NOC 72403: Railway carmen/women
What railway carmen/women do
Railway carmen/women inspect, troubleshoot, maintain and repair structural and mechanical components of railway freight, passenger and urban transit rail cars. They are employed by railway transport companies and urban transit systems. Apprentices are also included in this unit group.
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Inspect interior and exterior components of freight, passenger and urban transit rail cars to determine defects and extent of wear and damage
- Repair and install railway car parts such as compressors, air valves, bearings, couplings, air cylinders and piping
- Repair and maintain electrical and electronic controls for propulsion and braking systems
- Repair defective or damaged metal and wood components, using hand and power tools
- Repair and repaint wooden fixtures
- Replace damaged windows and repair upholstery
- Test and adjust parts using testing gauges and other test equipment
- Perform and document routine maintenance.
Job titles under NOC 72403
21 job titles are classified here, including rail vehicle mechanic, railway car inspector, railway carman/woman.
- air brake inspector - railway car
- apprentice carman/woman - railway
- car inspector - railway
- car repairer - railway
- car repairer apprentice - railway
- carman/woman - railway
- carman/woman inspector - railway
- inspector-carman/woman - railway
- rail vehicle mechanic
- railcar mechanic apprentice
- railway car brake inspector
- railway car inspector
- railway car wheel and axle inspector
- railway carman/woman
- railway carman/woman apprentice
- railway carman/woman inspector
- railway coach repairer
- railway equipment inspector
- streetcar and subway car mechanic
- streetcar mechanic
- subway car mechanic
Employment requirements
- Completion of secondary school is usually required.
- Completion of an industry-offered apprenticeship program or three to four years of on-the-job training is usually required.
- Trade certification is available, but voluntary, in Ontario, Manitoba and British Columbia.
Railway carmen/women 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 | $32.00/hr | $42.00/hr | $47.00/hr |
Toronto ON | $32.33/hr | $41.94/hr | $50.85/hr |
Montréal QC | $29.87/hr | $40.97/hr | $48.85/hr |
Vancouver Lower Mainland region, BC | $33.67/hr | $43.54/hr | $50.68/hr |
Calgary AB | $34.08/hr | $41.99/hr | $51.85/hr |
Edmonton AB | $33.01/hr | $41.48/hr | $51.75/hr |
Winnipeg MB | $35.00/hr | $44.00/hr | $47.07/hr |
Québec City Quebec region, QC | $30.07/hr | $41.48/hr | $52.44/hr |
Hamilton Hamilton–Niagara Peninsula region, ON | $30.26/hr | $39.21/hr | $46.70/hr |
Kitchener-Waterloo Kitchener–Waterloo–Barrie region, ON | $32.77/hr | $40.84/hr | $49.42/hr |
Saskatoon Saskatoon–Biggar region, SK | $30.11/hr | $40.17/hr | $47.05/hr |
| Where | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
New Brunswick | $33.18/hr | $42.32/hr | $51.47/hr |
Quebec | $30.07/hr | $41.48/hr | $52.44/hr |
Ontario | $29.88/hr | $40.13/hr | $47.12/hr |
Manitoba | $35.00/hr | $44.00/hr | $47.00/hr |
Saskatchewan | $32.00/hr | $42.79/hr | $45.00/hr |
Alberta | $36.00/hr | $40.00/hr | $40.00/hr |
British Columbia | $43.00/hr | $46.00/hr | $54.29/hr |
Using NOC 72403 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 21 titles above are how the same work is named across employers.
Not in this group
Similar jobs classified under a different NOC code:
- Locomotive mechanic (NOC 72401)
- Railway car repairer foreman/woman (NOC 72020)
Frequently asked questions
What is the NOC code for railway carmen/women?
Railway carmen/women are NOC 2021 unit group 72403. Example job titles in this group include rail vehicle mechanic, railway car inspector, railway carman/woman, railway carman/woman apprentice.
What TEER is NOC 72403?
NOC 72403 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 railway carmen/women earn in Canada?
Job Bank's 2025 wage data puts the median at $42.00/hr, about $82,000 a year full-time, with a range of $32.00/hr to $47.00/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.