NOC 94105 · Occupations in manufacturing and utilities

NOC 94105: Metalworking and forging machine operators

TEER

High school and on-the-job training

Median wage (Canada)

$25.00/hr

≈ $49,000/yr full-time

Express Entry (FSW, CEC)

Not skilled (TEER 4–5)

Per IRCC’s TEER rule

What metalworking and forging machine operators do

Light metalworking machine operators operate metalworking machines which shape and form sheet or other light metal into parts or products. Heavy metalworking machine operators operate metalworking machines which shape and form steel or other heavy metal into parts or products. Forging machine operators operate forging machines to form and shape metal into various shapes and sizes and impart desired strength, hardness or other characteristics. Light metalworking machine operators are employed by sheet metal products manufacturing companies, sheet metal shops and other light metal products manufacturing establishments. Heavy metalworking machine operators are employed by structural steel fabrication, boiler and platework manufacturing companies, heavy machinery manufacturing companies and in the shipbuilding industry. Forging machine operators are employed primarily in the fabricated metal products, machinery and transportation equipment manufacturing industries.

Main duties

This group performs some or all of the following duties:

Metalworking machine operators
Read specifications or follow verbal instructions
Lay out, set up and operate one or more light or heavy metalworking machines such as shears, power presses, saws, plate rolls, drills, brakes, slitters, punch presses, computer numerically controlled (CNC) equipment, and other hand tools to cut, bend, roll, ream, punch and drill, weld or otherwise shape and form metal stock into parts or products
Operate machines or equipment which weld, solder, bolt, screw or rivet metal parts together
Check products for correct shapes, dimensions and other specifications
Troubleshoot and perform corrective action or minor repairs
May select and transport material to work area manually or using crane or hoist
May document work completed
May build staging or erect scaffolding as required for heavy metalworking jobs
May clean or lubricate equipment and replace parts as required.
Forging machine operators
Operate gas or oil fired furnaces to heat metal to proper temperature prior to forging
Place metal pieces in furnace using hand tongs or overhead cranes and remove from furnace when colour of metal indicates proper forging temperature, or load and unload furnace with automatic conveyor
Position heated or cold metal pieces, on die of press or other forging machinery
Operate presses or other forging machines to perform hot or cold forging by flattening, straightening, twisting, forming, drawing, upsetting, splitting, cutting, punching, piercing, bending, coining, or other operations to shape or form metal
Position and adjust dies on anvil of forging machinery using overhead cranes or other hoisting devices and hand tools.

Job titles under NOC 94105

168 job titles are classified here, including bending press operator - metal fabrication, cold press operator - metal forging, disk flange operator - metal fabrication.

acetylene torch operator - metal fabrication
air hammer operator - metal forging
aluminum sheet cutter - ductwork
aluminum sheet cutter - metal fabrication
aluminum sheet trimmer - ductwork
angle shear operator - metal fabrication
arc cutter - metal fabrication
automatic cut-off operator - metal fabrication
automatic cut-off saw operator - metal products manufacturing
bender set-up operator - metal products manufacturing
bending machine operator - metal forging
bending machine set-up operator - metal fabrication
bending machine tender - metal fabrication
bending machine tender - metal products manufacturing
bending press operator - metal fabrication
bending roll operator - metal fabrication
board drop hammer operator
board hammer operator - metal forging
brake setter - metalworking
buffing line setter
buffing machine set-up operator - metal fabrication
burning machine operator - metal fabrication
burning table operator - metal fabrication
cage builder - metal fabrication

Employment requirements

Completion of secondary school education may be required.
Previous experience as a labourer or helper in the same company may be required.
On-the-job training is usually provided.

Metalworking and forging machine operators 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	$19.00/hr	$25.00/hr	$34.68/hr
Toronto ON	$20.00/hr	$25.00/hr	$32.37/hr
Montréal QC	$19.75/hr	$23.68/hr	$30.73/hr
Vancouver Lower Mainland region, BC	$17.85/hr	$30.00/hr	$35.00/hr
Calgary AB	$21.71/hr	$27.93/hr	$41.61/hr
Edmonton AB	$21.98/hr	$27.59/hr	$35.95/hr
Ottawa ON	$21.41/hr	$25.59/hr	$31.43/hr
Winnipeg MB	$20.11/hr	$21.75/hr	$32.00/hr
Québec City Quebec region, QC	$20.00/hr	$27.60/hr	$37.77/hr
Hamilton Hamilton–Niagara Peninsula region, ON	$19.00/hr	$24.91/hr	$34.30/hr
Kitchener-Waterloo Kitchener–Waterloo–Barrie region, ON	$18.00/hr	$22.00/hr	$29.00/hr
London ON	$20.00/hr	$25.00/hr	$30.00/hr
Halifax NS	$18.36/hr	$23.01/hr	$27.78/hr
Victoria Vancouver Island and Coast region, BC	$23.26/hr	$28.15/hr	$34.32/hr
Saskatoon Saskatoon–Biggar region, SK	$21.56/hr	$24.87/hr	$32.09/hr
Regina Regina–Moose Mountain region, SK	$21.00/hr	$24.00/hr	$45.18/hr

By province and territory
Where	Low	Median	High
Nova Scotia	$16.62/hr	$19.49/hr	$28.12/hr
New Brunswick	$15.65/hr	$20.00/hr	$24.00/hr
Quebec	$20.00/hr	$27.60/hr	$37.77/hr
Ontario	$19.00/hr	$24.91/hr	$31.50/hr
Manitoba	$20.00/hr	$21.75/hr	$32.00/hr
Saskatchewan	$20.00/hr	$24.00/hr	$45.18/hr
Alberta	$18.50/hr	$28.00/hr	$52.10/hr
British Columbia	$24.25/hr	$30.00/hr	$35.00/hr

Using NOC 94105 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 168 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:

Sheet metal workers (NOC 72102)
Structural metal and platework fabricators and fitters (NOC 72104)
Supervisors, other mechanical and metal products manufacturing (NOC 92023)

Frequently asked questions

What is the NOC code for metalworking and forging machine operators?

Metalworking and forging machine operators are NOC 2021 unit group 94105. Example job titles in this group include bending press operator - metal fabrication, cold press operator - metal forging, disk flange operator - metal fabrication, drop hammer operator - metal forging.

What TEER is NOC 94105?

NOC 94105 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.