National Occupational Classification, TEER 2
NOC 72021: Contractors and supervisors, heavy equipment operator crews
Contractors and supervisors of heavy equipment operator crews supervise and coordinate the activities of workers classified in the following unit groups: Crane operators (72500), Water well drillers (72501), Heavy equipment operators (73400), Drillers and blasters - surface mining, quarrying and construction (73402), Railway yard and track maintenance workers (74200), Public works maintenance equipment operators and related workers (74205), Longshore workers (75100), Material handlers (75101), and Public works and maintenance labourers (75212). Below are the main duties, all 111 job titles it covers, what it means for Express Entry and what it pays in each province.
Updated
- Official NOC 2021 data
- Job Bank wages
What is NOC 72021?
NOC 72021 is the code for contractors and supervisors, heavy equipment operator crews in the National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021. Job titles in this group include demolition foreman/woman, drilling and blasting foreman/woman - construction, excavating contractor and heavy equipment operators supervisor. It is a TEER 2 occupation (usually a college diploma, an apprenticeship of 2 or more years, or a supervisory role), so it counts as skilled work for the Federal Skilled Worker Program and the Canadian Experience Class. The Job Bank median wage across Canada is $38.46 an hour.
- NOC code
- 72021
- TEER
- 2: College diploma or apprenticeship of 2+ years
- Broad category
- Trades, transport and equipment operators and related occupations
- Express Entry
- Skilled (TEER 0 to 3)
- Category draws
- None
- Median wage
- $38.46 an hour
Job titles under NOC 72021
Contractors and supervisors of heavy equipment operator crews supervise and coordinate the activities of workers classified in the following unit groups: Crane operators (72500), Water well drillers (72501), Heavy equipment operators (73400), Drillers and blasters - surface mining, quarrying and construction (73402), Railway yard and track maintenance workers (74200), Public works maintenance equipment operators and related workers (74205), Longshore workers (75100), Material handlers (75101), and Public works and maintenance labourers (75212). They are employed in a wide range of establishments; places of employment are indicated in the above unit group descriptions. Contractors may be self-employed.
Main job titles
- demolition foreman/woman
- drilling and blasting foreman/woman - construction
- excavating contractor
- heavy equipment operators supervisor
- logging road construction foreman/woman
- oil field construction supervisor
- paving contractor
- pipeline construction supervisor
- railway gang foreman/woman
- railway section foreman/woman
- railway track maintenance foreman/woman
- road maintenance foreman/woman
- track foreman/woman - railway
- water well drilling supervisor
All 111 job titles in the NOC index
airport road paving foreman/woman, airport runways road foreman/woman, asphalt paving foreman/woman, asphalt paving labour gang foreman/woman, blasters foreman/woman - construction, bridge and highway construction gang foreman/woman, bridge construction foreman/woman, building mover contractor, building movers foreman/woman, building moving foreman/woman, building wrecking contractor, building wrecking foreman/woman, cargo handling supervisor, concrete paving foreman/woman, concrete-laying gang foreman/woman, concrete-paving labour gang foreman/woman, construction gang foreman/woman, construction site foreman/woman, crane crew foreman/woman, demolition contractor, demolition foreman/woman, ditching foreman/woman, dock foreman/woman - marine cargo, dredgemaster - construction, dredging equipment operators foreman/woman, dredging foreman/woman, drilling and blasting foreman/woman - construction, dynamiters foreman/woman - construction, dynamiting foreman/woman - construction, excavating and grading labour foreman/woman, excavating contractor, excavating equipment operators foreman/woman, excavating, grading and paving foreman/woman, excavating, grading and related work foreman/woman, excavations superintendent, excavator foreman/woman, foreman/woman, railway maintenance-of-way, freight handling foreman/woman, freight loading foreman/woman, freight terminal foreman/woman, general construction foreman/woman, general construction supervisor, grading equipment operators foreman/woman, heavy construction crew foreman/woman, heavy construction labourers foreman/woman, heavy equipment operators supervisor, heavy-duty equipment operators foreman/woman, highway and bridge maintenance road boss, highway construction boss, highway construction foreman/woman, highway maintenance foreman/woman, house mover contractor, house moving foreman/woman, labourers and other elemental workers foreman/woman - construction, loading and moving foreman/woman - construction, loading dock foreman/woman, logging road construction foreman/woman, logging road construction supervisor, longshore worker superintendent, longshore workers foreman/woman, longshoremen/women, stevedores and freight handlers foreman/woman, maintenance-of-way foreman/woman, oil field construction foreman/woman, oil field construction supervisor, pavers and surfacers foreman/woman, paving contractor, paving foreman/woman, paving gang road boss, paving, surfacing and related work foreman/woman, pier foreman/woman, pipe laying contractor, pipeline construction supervisor, pipeline installation supervisor, pipelines construction foreman/woman, public works maintenance equipment operators supervisor, public works road maintenance labourer supervisor, railway construction and maintenance superintendent, railway gang foreman/woman, railway section foreman/woman, railway track laying foreman/woman, railway track maintenance foreman/woman, railway track section boss, railwaymen/women foreman/woman, road construction boss, road construction foreman/woman, road gang foreman/woman, road maintenance foreman/woman, roadmaster - railway, runway paving foreman/woman, sewer construction foreman/woman, sewer installation foreman/woman, shed foreman/woman - construction, stevedores foreman/woman, stevedoring foreman/woman, storage foreman/woman, streetcar track foreman/woman, strip mine blasting foreman/woman, supervisor of public works road maintenance workers, surface mine blasting foreman/woman, tarmac paving foreman/woman, track boss - railway, track foreman/woman - railway, water well drilling contractor, water well drilling foreman/woman, water well drilling supervisor, waterworks construction foreman/woman, well digging contractor, well digging supervisor, well drilling contractor, well drilling supervisor, wrecking crew foreman/woman.
Main duties of NOC 72021
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Supervise, coordinate and schedule the activities of workers who operate cranes and construction, paving, drilling, railway maintenance and other similar heavy equipment
- Establish methods to meet work schedules and coordinate work activities with other project supervisors or managers
- Requisition materials and supplies
- Resolve work problems and recommend measures to improve productivity
- Train or arrange for training of workers
- Recommend personnel actions such as hirings and promotions
- Prepare production and other reports
- May manage the operations of own company
- May also supervise, coordinate and schedule the activities of related apprentices, helpers and labourers
- Small businesses' contractors may execute tasks within their trade area of expertise, which is generally not the case for supervisors or contractors associated with a medium or large business.
Employment requirements
- Completion of secondary school is usually required.
- Several years of experience in the occupation supervised is required.
- Journeyman/woman trade certification in a relevant trade may be required.
Additional information
- There is some mobility between occupations classified in this unit group.
Is NOC 72021 eligible for Express Entry?
Yes for the programs that need skilled work: TEER 2 is in the TEER 0 to 3 range IRCC accepts.
| Program or draw | NOC 72021 |
|---|---|
| Federal Skilled Worker Program | Counts as skilled work (TEER 0 to 3) |
| Canadian Experience Class | Counts as skilled work (TEER 0 to 3) |
| Federal Skilled Trades Program | A listed skilled trade |
| Occupation category draws (2026) | Not on any occupation list |
| French-language proficiency (category draw) | Open to any occupation with NCLC 7 in French |
Read how TEER categories work and the full list of NOC codes in each 2026 category draw. Category draws also need at least 12 months of full-time work (or the same amount part-time) in one listed occupation within the past 3 years.
How much does NOC 72021 pay?
Job Bank wages for this occupation, per hour. Low and high are, in most cases, the 10th and 90th percentiles, so 8 in 10 workers earn somewhere between them.
| Area | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | $26.92 | $38.46 | $55.00 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $19.23 | $29.97 | $46.15 |
| Prince Edward Island | $19.00 | $25.00 | $38.46 |
| Nova Scotia | $22.00 | $30.77 | $43.00 |
| New Brunswick | $22.50 | $31.00 | $45.00 |
| Quebec | $29.00 | $38.70 | $48.08 |
| Ontario | $27.00 | $40.00 | $55.00 |
| Manitoba | $26.40 | $33.00 | $53.85 |
| Saskatchewan | $24.04 | $34.00 | $52.88 |
| Alberta | $27.05 | $39.50 | $58.73 |
| British Columbia | $30.00 | $41.79 | $62.35 |
| Yukon | $28.52 | $45.70 | $59.35 |
| Northwest Territories | $32.56 | $48.67 | $63.64 |
Source: Job Bank, Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank 2025 wages, revised November 19, 2025), data from 2023-2024 (Labour Force Survey). Wages for job offers in LMIA and provincial programs are compared with these figures, so check the current numbers on Job Bank before you rely on them.
Using NOC 72021 duties on your resume
Canadian resumes do not list NOC codes. Employers read your job titles, what you did and what came of it. The NOC duties are still a useful checklist: if you did these tasks, say so in your own words and add the numbers that prove it.
For Express Entry, the reference letter from your employer should describe the duties you really performed, in line with this lead statement and most of the main duties, without copying the NOC text word for word. The free reference letter generator checks your duties against NOC 72021 as you write.
- Start each bullet with a strong verb and end it with a result: how many, how often, how fast.
- Use the job title your employer used, even if the NOC title is different.
- Keep immigration details such as your NOC code and permit type off the resume.
Turn my duties into a resume Free to start, no card.
Where this information comes from
Occupation codes, titles and descriptions are adapted from Statistics Canada, National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 Version 1.0. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.
Wages come from Job Bank, Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank 2025 wages, revised November 19, 2025). Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada.
Express Entry rules come from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC): the program pages for the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Canadian Experience Class and the Federal Skilled Trades Program, and the category-based selection page as modified on June 22, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
What is the NOC code for a demolition foreman/woman?
NOC 72021, Contractors and supervisors, heavy equipment operator crews, a TEER 2 occupation in NOC 2021.
What TEER is NOC 72021?
TEER 2. Usually a college diploma, an apprenticeship of 2 or more years, or a supervisory role. The TEER is the second digit of the code. See all TEER categories.
Is NOC 72021 eligible for Express Entry?
Yes. As a TEER 2 occupation it counts as skilled work for the Federal Skilled Worker Program and the Canadian Experience Class, and it is also a listed Federal Skilled Trades occupation. You still have to meet every other requirement, and your duties must match the NOC description.
Is NOC 72021 in an Express Entry category-based draw?
No. It is not on any 2026 occupation list. The French-language proficiency category is open to any occupation if you reach NCLC 7 in French. See every category.
How much does NOC 72021 pay in Canada?
The Job Bank median across Canada is $38.46 an hour, with most wages between $26.92 and $55.00. Pay varies by province: see the table above.
Where is the official description?
On the Statistics Canada and ESDC NOC site: search 72021 in NOC 2021 Version 1.0. This page shows the same text, from the open data Statistics Canada publishes.
Your duties fit. Now show employers.
CVMaple turns the work you did into a Canadian resume: the right format, strong bullets and the keywords Canadian applicant tracking systems look for.
More on NOC codes and Canadian resumes
- NOC Code Finder: Describe your duties and get your NOC 2021 code, TEER and Express Entry eligibility. Free.
- NOC Codes Canada: Full List: All 516 NOC 2021 codes with their TEER, duties and wages.
- TEER Categories Explained: What TEER 0 to 5 means, which count for Express Entry, and every job in each one.
- Express Entry Category Draws: NOC Codes: Every NOC code on the 2026 healthcare, STEM, trades, education and other lists.
- Canadian Resume Examples by Job: Real examples for cashiers, caregivers, trades, tech, students and more.
- Newcomer Resume Guide: Turn international experience into a resume Canadian employers understand.