NOC 94100: Machine operators, mineral and metal processing

Machine operators in mineral and metal processing operate machinery to process mineral ore and metal. They are employed in mineral ore and metal processing plants such as copper, lead and zinc refineries, uranium processing plants, steel mills, aluminum plants, precious metal refineries and cement processing plants.

Express Entry eligibility

• Skilled work (TEER 0 to 3): no, TEER 4 does not count for Express Entry.
• Canadian Experience Class: does not count.
• Federal Skilled Worker Program: does not count.
• Federal Skilled Trades Program: not one of the eligible trades.
• High-wage occupation (from November 3, 2026): no. No high-wage add-on, and a job offer in it earns no CRS points.

TEER 4: Occupations that usually need a high school diploma or several weeks of on-the-job training. Every program has other requirements too, such as language test results and, for FSW, a points test.

Category-based draws

NOC 94100 is not on any of IRCC’s occupation category lists. You can still be invited in general, Canadian Experience Class or other program draws if you qualify through other experience.

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

CRS points for work in NOC 94100

None. Work in TEER 4 and 5 occupations earns no Canadian work points in the CRS.

See Canadian work points and the median-wage rule.

Main duties

This group performs some or all of the following duties:

• Set up, prepare and adjust mineral ore, metal and cement processing machinery to carry out one step in the overall mineral ore or metal processing operation
• Operate single-function machinery to grind, separate, filter, mix, treat, cast, roll, refine or otherwise process mineral ores
• Observe gauges, meters, computer printouts, video monitors and products to ensure correct operation of machinery and verify processing conditions
• Make adjustments to machinery as required
• Record production information and complete reports
• May assist with machinery maintenance or repair.

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

Example job titles

• aluminum classifier
• asbestos dryer
• billet heater
• brick and tile crusher operator
• cement miller
• extrusion press operator
• foil-winding machine operator
• ladle pourer
• lead refiner
• lime kiln operator
• mica sheet laminator
• quenching car operator
• scrap metal shredder
• sintering machine operator
• slurry equipment operator
• steel roller
• uranium classifier operator
• zinc cell operator

Employment requirements

• Completion of secondary school is usually required.
• On-the-job training is provided.
• Experience as a labourer in mineral and metal processing is usually required for machine operators.

Similar jobs with a different code

• 93100Central control and process operators, mineral and metal processing
• 94103Concrete, clay and stone forming operators
• 94101Foundry workers
• 94102Glass forming and finishing machine operators and glass cutters
• 94104Inspectors and testers, mineral and metal processing
• 95100Labourers in mineral and metal processing
• 92010Supervisors, mineral and metal processing