NOC 42101: Firefighters
What firefighters do
Firefighters carry out firefighting and fire prevention activities, and assist in other emergencies. They are employed by municipal, provincial and federal governments and by large industrial establishments that have internal firefighting services. Apprentices are also included in this unit group.
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Respond to fire alarms and other calls for assistance, such as automobile and industrial accidents, bomb threats and other emergencies
- Rescue victims from burning buildings and accident sites
- Control and extinguish fires using manual and power equipment, such as axes, water hoses, aerial ladders and hydraulic equipment and various firefighting chemicals
- Administer first aid and other assistance
- Ensure proper operation and maintenance of firefighting equipment
- Prepare written reports on fire incidents
- Inform and educate the public on fire prevention
- Train to maintain high level of physical fitness
- Assist the public, the police and emergency organizations during times of major disasters
- May participate as members of a trauma or emergency response team and provide paramedical aid to accident victims or ill persons
- May supervise and coordinate the work of other firefighters
- May conduct building inspections to ensure compliance with fire code.
Job titles under NOC 42101
18 job titles are classified here, including airport firefighter, fire captain, firefighter.
- airport firefighter
- communication service firefighter
- crash firefighter
- fire captain
- fire department platoon chief
- fire inspector
- fire lieutenant
- fire prevention officer
- fire safety inspection firefighter
- firefighter
- firefighter apprentice
- firefighter lieutenant
- firefighter-inspector
- industrial complex firefighter
- industrial firefighter
- shipboard firefighter
- structural firefighter
- training firefighter
Employment requirements
- Completion of secondary school is usually required.
- Completion of a college program in fire protection technology, fire science or a related field and a period of supervised practical training is usually required.
- Firefighting and emergency medical care training courses are provided and vary in length depending on the requirements of different fire departments or services.
- Certification for firefighters is compulsory in Nova Scotia, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba and Alberta, but voluntary, in Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, the Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.
- Experience as a volunteer firefighter may be an advantage.
- Physical agility, strength, fitness and vision requirements must be met.
- Several years of experience are required for senior firefighters, such as lieutenants and captains.
Firefighters wages in Canada
Low, median and high hourly wages from Job Bank’s 2025 wage data. Annual figures assume full-time work (1,950 hours a year).
| Where | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
Canada | $29.00/hr | $45.79/hr | $61.40/hr |
Toronto ON | $36.00/hr | $50.00/hr | $64.58/hr |
Montréal QC | $28.90/hr | $41.16/hr | $52.05/hr |
Vancouver Lower Mainland region, BC | $37.93/hr | $52.00/hr | $62.00/hr |
Calgary AB | $42.00/hr | $47.00/hr | $65.00/hr |
Edmonton AB | $30.29/hr | $48.43/hr | $60.10/hr |
Ottawa ON | $26.04/hr | $55.00/hr | $69.71/hr |
Winnipeg MB | $30.00/hr | $48.00/hr | $62.00/hr |
Québec City Quebec region, QC | $20.83/hr | $40.17/hr | $50.00/hr |
Hamilton Hamilton–Niagara Peninsula region, ON | $32.05/hr | $49.45/hr | $64.10/hr |
Kitchener-Waterloo Kitchener–Waterloo–Barrie region, ON | $29.00/hr | $45.79/hr | $64.58/hr |
London ON | $27.24/hr | $47.12/hr | $62.00/hr |
Halifax NS | $16.50/hr | $43.50/hr | $50.00/hr |
Victoria Vancouver Island and Coast region, BC | $33.65/hr | $43.67/hr | $50.48/hr |
Saskatoon Saskatoon–Biggar region, SK | $35.71/hr | $50.00/hr | $64.10/hr |
Regina Regina–Moose Mountain region, SK | $29.76/hr | $48.08/hr | $59.52/hr |
| Where | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
Newfoundland and Labrador | $25.00/hr | $43.67/hr | $54.95/hr |
Nova Scotia | $21.90/hr | $37.98/hr | $47.12/hr |
New Brunswick | $25.00/hr | $40.35/hr | $50.00/hr |
Quebec | $20.83/hr | $40.17/hr | $50.00/hr |
Ontario | $32.00/hr | $48.53/hr | $64.58/hr |
Manitoba | $31.25/hr | $43.99/hr | $59.00/hr |
Saskatchewan | $29.76/hr | $48.08/hr | $57.69/hr |
Alberta | $28.11/hr | $48.43/hr | $60.10/hr |
British Columbia | $36.00/hr | $50.00/hr | $62.00/hr |
Using NOC 42101 for your resume or Express Entry profile
- IRCC asks you to make sure the main duties listed for your NOC match what you actually did at your job. If they don’t, look for another unit group whose duties do.
- Describe your own work in your own words. Recruiters and ATS software look for concrete tools, results and scope, not text copied from the NOC.
- Applying from outside Canada? Run your resume through the Canadian resume format checker to catch things Canadian employers don’t expect, like a photo or date of birth.
- Use the job title the employer’s posting uses. The 18 titles above are how the same work is named across employers.
Not in this group
Similar jobs classified under a different NOC code:
- Fire chiefs and senior firefighting officers (NOC 40041)
- Forest firefighter (NOC 84111)
- Paramedic (NOC 32102)
Frequently asked questions
What is the NOC code for firefighters?
Firefighters are NOC 2021 unit group 42101. Example job titles in this group include airport firefighter, fire captain, firefighter, firefighter lieutenant.
What TEER is NOC 42101?
NOC 42101 is TEER 2 (College diploma or apprenticeship (2+ years)). Usually requires a 2–3 year college program or a 2–5 year apprenticeship, or the occupation carries supervisory or significant safety responsibilities. TEER 0, 1, 2 and 3 work counts as skilled work experience for Express Entry’s Federal Skilled Worker and Canadian Experience Class programs.
How much do firefighters earn in Canada?
Job Bank's 2025 wage data puts the median at $45.79/hr, about $89,000 a year full-time, with a range of $29.00/hr to $61.40/hr.
Related occupations
Sources: Statistics Canada, National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 Version 1.0; Employment and Social Development Canada, Job Bank wages (2025). Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. OfferJetAI is not affiliated with the Government of Canada. Check IRCC’s NOC guidance before you apply.