NOC 94104 · Occupations in manufacturing and utilities

NOC 94104: Inspectors and testers, mineral and metal processing

TEER

High school and on-the-job training

Median wage (Canada)

$26.24/hr

≈ $51,000/yr full-time

Express Entry (FSW, CEC)

Not skilled (TEER 4–5)

Per IRCC’s TEER rule

What inspectors and testers, mineral and metal processing do

Inspectors and testers in mineral and metal processing inspect, grade, sample or test raw materials and products from mineral ore and metal processing operations. They are employed in mineral ore and metal processing plants such as copper, lead and zinc refineries, uranium processing plants, steel mills, aluminum plants, precious metal refineries, cement processing plants, clay, glass and stone processing plants and foundries.

Main duties

This group performs some or all of the following duties:

Inspect mineral ore, metal, cement, glass, clay or concrete products at various stages of processing to ensure adherence to specifications
Grade and label raw materials or finished products according to size, thickness, composition or other classification standards
Take samples of products during or after processing operation for routine analysis or for subsequent laboratory analysis
Test product for strength, density, durability and conformance to specifications
Advise supervisor or central control operator and process machine operators of problems and product deficiencies
Complete inspection and test reports.

Job titles under NOC 94104

66 job titles are classified here, including asbestos grader, brick and tile inspector, castings tester - primary metal and mineral products processing.

abrasive and clay products grader
abrasive wheel tester
anode adjuster - primary metal processing
asbestos classifier
asbestos fibre inspector and tester
asbestos grader
asbestos shingle inspector
brick and tile inspector
brick and tile tester
brick grader
castings inspector - foundry
castings tester - primary metal and mineral products processing
cell tester - primary metal processing
cement plant inspector
clay products grader
clay tile grader - mineral products processing
coke inspector - primary metal processing
coke sampler and tester - primary metal processing
concrete products inspector
concrete products tester
core inspector - foundry
core tester - foundry
electrolytic cell tester - primary metal processing
fibreglass tester

Employment requirements

Completion of secondary school is usually required.
Experience as a machine or process operator in mineral and metal processing is usually required.

Inspectors and testers, mineral and metal processing 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).

By city
Where	Low	Median	High
Canada	$19.50/hr	$26.24/hr	$40.12/hr
Québec City Quebec region, QC	$20.00/hr	$25.88/hr	$37.52/hr

By province and territory
Where	Low	Median	High
Quebec	$20.00/hr	$25.88/hr	$37.52/hr
Ontario	$18.65/hr	$25.00/hr	$36.25/hr
Alberta	$20.00/hr	$32.65/hr	$63.75/hr

Using NOC 94104 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 66 titles above are how the same work is named across employers.

Check your resume against a posting Find another NOC code

Not in this group

Similar jobs classified under a different NOC code:

Assayer - mineralogy (NOC 22101)
Central control and process operators, mineral and metal processing (NOC 93100)
Chemical technologists and technicians (NOC 22100)
Machine operators, mineral and metal processing (NOC 94100)
Metallurgical control analyst (NOC 22101)
Non-destructive testers and inspectors (NOC 22230)
Supervisors, mineral and metal processing (NOC 92010)

Frequently asked questions

What is the NOC code for inspectors and testers, mineral and metal processing?

Inspectors and testers, mineral and metal processing are NOC 2021 unit group 94104. Example job titles in this group include asbestos grader, brick and tile inspector, castings tester - primary metal and mineral products processing, clay products grader.

What TEER is NOC 94104?

NOC 94104 is TEER 4 (High school and on-the-job training). Usually requires completion of secondary school, or several weeks of on-the-job training. TEER 4 and 5 work does not count as skilled work experience for Express Entry’s Federal Skilled Worker or Canadian Experience Class programs.