NOC 72100: Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors
What machinists and machining and tooling inspectors do
Machinists set up and operate a variety of machine tools to cut or grind metal, plastic or other materials to make or modify parts or products with precise dimensions. Machining and tooling inspectors inspect machined parts and tooling in order to maintain quality control standards. They are employed by machinery, equipment, motor vehicle, automotive parts, aircraft and other metal products manufacturing companies and by machine shops. Apprentices are also included in this unit group.
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Machinists
- Read and interpret engineering drawings, blueprints, charts and tables or study sample parts to determine machining operation to be performed, and plan best sequence of operations
- Compute dimensions and tolerances and measure and lay out work pieces
- Set up, operate and maintain a variety of machine tools including computer numerically controlled (CNC) tools to perform precision, non-repetitive machining operations such as sawing, turning, milling, boring, planing, drilling, precision grinding and other operations
- Fit and assemble machined metal parts and subassemblies using hand and power tools
- Verify dimensions of products for accuracy and conformance to specifications using precision measuring instruments
- May set up and program machine tools for use by machining tool operators.
- Machining and tooling inspectors
- Verify dimensions of machined parts or tooling using micrometers, verniers, callipers, height gauges, optical comparators, coordinate measuring machines (CMM) or other specialized measuring instruments
- Maintain, repair and calibrate precision measuring instruments such as dial indicators, fixed gauges, height gauges and other measuring devices
- Report deviations from specifications and tolerances to supervisor
- Complete and maintain inspection reports.
Job titles under NOC 72100
47 job titles are classified here, including automotive machinist, aviation machinist, general machinist.
- aircraft engine parts machinist
- aircraft machinist
- apprentice automotive machinist
- apprentice machinist
- auto parts machine shop inspector
- automotive machinist
- aviation machinist
- ballistic laboratory machinist
- bench machinist
- computer numerical control (CNC) machinist
- computer-assisted machinist
- diesel engine machinist
- differential gear testing machinist
- dimensional inspector - machine shop
- electrical machinist
- experimental machinist
- firearms machining inspector
- firearms model maker machinist
- gear inspector-machinist
- gear tester-machinist
- general machinist
- journeyman/woman machinist
- machine shop charge hand
- machine shop inspector
Employment requirements
- Completion of secondary school is usually required.
- Completion of a four-year apprenticeship program or a combination of over four years of work experience in the trade and some college and industry courses in machining may be required for trade certification.
- Trade certification for machinists is available, but voluntary, in all provinces and territories.
- Trade certification for tool and gauge inspectors is available, but voluntary, in Ontario.
- Trade certification for machinists (CNC) is available, but voluntary, in New Brunswick, Quebec and Manitoba.
- Several years of experience as a machinist, tool and die maker or machining tool operator may be required for machining and tooling inspectors.
- Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified machinists upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.
Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors 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 | $21.00/hr | $30.00/hr | $41.50/hr |
Toronto ON | $17.60/hr | $30.00/hr | $41.67/hr |
Montréal QC | $19.00/hr | $26.00/hr | $35.00/hr |
Vancouver Lower Mainland region, BC | $25.00/hr | $39.00/hr | $46.00/hr |
Calgary AB | $17.00/hr | $40.00/hr | $48.08/hr |
Edmonton AB | $25.00/hr | $36.50/hr | $45.00/hr |
Ottawa ON | $21.00/hr | $30.00/hr | $40.85/hr |
Winnipeg MB | $19.00/hr | $28.00/hr | $40.00/hr |
Québec City Quebec region, QC | $21.00/hr | $27.50/hr | $38.00/hr |
Hamilton Hamilton–Niagara Peninsula region, ON | $23.50/hr | $32.00/hr | $36.00/hr |
Kitchener-Waterloo Kitchener–Waterloo–Barrie region, ON | $22.00/hr | $30.00/hr | $36.75/hr |
London ON | $22.00/hr | $32.00/hr | $36.00/hr |
Halifax NS | $24.45/hr | $32.18/hr | $40.74/hr |
Victoria Vancouver Island and Coast region, BC | $30.24/hr | $39.96/hr | $48.46/hr |
Saskatoon Saskatoon–Biggar region, SK | $28.85/hr | $35.75/hr | $45.00/hr |
Regina Regina–Moose Mountain region, SK | $30.00/hr | $35.00/hr | $38.00/hr |
| Where | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
Newfoundland and Labrador | $20.00/hr | $30.00/hr | $39.00/hr |
Nova Scotia | $21.00/hr | $31.00/hr | $47.12/hr |
New Brunswick | $20.00/hr | $30.00/hr | $36.00/hr |
Quebec | $21.00/hr | $27.50/hr | $38.00/hr |
Ontario | $21.00/hr | $30.00/hr | $40.85/hr |
Manitoba | $19.00/hr | $28.00/hr | $40.00/hr |
Saskatchewan | $28.85/hr | $35.00/hr | $45.00/hr |
Alberta | $25.00/hr | $36.50/hr | $45.00/hr |
British Columbia | $25.00/hr | $38.00/hr | $46.29/hr |
Using NOC 72100 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 47 titles above are how the same work is named across employers.
Not in this group
Similar jobs classified under a different NOC code:
Frequently asked questions
What is the NOC code for machinists and machining and tooling inspectors?
Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors are NOC 2021 unit group 72100. Example job titles in this group include automotive machinist, aviation machinist, general machinist, machine shop inspector.
What TEER is NOC 72100?
NOC 72100 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 machinists and machining and tooling inspectors earn in Canada?
Job Bank's 2025 wage data puts the median at $30.00/hr, about $59,000 a year full-time, with a range of $21.00/hr to $41.50/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.