NOC 94100: Machine operators, mineral and metal processing
Official definition · Statistics Canada NOC 2021 v1.0 · statcan.gc.ca ↗
Machine operators in mineral and metal processing operate machinery to process mineral ore and metal. They are employed in mineral ore and metal processing plants such as copper, lead and zinc refineries, uranium processing plants, steel mills, aluminum plants, precious metal refineries and cement processing plants.
Median Pay$35/hrPrevailing median rate
TEER LevelLevel 4PNP streams
Priority StreamGeneral StreamCategory draws
Official Titles287 TitlesGovernment aliases
Interactive Reference Letter Tool
Official Main Duties for NOC 94100
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.
287 official aliases
Checklist (6 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 — officers expect natural job descriptions with specific company context.
Live Match Score⚠ Needs 4 More
0%
0 of 6 selected
0%60% Recommended100%
Below 60% Target (0%)To qualify for NOC 94100, your employer letter should verify at least 4 main duties. Select 4 more to see if your experience matches.
Minimum Needed4 Duties
Current StatusIncomplete
Canadian Labour Market & PR Pathways for NOC 94100
Under Canada's National Occupational Classification (NOC 2021 Version 1.0), Machine operators, mineral and metal processing is categorized under TEER 4. Occupations in this tier typically require secondary school graduation or job-specific on-the-job training.
Express Entry Alignment
Classified under TEER 4, meaning this occupation does not qualify for direct Express Entry general pools. Candidates should focus on employer-driven Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) or federal pilot pathways.
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 94100.
Former NOC 94114-Digit Legacy
Machine operators, mineral and metal processing
VC1 - Code Change
Job Bank Open Data (2025/2026)
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) | $22 | $35/hr | $50 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador → | $22.91/hr | $34.77/hr | $55.3/hr |
| Nova Scotia → | $18.11/hr | $25.96/hr | $31.15/hr |
| New Brunswick → | $19.86/hr | $23.67/hr | $26.44/hr |
| Quebec → | $28/hr | $40/hr | $52.35/hr |
| Ontario → | $20/hr | $28/hr | $40/hr |
| Manitoba → | $22/hr | $29/hr | $38/hr |
| Saskatchewan → | $21/hr | $35/hr | $43/hr |
| Alberta → | $24.78/hr | $36.58/hr | $49.56/hr |
| British Columbia → | $29.3/hr | $38/hr | $46/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.
- On-the-job training is provided.
- Experience as a labourer in mineral and metal processing is usually required for machine operators.
Official Job Titles for NOC 94100
287 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:
aluminum classifierasbestos dryerbillet heaterbrick and tile crusher operatorcement millerextrusion press operatorfoil-winding machine operatorladle pourerlead refinerlime kiln operatormica sheet laminatorquenching car operatorscrap metal shreddersintering machine operatorslurry equipment operatorsteel rolleruranium classifier operatorzinc cell operatoralumina clarifier operatoralumina recovery operatoraluminum electrolytic tank reconditioneraluminum electrolytic tank tenderaluminum oxide controlleraluminum pourer - primary metal processingaluminum powder makeraluminum slurry pump tenderaluminum stretcher-leveller operatoraluminum-briquetting equipment operatoraluminum-casting machine operator - primary metal processingamalgamation process tenderannealer - primary metal processinganode casteranode caster - primary metal processinganode operatoranode paste plant operatoranode press operatorarsenic recovery operatorasbestos screen tenderauxiliary equipment operator - primary metal processingbaghouse operatorball mill operatorbar-straightening machine operator - metal processingblast furnace tapperblender tender - primary metal and mineral products processingbrine maker - mineral products processingbriquetting machine operatorbulk cement-blender tendercadmium control operator - zinc leachingcadmium plant operatorcadmium recoverercadmium zinc leachercalciner operator - mineral products processingcase hardener - primary metal processingcasting machine operator - primary metal processingcathode-stripping machine operator - zinc electrolysiscell operator - primary metal and mineral processingcement mixer - primary metal and mineral products processingcement pumping tendercementation equipment operatorcharge control operatorcharging car operatorcharging machine operator - mineral and metal processingclassifier operatorcoal breakercoal screenercoal separatorcoal washercoarse salt equipment operatorcoiler operator - primary metal processingcoke by-products pump operator - primary metal processingcoke calciner operatorcoke grindercoke oven door operatorcoke oven heatercoke oven operatorcoke screen tendercoke-screen and coke-blender tendercold steel roller - steel productioncold steel rolling mill operatorconcrete batch plant operator - cement manufacturingcondenser setter - primary metal processingcone tendercontinuous drossing operatorcooling bed operator - steel millcopper billet piercercopper billet piercing mill operatorcopper flotation operatorcopper ore slime treatercopper-briquetting machine operatorCottrell tendercrane ladle pourercrucible pourercrusher and blender operatorcrusher settercrushing equipment operatorcryolite recovery equipment operatordental amalgam processordewaterer tender - primary metal processingdewatering equipment operatordiamond powder blenderdigester operator - primary metal and mineral processingdischarge door attendantdross treatment operator - zinc meltingdryer operator - mineral and metal processingdust operatordust pump operator - slag furnaceelectrolytic cleaner operator - primary metal processingelectrolytic descaler - primary metal processingelectrolytic tank maintainer - primary metal and mineral products processingelectrostatic separator tender - primary metal processingfinisher - primary metal processingflame annealing tender - primary metal processingflotation cell tender - primary metal processingfluorspar recovery tenderflux-mixing machine tender - metal processingfoil-winding machine operator - primary metal processingfume scrubber operatorgold recoverergranulator operator - phosphategrinder and classifier tendergrinding and flotation tendergypsum calcinerhardener - primary metal processingheat-treat furnace operator - primary metal processingheavy media separation tender - mineral and metal processinghot strip finishing mill tender - primary metal processinghot strip roughing mill tender - primary metal processinghydrate thickener operatorindium refinerinduction machine setter - primary metal processinginduction machine tender - primary metal processinginduration attendant - iron oreingot buggy operatoringot finishing operatoringot headeriron ore pellet agglomerating attendantjumbo casting operator - zinc meltingkettle chargerkettle tender - primary metal processingladle operator - primary metal processingladle pourer - primary metal processinglarry car operatorleaching operator - primary metal processinglead and copper refinerlead caster - primary metal processinglead dust treaterlead extruder operator - primary metal processinglead wheel operatorlead-casting machine operator - primary metal processinglead-melting furnace tender - metal processinglead-melting kettle tender - metal processinglead-smelting furnace tender - metal processinglead-smelting kettle tender - metal processinglime kiln operator - mineral and metal processingmachine operator - mineral and metal processingmachine wire drawermagnetic separator operator - primary metal processingmanipulator machine operator - primary metal processingmetal annealing tendermetal extrusion press operator - primary metal processingmetal hardener - primary metal processingmetal mixer - primary metal processingmetal mixer operator - primary metal processingmetal pointer operator - primary metal processingmetal pourer - metal processingmetal reclaimermica crusher tendermica plate tendermica press tendermica sheet salvagermica splittermica trimmermilling machine operator - mineral and metal processingmint precious metal refiner - primary metal processingmolten metal mixer operatormolybdenum flotation operatormolybdenum leaching plant operatorore crushing workerore dryer operatorore grinding workerore milling workerore screen tenderore screenerore separator tender - primary metal and mineral products processingpan tenderpeat moss dehydrator tenderpellet press tender - primary metal processingpellet segregator - primary metal processingpickle line operator - primary metal processingpickler operator - primary metal processingpiercing mill operator - primary metal processingpig caster - primary metal processingpig iron pourerpipe and tube roll setter - primary metal processingplate roller - primary metal processingplate rolling mill operator - primary metal processingpointer operator - primary metal processingpot liner - metal processingpot tender - primary metal processingpourer - metal processingprecious metal recovererprecipitator tender - primary metal processingprocess assistant - zinc pressure leachpurification operator - zinc oxide leachreagent tender - primary metal processingrecovery equipment operator - primary metal and mineral processingred mud thickener tenderreeling machine operator - primary metal processingresidual metal recovererresidue filter operator - zinc oxide leachreversing mill operator - primary metal processingreversing rolling mill operator - primary metal processingrivet heater - primary metal processingrock crusher tender - primary metal and mineral products processingrod drawer - primary metal processingrod mill operator - primary metal processingroll setter - primary metal processingroll table operator - primary metal processingroller - primary metal processingroller plate mill - primary metal processingroller-leveller operatorrolling mill guide setter - metal processingrolling mill operator - mineral and metal processingrolling mill preparer - primary metal processingroll-straightener operator - primary metal processingrotary kiln operator - primary metal and mineral products processingrotary kiln tender - primary metal processingroughing mill operator - metal processingsalt compactor operatorsalt compressor operatorsalt crushersalt processorsalt refinerscalehouse operator - zinc meltingscrap metal remelter - primary metal processingscrap metal shredder operator - primary metal processingscrubber operatorseamless steel billet piercer - primary metal processingseamless tube roller - primary metal processingsheet roller - primary metal processingsheet rolling mill operator - primary metal processingsheet rougher - primary metal processingsink-float equipment operator - metal processingslab caster - steel rolling millslag pelletizer - primary metal processingslime recoverer - primary metal processingslime recovery operator - primary metal processingslime treater - primary metal processingslurry equipment operator - primary metal and mineral products processingsolution operator - primary metal and mineral processingspiral conveyor attendantstack dust leach operator - zinc castingsteel pourersteel roughersteel straightener operatorsteel treater - primary metal processingstraightening feeder operatorstraightening machine operatorstretcher-leveller operator - primary metal processingsulphur control operator - zinc pressure leachtailings thickener tender - primary metal processingtandem roller - primary metal processingtank tendertank tender - primary metal processingtankhouse equipment operator - primary metal processingtemper mill roller - primary metal processingthallium recovererthickener equipment tender - primary metal processingtilting table tender - metal processingtransfer bed operator - primary metal processingtube drawer - primary metal processingtube rolling mill operator - primary metal processingtube straightener operator - primary metal processingtubing machine tender - primary metal processingwaste treatment operator - metal processingwater treatment plant operator - primary metal processingwet plant recovery equipment tender - primary metal processingwire drawerwire drawer operatorwire drawing machine operatorwire roller operator - primary metal processingwire sample formerwire sheather - primary metal processingzinc billet casterzinc chloride separator tenderzinc pressure leach operatorzinc vapour condenser
Exclusions (Similar Jobs with Different Codes)
Check this list to make sure your actual job is not classified under one of these related codes:
- Central control and process operators, mineral and metal processing (See 93100 Central control and process operators, mineral and metal processing)View NOC 93100→
- Concrete, clay and stone forming operators (See 94103 Concrete, clay and stone forming operators)View NOC 94103→
- Foundry workers (See 94101 Foundry workers)View NOC 94101→
- Glass forming and finishing machine operators and glass cutters (See 94102 Glass forming and finishing machine operators and glass cutters)View NOC 94102→
- Inspectors and testers, mineral and metal processing (See 94104 Inspectors and testers, mineral and metal processing)View NOC 94104→
- Labourers in mineral and metal processing (See 95100 Labourers in mineral and metal processing)View NOC 95100→
- Supervisors, mineral and metal processing (See 92010 Supervisors, mineral and metal processing)View NOC 92010→
Frequently Asked Questions for NOC 94100 (Machine operators, mineral and metal processing)
Essential answers regarding Express Entry eligibility, LMIA prevailing wage compliance, and official reference letter rules.
NOC 94100 is in TEER 4, which is not directly eligible for standard Express Entry pools. However, you can apply through Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) semi-skilled streams or employer-sponsored work permits.
For an LMIA work permit, your employer must offer at least the median wage of $35/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, Machine operators, mineral and metal processing was categorized under NOC 9411 (Machine operators, mineral and metal processing). In NOC 2021, it transitioned to NOC 94100 under TEER 4.
Because TEER 4 is not eligible for direct Express Entry, your best routes are employer-supported Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) semi-skilled streams (such as SINP in Saskatchewan, AAIP in Alberta, or MPNP in Manitoba) or federal pilot programs like the Agri-Food Pilot.
Next Steps for NOC 94100
Check Your Express Entry Score & Latest Cutoffs
Calculate your exact Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score for NOC 94100, explore your TEER 4 immigration pathways, and check recent draw cutoffs.
NOC data: Statistics Canada NOC 2021 v1.0
··Last verified: September 2026