Is NOC 72500 (Crane operators) a high-wage occupation for Express Entry?

Yes. From November 3, 2026, NOC 72500 is in the 1.3× tier of IRCC’s high-wage list, meaning its national median wage is at least 1.3 times, but less than 1.5 times, the median wage of the Canadian workforce (2023 to 2025 data).

How many CRS points does NOC 72500 give?

With 12 months or more of skilled Canadian work in NOC 72500, you add 20 points to your Canadian work-experience points. For example, a single candidate with 3 years of Canadian work goes from 64 to 84 points. A qualifying job offer in NOC 72500 is worth 50 points instead. You get the higher of the two routes, never both, capped at 150 points (140 with a spouse).

Do I need to earn 1.3× the median wage myself?

No. The tier comes from the occupation’s national median wage, not from your own salary. What matters is that your job’s main duties match NOC 72500 and that the work is skilled, paid, Canadian experience.

Can I combine months in different high-wage jobs?

Months here combine with months in any other high-wage occupation (1.3×, 1.5× or 2×) for the 20-point add-on.

Which Express Entry programs accept NOC 72500?

As a TEER 2 occupation it counts as skilled work for the Canadian Experience Class, the Federal Skilled Worker Program and the Federal Skilled Trades Program.

Which category draws include NOC 72500?

It is not on any of IRCC’s occupation category lists, so it does not qualify you for an occupation-based category draw.

1.3× median wageTEER 2NOC 2021 Version 1.0

NOC 72500: Crane operators

Crane operators operate cranes or draglines to lift, move, position or place machinery, equipment and other large objects at construction or industrial sites, ports, railway yards, surface mines and other similar locations. They are employed by construction, industrial, mining, cargo handling and railway companies. Apprentices are also included in this unit group.

Express Entry eligibility

Skilled work (TEER 0 to 3): yes, TEER 2.
Canadian Experience Class: counts as skilled Canadian work (1 year in the last 3 years).
Federal Skilled Worker Program: counts as skilled work (1 year of continuous work in the last 10 years).
Federal Skilled Trades Program: an eligible skilled trade (2 years in the last 5 years).
High-wage occupation (from November 3, 2026): yes, 1.3× tier.

TEER 2: Occupations that usually need a college diploma, an apprenticeship of 2 or more years, or supervisory duties. Every program has other requirements too, such as language test results and, for FSW, a points test.

Category-based draws

NOC 72500 is not on any of IRCC’s occupation category lists. You can still be invited in general, Canadian Experience Class or other program draws.

Category lists checked on canada.ca on 2026-10-17. IRCC category-based selection

CRS points for work in NOC 72500

With 12+ months of Canadian work here, from November 3, 2026, by years of skilled Canadian work:

Canadian work CRS points with 12 or more months in NOC 72500
Years in Canada	Single, today	Single, Nov 3	With spouse, today	With spouse, Nov 3
1	40	60	35	55
2	53	73	46	66
3	64	84	56	76
4	72	92	63	83
5 or more	80	100	70	90

See Canadian work points and the median-wage rule.

Main duties

This group performs some or all of the following duties:

Operate mobile and tower cranes to lift, move, position or place equipment and materials
Perform pre-operational inspection, and calculate crane capacities and weight to prepare for rigging and hoisting
Operate pile driving cranes to drive pilings into earth to provide support for buildings and other structures
Operate cranes equipped with dredging attachments to dredge waterways and other areas
Operate gantry cranes to load and unload ship cargo at port side
Operate locomotive cranes to move objects and materials at railway yards
Operate bridge or overhead cranes to lift, move and place plant machinery and materials
Operate offshore oil rig cranes to unload and reload supply vessels
Operate cranes mounted on boats or barges to lift, move and place equipment and materials
Operate dragline cranes to expose coal seams and ore deposits at open pit mines
May assemble tower cranes on site
Perform routine maintenance work such as cleaning and lubricating cranes.

For Express Entry your duties must match the lead statement and most of the main duties above.

Example job titles

boom truck crane operator
bridge crane operator
climbing crane operator
construction crane operator
crane operator
dragline crane operator
gantry crane operator
hoist operator (except underground mining)
mobile crane operator
tower crane operator
tractor crane operator

Employment requirements

Completion of secondary school is usually required.
Completion of a one- to three-year apprenticeship program or Industry courses in crane operating are usually required.
Mobile crane operator trade certification, for specified types of cranes, is compulsory in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia and available, but voluntary, in all other provinces and the Northwest Territories.
Tower crane operator trade certification is compulsory in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia and available, but voluntary, in Prince Edward Island.
Hoist operator trade certification, for specified types of cranes, is compulsory in Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia and is available, but voluntary, in New Brunswick, Saskatchewan, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.
Mobile crane operators may require a provincial licence to drive mobile cranes on public roads.
Internal company certification as a crane operator may be required by some employers.
Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified mobile crane and tower crane operators upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.

Similar jobs with a different code

Common questions

Is NOC 72500 (Crane operators) a high-wage occupation for Express Entry?: Yes. From November 3, 2026, NOC 72500 is in the 1.3× tier of IRCC’s high-wage list, meaning its national median wage is at least 1.3 times, but less than 1.5 times, the median wage of the Canadian workforce (2023 to 2025 data).
How many CRS points does NOC 72500 give?: With 12 months or more of skilled Canadian work in NOC 72500, you add 20 points to your Canadian work-experience points. For example, a single candidate with 3 years of Canadian work goes from 64 to 84 points. A qualifying job offer in NOC 72500 is worth 50 points instead. You get the higher of the two routes, never both, capped at 150 points (140 with a spouse).
Do I need to earn 1.3× the median wage myself?: No. The tier comes from the occupation’s national median wage, not from your own salary. What matters is that your job’s main duties match NOC 72500 and that the work is skilled, paid, Canadian experience.
Can I combine months in different high-wage jobs?: Months here combine with months in any other high-wage occupation (1.3×, 1.5× or 2×) for the 20-point add-on.
Which Express Entry programs accept NOC 72500?: As a TEER 2 occupation it counts as skilled work for the Canadian Experience Class, the Federal Skilled Worker Program and the Federal Skilled Trades Program.
Which category draws include NOC 72500?: It is not on any of IRCC’s occupation category lists, so it does not qualify you for an occupation-based category draw.

Other 1.3× high-wage occupations

More in technical trades and transportation officers and controllers

Find any NOC code · All high-wage occupations · Source: Statistics Canada, NOC 2021 Version 1.0

See your CRS score with NOC 72500

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