supervisorpipelines construction foreman/womanpublic works maintenance equipment operators supervisorpublic works road maintenance labourer supervisorrailway construction and maintenance superintendentrailway track laying foreman/womanrailway track section bossrailwaymen/women foreman/womanroad construction bossroad construction foreman/womanroad gang foreman/womanroadmaster - railwayrunway paving foreman/womansewer construction foreman/womansewer installation foreman/womanshed foreman/woman - constructionstevedores foreman/womanstevedoring foreman/womanstorage foreman/womanstreetcar track foreman/womanstrip mine blasting foreman/womansupervisor of public works road maintenance workerssurface mine blasting foreman/womantarmac paving foreman/womantrack boss - railwaywater well drilling contractorwater well drilling foreman/womanwaterworks construction foreman/womanwell digging contractorwell digging supervisorwell drilling contractorwell drilling supervisorwrecking crew foreman/woman

Exclusions (Similar Jobs with Different Codes)

Check this list to make sure your actual job is not classified under one of these related codes:

  • Heavy equipment mechanics supervisor (See 72020 Contractors and supervisors, mechanic trades)View NOC 72020โ†’
  • Supervisors, logging and forestry (See 82010 Supervisors, logging and forestry)View NOC 82010โ†’

Frequently Asked Questions for NOC 72021 (Contractors and supervisors, heavy equipment operator crews)

Essential answers regarding Express Entry eligibility, LMIA prevailing wage compliance, and official reference letter rules.

Yes. Because NOC 72021 is classified as TEER 2, it qualifies for the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSW) and Canadian Experience Class (CEC) under Express Entry.
For an LMIA work permit, your employer must offer at least the median wage of $38.46/hr (or the prevailing median rate in your specific Canadian province of employment).
Under Section 75(2) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR), your employment reference letter must confirm you perform the actions in the lead statement and a substantial number (recommended at least 60%) of the official main duties listed above. You do not need to perform 100% of the duties.
Under Canada's previous NOC 2016 classification, Contractors and supervisors, heavy equipment operator crews was categorized under NOC 7302 (Contractors and supervisors, heavy equipment operator crews). In NOC 2021, it transitioned to NOC 72021 under TEER 2.
Next Steps for NOC 72021

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Last verified: September 2026