NOC 94152: Binding and finishing machine operators
What binding and finishing machine operators do
Binding and finishing machine operators set up, operate or oversee the operation of machines, equipment or computerized units that bind and finish printed material. Workers who perform finishing operations in the paper, carton and packaging industries, as well as those who encode and stamp plastic cards, are included in this unit group. They are employed by binderies, commercial printing companies, newspapers, magazines, and other publishing companies, and establishments in both the public and private sectors that have in-house printing, binding and finishing departments.
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Set up and operate specialized equipment and machines that cut, fold, gather and bind or finish brochures, pamphlets, business forms, magazines, books and other printed material
- Set up and operate specialized equipment and machines that die cut, emboss, imprint, laminate, heat stamp and perform other finishing operations on printed material
- Perform pre-production runs of binding or finishing jobs to verify output and to ensure that product specifications are met
- Operate automatic and semi-automatic equipment and machines to bind or finish print material according to specifications
- Pack, weigh and stack bound and finished products on pallet for shipment
- May repair and rebind damaged or worn books.
Job titles under NOC 94152
86 job titles are classified here, including binder - printing, binder and finisher, bindery operator.
- assistant binder
- assistant bookbinder
- binder - printing
- binder and finisher
- binder and finisher - printing
- binder assistant
- bindery machine operator - printing
- bindery operator
- bindery worker - printing
- binding and finishing machine operator
- blocking press operator - printing
- blocking press stamper - printing
- book finisher - printing
- book trimmer
- bookbinder - printing
- bookbinder assistant
- bookbinding machine operator
- book-cutting machine operator
- book-sewing machine operator - printing
- bronzer - printing
- bronzing machine tender - printing
- casing-in machine set-up operator - printing
- casing-in machine tender - printing
- Cerlox binder operator
Employment requirements
- Completion of secondary school is usually required.
- Completion of a college program in graphic arts technology or a combination of on-the-job training and specialized college, industry or other courses may be required.
Binding and finishing 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).
| Where | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
Canada | $18.26/hr | $22.00/hr | $31.48/hr |
Toronto ON | $17.60/hr | $22.00/hr | $31.01/hr |
Montréal QC | $18.52/hr | $22.51/hr | $29.31/hr |
Vancouver Lower Mainland region, BC | $20.74/hr | $23.88/hr | $30.11/hr |
Calgary AB | $19.17/hr | $21.46/hr | $28.75/hr |
Edmonton AB | $19.24/hr | $21.49/hr | $27.65/hr |
Winnipeg MB | $18.26/hr | $20.50/hr | $24.00/hr |
Québec City Quebec region, QC | $19.35/hr | $23.17/hr | $30.49/hr |
Hamilton Hamilton–Niagara Peninsula region, ON | $19.00/hr | $22.26/hr | $27.47/hr |
Kitchener-Waterloo Kitchener–Waterloo–Barrie region, ON | $17.60/hr | $22.00/hr | $31.01/hr |
Victoria Vancouver Island and Coast region, BC | $18.22/hr | $21.60/hr | $26.46/hr |
Saskatoon Saskatoon–Biggar region, SK | $15.35/hr | $21.25/hr | $23.12/hr |
Regina Regina–Moose Mountain region, SK | $18.37/hr | $24.66/hr | $28.89/hr |
| Where | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
Nova Scotia | $17.95/hr | $21.87/hr | $27.21/hr |
New Brunswick | $18.04/hr | $23.47/hr | $27.68/hr |
Quebec | $19.35/hr | $23.17/hr | $30.49/hr |
Ontario | $17.60/hr | $22.00/hr | $31.01/hr |
Manitoba | $18.26/hr | $20.50/hr | $24.00/hr |
Saskatchewan | $18.13/hr | $22.93/hr | $28.09/hr |
Alberta | $19.48/hr | $22.50/hr | $27.09/hr |
British Columbia | $19.55/hr | $23.21/hr | $29.38/hr |
Using NOC 94152 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 86 titles above are how the same work is named across employers.
Not in this group
Similar jobs classified under a different NOC code:
- Feeder - printing (NOC 95109)
- Hand bookbinder (NOC 53124)
- Offbearer - printing (NOC 95109)
- Pocket-folding machine feeder-loader - printing (NOC 95109)
- Printing press operators (NOC 73401)
- Supervisors, printing and related occupations (NOC 72022)
Frequently asked questions
What is the NOC code for binding and finishing machine operators?
Binding and finishing machine operators are NOC 2021 unit group 94152. Example job titles in this group include binder - printing, binder and finisher, bindery operator, bookbinding machine operator.
What TEER is NOC 94152?
NOC 94152 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.
How much do binding and finishing machine operators earn in Canada?
Job Bank's 2025 wage data puts the median at $22.00/hr, about $43,000 a year full-time, with a range of $18.26/hr to $31.48/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.