NOC 72106: Welders and related machine operators
Welders operate welding equipment to weld ferrous and non-ferrous metals. This unit group also includes machine operators who operate previously set up production welding, brazing and soldering equipment. They are employed by companies that manufacture structural steel and platework, boilers, heavy machinery, aircraft and ships and other metal products, and by welding contractors and welding shops, or they may be self-employed. Apprentices are also included in this unit group.
Last reviewed 2026-11-02 · Sources: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
Quick answer
NOC 72106 (Welders and related machine operators) is a TEER 2 occupation, so it counts as skilled work for Express Entry. It is not on IRCC's high-wage list. It is eligible for Trades category draws.
TEER
TEER 2
Skilled for Express Entry
High-wage
Not listed
No extra CRS points
Category draws
Trades
IRCC 2026 lists
| NOC 2021 code | 72106 |
|---|---|
| Title | Welders and related machine operators |
| Broad category | Trades, transport and equipment operators and related occupations |
| TEER | TEER 2 — usually requires a college diploma or apprenticeship of 2+ years, or supervisory roles |
Category-based draws
- Trades Occupations, 2026-Version 3 — have accumulated, within the past 3 years, at least 12 months of full-time work experience (or an equal amount of part-time experience) — this experience does not need to be continuous (in a single occupation listed in the table below (no matter your primary occupation); in Canada or abroad).
Example job titles
- aviation welding technician
- brazing machine operator
- brazing machine setter
- electric arc welder
- journeyman/woman welder
- laser welding operator
- pressure vessel welder
- production welder
Main duties
- Welders
- Read and interpret blueprints or welding process specifications
- Operate manual or semi-automatic welding equipment to fuse metal segments using processes such as gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW), gas metal arc welding (GMAW), flux-cored arc welding (FCAW), plasma arc welding (PAW), shielded metal arc welding (SMAW), oxy-acetylene welding (OAW), resistance welding and submerged arc welding (SAW)
- Operate manual or semi-automatic flame-cutting equipment
- Operate brazing and soldering equipment
- Operate metal shaping machines such as brakes, shears and other metal straightening and bending machines
- Repair worn parts of metal products by welding on extra layers.
- Welders may specialize in certain types of welding such as custom fabrication, ship building and repair, aerospace precision welding, pressure vessel welding, pipeline construction welding, structural construction welding, or machinery and equipment repair welding.
Your duties should match the lead statement and most of the main duties to use this NOC — check the full profile on the official NOC site.
Related occupations
- NOC 72100 — Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors
- NOC 72101 — Tool and die makers
- NOC 72102 — Sheet metal workers
- NOC 72103 — Boilermakers
- NOC 72104 — Structural metal and platework fabricators and fitters
- NOC 72105 — Ironworkers
- NOC 72010 — Contractors and supervisors, machining, metal forming, shaping and erecting trades and related occupations
- NOC 72011 — Contractors and supervisors, electrical trades and telecommunications occupations
- NOC 72012 — Contractors and supervisors, pipefitting trades
- NOC 72013 — Contractors and supervisors, carpentry trades
← NOC 72105 Ironworkers · NOC 72200 Electricians (except industrial and power system) →
Calculate your CRS score → · All NOC codes · High-wage list
TEER 2 also matters for work permits: see the spousal open work permit (TEER rules for spouses of workers), LMIA explained and the Atlantic Immigration Program (job offers in TEER 0–4).
Sources: Statistics Canada NOC 2021 V1.0; IRCC high-wage occupations; IRCC category-based selection; IRCC who can apply.
Frequently asked questions
Is NOC 72106 eligible for Express Entry?+
NOC 72106 is a TEER 2 occupation. IRCC counts work in TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 occupations as skilled work experience for the Federal Skilled Worker Program and the Canadian Experience Class, as long as all other program requirements are met.
Is NOC 72106 a high-wage occupation?+
No. NOC 72106 isn't on IRCC's Express Entry high-wage occupations list, so it doesn't earn the extra high-wage or job offer CRS points. Canadian work-length points can still apply for TEER 0–3 work.
Which Express Entry category draws include NOC 72106?+
As published by IRCC: Trades Occupations, 2026-Version 3. Candidates generally need have accumulated, within the past 3 years, at least 12 months of full-time work experience (or an equal amount of part-time experience) — this experience does not need to be continuous.