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NOC 72501: Water well drillers
NOC 72501 is a TEER 2 occupation. It counts as skilled work for Express Entry under FSW, CEC and FST. It is on the 2026 Trade category list. The latest round for that category (#447, October 1, 2026) invited 3,500 candidates at a CRS cutoff of 476.
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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.
Job titles filed under this code
Official example titles
- cable tool driller - water well drilling
- churn drill operator - water well drilling
- water well driller
- water well driller apprentice
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Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Review client requirements and proposed locations for water wells
- Operate water well drilling rigs and other equipment to drill, bore and dig for residential, commercial and industrial water wells or environmental assessment, and install well screens, casings and other well fixtures
- Document geological formations encountered
- Clean and disinfect wells in preparation for use
- Perform routine mechanical maintenance work on water well drilling rigs and equipment
- Install, test, maintain and repair water well pumps, piping systems and equipment and perform pumping tests to assess well performance
- May provide other drilling services, such as repair or dismantling of existing water well structure, elevator shaft drilling and hydro pole drilling.
Water well drillers may specialize in a specific method of drilling, such as cable, rotary, auger, hammer or reverse circulation drilling.
What this code means for Express Entry
TEER 0–3 work counts toward the Federal Skilled Worker Program.
One year of this work in Canada can qualify for the Canadian Experience Class.
This code is in a trade group the Federal Skilled Trades Program accepts.
Category-based rounds that list this code
| Category | Latest round | CRS | Invitations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trade occupations | #447 · Oct 1, 2026 | 476 | 3,500 |
To be invited in a category round you need at least 12 months of full-time work in a listed occupation within the last 3 years, on top of qualifying for Express Entry.
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Employment requirements
- 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.
Good to know
- Mobility is possible among the various well drilling operators in this unit group.
- Progression to supervisory positions is possible with experience.
Codes in the same group
| NOC | Occupation | TEER |
|---|---|---|
| 72500 | Crane operators | 2 |
Official sources
- noc.esdc.gc.caNOC 2021 Version 1.0: 72501 Water well drillers
- 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
- canada.caIRCC: Express Entry category-based selection