Is NOC 72602 (Deck officers, water transport) a high-wage occupation for Express Entry?

Yes. From November 3, 2026, NOC 72602 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 72602 give?

With 12 months or more of skilled Canadian work in NOC 72602, 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 72602 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 72602 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 72602?

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

Which category draws include NOC 72602?

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 72602: Deck officers, water transport

Deck officers, water transport, operate and command ships or self-propelled vessels to transport passengers and cargo on oceans and coastal and inland waters, and supervise and coordinate the activities of deck crews. This unit group also includes Canadian Coast Guard deck officers. They are employed by marine transportation companies and federal government departments. 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: not one of the eligible trades.
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 72602 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 72602

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 72602
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:

Command and operate ships or other self-propelled vessels, such as barges or oil rigs, to transport passengers and cargo
Command and operate coast guard vessels to provide ice-breaking and search and rescue services, and to maintain control over ships operating in Canadian waters
Board vessels at berth or from pilot boats to advise ships' captains on the course to steer for safe passage into and out of ports, seaways or other waterways under pilotage authority
Plan and execute safe navigational passage using navigational aids
Determine geographical position using navigational instruments, maps and charts
Guide vessels in rivers, canals, and other confined or hazardous waters and waterways
Maintain vessels' navigational instruments and equipment
Direct and oversee the loading and unloading of cargo
Supervise and coordinate the activities of deck crews
Record vessel progress, crew activities, weather and sea conditions in the ship's log.

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

Example job titles

Coast Guard vessel first watchkeeping officer
Coast Guard vessel navigation officer
Coast Guard vessel watchkeeping officer
deck officer - water transport
ferryboat master
master mariner
ship pilot
ship second mate
ship third mate
ship's captain
ship's mate
tugboat captain

Employment requirements

Completion of secondary school is required.
Completion of deck officer cadet program from an approved nautical institute or One to three years of experience as a member of a deck crew is required.
A deck officer certificate of competency, issued by Transport Canada, is required.
For ship pilots, a ship pilot licence and a master certificate of competency are required.

Similar jobs with a different code

Common questions

Is NOC 72602 (Deck officers, water transport) a high-wage occupation for Express Entry?: Yes. From November 3, 2026, NOC 72602 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 72602 give?: With 12 months or more of skilled Canadian work in NOC 72602, 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 72602 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 72602 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 72602?: As a TEER 2 occupation it counts as skilled work for the Canadian Experience Class and the Federal Skilled Worker Program.
Which category draws include NOC 72602?: 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 72602

Quick CRS adds up every factor and shows your score under today’s rules and the rules from November 3, 2026, side by side. Free, about 3 minutes.

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