NOC 83101: Oil and gas well drillers, servicers, testers and related workers

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Oil and gas well drillers and well servicers control the operation of drilling and hoisting equipment on drilling and service rigs, and direct the activities of the rig crew under supervision of the rig manager. Oil and gas well loggers, testers and related workers operate specialized mechanical or electronic equipment, tools or instruments to provide services in conjunction with well drilling, completion or servicing. They are employed by drilling and well service contractors, petroleum producing companies and well logging or testing companies.

Main duties

This group performs some or all of the following duties:

Oil and gas well drillers and well servicers

• Direct rig crew in setting up rigs and drilling, completing or servicing oil and gas exploration and producing wells
• Operate controls of drill or service rig drilling and hoisting machinery
• Train or arrange for training of crew
• Maintain records of drilling and servicing operations
• Ensure safety procedures are followed.

Oil and gas well loggers, testers and related workers

• Drive well service or wireline truck to well site
• Assemble and attach equipment, tools or recorders to drill stem or wireline to conduct required procedures and tests
• Operate or direct the operation of wireline or unit controls to lower, position and retrieve equipment and instruments
• Operate recorders and computers in mobile testing or logging unit to collect data
• May perform limited data interpretation.

What this code means for Express Entry

CRS points from November 3, 2026

NOC 83101 is on IRCC's high-wage occupations list at the 1.5x level. From November 3, 2026, at least 12 months (1,560 hours) of Canadian work in it adds 40 points to your Canadian work experience points in the CRS, and a valid job offer in it is worth 70 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.
• Oil and gas well drillers and well servicers require three to six months of formal on-the-job training, college or petroleum industry-approved training courses and four or more years of work experience in subordinate rig crew positions.
• A college diploma in drilling may be required.
• Offshore work requires several years of experience in an equivalent position on land.
• Certificates in first aid, hydrogen sulphide awareness, blowout prevention, well control, workplace hazardous materials information system (WHMIS), transportation of dangerous goods (TDG) and a special oil well operator (boiler) certificate are required.
• Oil and gas well loggers, testers and related workers require three to six months of formal on-the-job training and several years of experience in subordinate logging and testing positions or on drilling and servicing rigs.
• Completion of a college program in electronics or engineering technology may be required for open hole well logging.
• A provincial blaster's licence, and seismic blaster and oil well blaster certification are required for well perforation services.
• Trade certification for rig technician is compulsory in Alberta and available, but voluntary, in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, British Columbia and the Northwest Territories.
• Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified rig technicians upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.

Good to know

• Mobility between jobs on drilling and service rigs is limited by the differences in the machinery, tools and operations performed, but mobility is possible especially from drilling to service rigs.
• Progression to crew supervisor or manager is possible with experience and additional education and training.
• The Red Seal endorsement allows for interprovincial mobility.

Codes in the same group

Official sources

• noc.esdc.gc.caNOC 2021 Version 1.0: 83101 Oil and gas well drillers, servicers, testers and related workers
• 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