NOC 72602: Deck officers, water transport
What deck officers, water transport do
Deck officers, water transport, operate and command ships or self-propelled vessels to transport passengers and cargo on oceans and coastal and inland waters, and supervise and coordinate the activities of deck crews. This unit group also includes Canadian Coast Guard deck officers. They are employed by marine transportation companies and federal government departments. Apprentices are also included in this unit group.
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Command and operate ships or other self-propelled vessels, such as barges or oil rigs, to transport passengers and cargo
- Command and operate coast guard vessels to provide ice-breaking and search and rescue services, and to maintain control over ships operating in Canadian waters
- Board vessels at berth or from pilot boats to advise ships' captains on the course to steer for safe passage into and out of ports, seaways or other waterways under pilotage authority
- Plan and execute safe navigational passage using navigational aids
- Determine geographical position using navigational instruments, maps and charts
- Guide vessels in rivers, canals, and other confined or hazardous waters and waterways
- Maintain vessels' navigational instruments and equipment
- Direct and oversee the loading and unloading of cargo
- Supervise and coordinate the activities of deck crews
- Record vessel progress, crew activities, weather and sea conditions in the ship's log.
Job titles under NOC 72602
70 job titles are classified here, including Coast Guard vessel first watchkeeping officer, Coast Guard vessel navigation officer, Coast Guard vessel watchkeeping officer.
- apprentice master - minor waters
- captain - water transport
- Coast Guard vessel chief officer
- Coast Guard vessel commanding officer
- Coast Guard vessel first watchkeeping officer
- Coast Guard vessel navigation officer
- Coast Guard vessel second officer
- Coast Guard vessel second watchkeeping officer
- Coast Guard vessel third officer
- Coast Guard vessel third watchkeeping officer
- Coast Guard vessel watchkeeping officer
- commanding officer - water transport
- deck officer - cadet
- deck officer - water transport
- dredge captain
- dredge commanding officer
- dredge mate
- ferryboat captain
- ferryboat first mate
- ferryboat master
- ferryboat operator
- first mate - inland waters
- foreign-going first mate
- foreign-going second mate
Employment requirements
- Completion of secondary school is required.
- Completion of deck officer cadet program from an approved nautical institute or One to three years of experience as a member of a deck crew is required.
- A deck officer certificate of competency, issued by Transport Canada, is required.
- For ship pilots, a ship pilot licence and a master certificate of competency are required.
Deck officers, water transport 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 | $24.33/hr | $41.36/hr | $72.12/hr |
Montréal QC | $26.42/hr | $45.78/hr | $72.06/hr |
Vancouver Lower Mainland region, BC | $25.00/hr | $49.97/hr | $66.46/hr |
Ottawa ON | $17.60/hr | $38.46/hr | $57.69/hr |
Québec City Quebec region, QC | $23.75/hr | $45.67/hr | $60.00/hr |
Hamilton Hamilton–Niagara Peninsula region, ON | $17.60/hr | $38.46/hr | $57.69/hr |
Halifax NS | $26.05/hr | $45.03/hr | $66.66/hr |
Victoria Vancouver Island and Coast region, BC | $23.00/hr | $40.75/hr | $58.82/hr |
| Where | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
Newfoundland and Labrador | $23.08/hr | $40.00/hr | $70.19/hr |
Nova Scotia | $26.05/hr | $45.03/hr | $66.66/hr |
New Brunswick | $23.63/hr | $40.01/hr | $70.08/hr |
Quebec | $23.75/hr | $45.67/hr | $60.00/hr |
Ontario | $17.60/hr | $38.46/hr | $57.69/hr |
Alberta | $28.78/hr | $44.92/hr | $62.71/hr |
British Columbia | $23.50/hr | $42.00/hr | $60.50/hr |
Using NOC 72602 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 70 titles above are how the same work is named across employers.
Not in this group
Similar jobs classified under a different NOC code:
- Engineer officers, water transport (NOC 72603)
- Fishing masters and officers (NOC 83120)
- Shore captain - water transport (NOC 70020)
- Water transport deck and engine room crew (NOC 74201)
Frequently asked questions
What is the NOC code for deck officers, water transport?
Deck officers, water transport are NOC 2021 unit group 72602. Example job titles in this group include Coast Guard vessel first watchkeeping officer, Coast Guard vessel navigation officer, Coast Guard vessel watchkeeping officer, deck officer - water transport.
What TEER is NOC 72602?
NOC 72602 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 deck officers, water transport earn in Canada?
Job Bank's 2025 wage data puts the median at $41.36/hr, about $81,000 a year full-time, with a range of $24.33/hr to $72.12/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.