NOC 72501: Water well drillers
Water well drillers operate a variety of mobile water well drilling rigs and equipment to drill and monitor residential, commercial and industrial water wells. They are employed by water well drilling contractors and governments, or they may be self-employed. Apprentices are also included in this unit group.
Official Main Duties for NOC 72501
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.
Your employer reference letter must confirm you performed the main actions described in the duties above. Avoid copying words directly from the NOC description — officers expect natural job descriptions with specific company context.
Canadian Labour Market & PR Pathways for NOC 72501
Under Canada's National Occupational Classification (NOC 2021 Version 1.0), Water well drillers 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
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 72501.
Regional Wages Across Canada
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 / Territory | Low Wage | Median Wage | High Wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada (National Average) | $21.6 | $30/hr | $41.92 |
| Quebec → | $24/hr | $30.33/hr | $41.86/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.
- Completion of a two- to three-year water well drilling apprenticeship program or Two to three years of work experience in the trade combined with college or industry courses in water well drilling is usually required to be eligible for trade certification.
- Trade certification is available, but voluntary, in New Brunswick, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia.
Official Job Titles for NOC 72501
8 Titles ListedIf your current job title matches any of these official examples, this NOC code is likely the right choice for your Express Entry reference letter:
Exclusions (Similar Jobs with Different Codes)
Check this list to make sure your actual job is not classified under one of these related codes:
- Contractors and supervisors, heavy equipment operator crews (See 72021 Contractors and supervisors, heavy equipment operator crews)View NOC 72021→
- Driller - underground mining (See 83100 Underground production and development miners)View NOC 83100→
- Drillers and blasters - surface mining, quarrying and construction (See 73402 Drillers and blasters - surface mining, quarrying and construction)View NOC 73402→
- Oil and gas well drillers, servicers, testers and related workers (See 83101 Oil and gas well drillers, servicers, testers and related workers)View NOC 83101→
Frequently Asked Questions for NOC 72501 (Water well drillers)
Essential answers regarding Express Entry eligibility, LMIA prevailing wage compliance, and official reference letter rules.
Check Your Express Entry Score & Latest Cutoffs
Calculate your exact Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score for NOC 72501, explore your TEER 2 immigration pathways, and check recent draw cutoffs.