NOC 72021: Contractors and supervisors, heavy equipment operator crews
What contractors and supervisors, heavy equipment operator crews do
Contractors and supervisors of heavy equipment operator crews supervise and coordinate the activities of workers classified in the following unit groups: Crane operators (72500), Water well drillers (72501), Heavy equipment operators (73400), Drillers and blasters - surface mining, quarrying and construction (73402), Railway yard and track maintenance workers (74200), Public works maintenance equipment operators and related workers (74205), Longshore workers (75100), Material handlers (75101), and Public works and maintenance labourers (75212). They are employed in a wide range of establishments; places of employment are indicated in the above unit group descriptions. Contractors may be self-employed.
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Supervise, coordinate and schedule the activities of workers who operate cranes and construction, paving, drilling, railway maintenance and other similar heavy equipment
- Establish methods to meet work schedules and coordinate work activities with other project supervisors or managers
- Requisition materials and supplies
- Resolve work problems and recommend measures to improve productivity
- Train or arrange for training of workers
- Recommend personnel actions such as hirings and promotions
- Prepare production and other reports
- May manage the operations of own company
- May also supervise, coordinate and schedule the activities of related apprentices, helpers and labourers
- Small businesses' contractors may execute tasks within their trade area of expertise, which is generally not the case for supervisors or contractors associated with a medium or large business.
Job titles under NOC 72021
111 job titles are classified here, including demolition foreman/woman, drilling and blasting foreman/woman - construction, excavating contractor.
- airport road paving foreman/woman
- airport runways road foreman/woman
- asphalt paving foreman/woman
- asphalt paving labour gang foreman/woman
- blasters foreman/woman - construction
- bridge and highway construction gang foreman/woman
- bridge construction foreman/woman
- building mover contractor
- building movers foreman/woman
- building moving foreman/woman
- building wrecking contractor
- building wrecking foreman/woman
- cargo handling supervisor
- concrete paving foreman/woman
- concrete-laying gang foreman/woman
- concrete-paving labour gang foreman/woman
- construction gang foreman/woman
- construction site foreman/woman
- crane crew foreman/woman
- demolition contractor
- demolition foreman/woman
- ditching foreman/woman
- dock foreman/woman - marine cargo
- dredgemaster - construction
Employment requirements
- Completion of secondary school is usually required.
- Several years of experience in the occupation supervised is required.
- Journeyman/woman trade certification in a relevant trade may be required.
Contractors and supervisors, heavy equipment operator crews 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 | $26.92/hr | $38.46/hr | $55.00/hr |
Toronto ON | $26.92/hr | $42.25/hr | $55.71/hr |
Montréal QC | $26.45/hr | $39.81/hr | $49.12/hr |
Vancouver Lower Mainland region, BC | $31.00/hr | $41.00/hr | $57.69/hr |
Calgary AB | $23.50/hr | $38.46/hr | $58.73/hr |
Edmonton AB | $32.00/hr | $40.00/hr | $52.88/hr |
Ottawa ON | $30.00/hr | $37.02/hr | $44.00/hr |
Winnipeg MB | $29.00/hr | $35.00/hr | $45.67/hr |
Québec City Quebec region, QC | $29.00/hr | $38.70/hr | $48.08/hr |
Hamilton Hamilton–Niagara Peninsula region, ON | $29.00/hr | $42.00/hr | $64.90/hr |
Kitchener-Waterloo Kitchener–Waterloo–Barrie region, ON | $28.70/hr | $41.08/hr | $54.94/hr |
London ON | $27.88/hr | $34.50/hr | $57.69/hr |
Halifax NS | $22.00/hr | $30.77/hr | $43.00/hr |
Victoria Vancouver Island and Coast region, BC | $30.00/hr | $43.25/hr | $49.00/hr |
Saskatoon Saskatoon–Biggar region, SK | $24.04/hr | $33.65/hr | $59.62/hr |
Regina Regina–Moose Mountain region, SK | $24.75/hr | $35.00/hr | $62.50/hr |
| Where | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
Newfoundland and Labrador | $19.23/hr | $29.97/hr | $46.15/hr |
Nova Scotia | $22.00/hr | $30.77/hr | $43.00/hr |
New Brunswick | $22.50/hr | $31.00/hr | $45.00/hr |
Quebec | $29.00/hr | $38.70/hr | $48.08/hr |
Ontario | $27.00/hr | $40.00/hr | $55.00/hr |
Manitoba | $26.40/hr | $33.00/hr | $53.85/hr |
Saskatchewan | $24.04/hr | $34.00/hr | $52.88/hr |
Alberta | $27.05/hr | $39.50/hr | $58.73/hr |
British Columbia | $30.00/hr | $41.79/hr | $62.35/hr |
Using NOC 72021 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 111 titles above are how the same work is named across employers.
Not in this group
Similar jobs classified under a different NOC code:
- Heavy equipment mechanics supervisor (NOC 72020)
- Supervisors, logging and forestry (NOC 82010)
Frequently asked questions
What is the NOC code for contractors and supervisors, heavy equipment operator crews?
Contractors and supervisors, heavy equipment operator crews are NOC 2021 unit group 72021. Example job titles in this group include demolition foreman/woman, drilling and blasting foreman/woman - construction, excavating contractor, heavy equipment operators supervisor.
What TEER is NOC 72021?
NOC 72021 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 contractors and supervisors, heavy equipment operator crews earn in Canada?
Job Bank's 2025 wage data puts the median at $38.46/hr, about $75,000 a year full-time, with a range of $26.92/hr to $55.00/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.