NOC 2021 · 72500 · TEER 2

NOC 72500: Crane operators

NOC 72500 is a TEER 2 occupation. It counts as skilled work for Express Entry under FSW, CEC and FST. It is not on any 2026 category list, so candidates compete in general and program rounds.

Last checked against official sources 2026-10-01

TEER level

FSW · CEC · FST

Express Entry programs that accept it

2026 Express Entry categories

Official job titles under this code

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Crane operators operate cranes or draglines to lift, move, position or place machinery, equipment and other large objects at construction or industrial sites, ports, railway yards, surface mines and other similar locations. They are employed by construction, industrial, mining, cargo handling and railway companies. Apprentices are also included in this unit group.

IRCC goes by what you actually did, not by your job title: your work must match the description above and most of the main duties below. Compare them with your reference letter line by line.

Job titles filed under this code

Official example titles

boom truck crane operator
bridge crane operator
climbing crane operator
construction crane operator
crane operator
dragline crane operator
gantry crane operator
hoist operator (except underground mining)
mobile crane operator
tower crane operator
tractor crane operator

Search all 47 official titles for this code →

Not this code

Close occupations that have their own code

Contractors and supervisors, heavy equipment operator crews → 72021
Heavy equipment operators → 73400
Underground production and development miners → 83100

Main duties

This group performs some or all of the following duties:

Operate mobile and tower cranes to lift, move, position or place equipment and materials
Perform pre-operational inspection, and calculate crane capacities and weight to prepare for rigging and hoisting
Operate pile driving cranes to drive pilings into earth to provide support for buildings and other structures
Operate cranes equipped with dredging attachments to dredge waterways and other areas
Operate gantry cranes to load and unload ship cargo at port side
Operate locomotive cranes to move objects and materials at railway yards
Operate bridge or overhead cranes to lift, move and place plant machinery and materials
Operate offshore oil rig cranes to unload and reload supply vessels
Operate cranes mounted on boats or barges to lift, move and place equipment and materials
Operate dragline cranes to expose coal seams and ore deposits at open pit mines
May assemble tower cranes on site
Perform routine maintenance work such as cleaning and lubricating cranes.

What this code means for Express Entry

FSWAccepted

TEER 0–3 work counts toward the Federal Skilled Worker Program.

CECAccepted

One year of this work in Canada can qualify for the Canadian Experience Class.

FSTAccepted

This code is in a trade group the Federal Skilled Trades Program accepts.

This code is not on any 2026 category list. Candidates compete in general rounds and in program rounds such as Canadian Experience Class rounds. See recent rounds →

CRS points from November 3, 2026

NOC 72500 is on IRCC's high-wage occupations list at the 1.3x level. From November 3, 2026, at least 12 months (1,560 hours) of Canadian work in it adds 20 points to your Canadian work experience points in the CRS, and a valid job offer in it is worth 50 points; the higher of the two counts. No LMIA is needed.

IRCC high-wage list (list from 2023 to 2025 wage data, read 2026-10-16) · CRS calculator with the new rules

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Employment requirements

Completion of secondary school is usually required.
Completion of a one- to three-year apprenticeship program or Industry courses in crane operating are usually required.
Mobile crane operator trade certification, for specified types of cranes, is compulsory in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia and available, but voluntary, in all other provinces and the Northwest Territories.
Tower crane operator trade certification is compulsory in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia and available, but voluntary, in Prince Edward Island.
Hoist operator trade certification, for specified types of cranes, is compulsory in Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia and is available, but voluntary, in New Brunswick, Saskatchewan, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.
Mobile crane operators may require a provincial licence to drive mobile cranes on public roads.
Internal company certification as a crane operator may be required by some employers.
Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified mobile crane and tower crane operators upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.

Good to know

The Red Seal endorsement allows for interprovincial mobility.
Progression to supervisory positions is possible with experience.

Codes in the same group

NOC	Occupation	TEER
72501	Water well drillers	2

Official sources

noc.esdc.gc.caNOC 2021 Version 1.0: 72500 Crane operators
statcan.gc.caStatistics Canada: National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 Version 1.0
canada.caIRCC: Find your National Occupational Classification (NOC)
canada.caIRCC: Express Entry, who can apply