NOC 94121: Pulp mill, papermaking and finishing machine operators

Pulp mill and papermaking and finishing machine operators operate and monitor various types of processing machinery and equipment to produce pulp and assist papermaking and coating control operators to produce, coat and finish paper. They are employed by pulp and paper companies.

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 94121 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 94121

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:

• Operate and monitor paper mill, papermaking and finishing process machinery and equipment such as screening equipment, bleaching equipment, digesters, mixing tanks, and washers to carry out one or more cellulose processing steps and equipment such as dryers, laminators, cutters, coaters, calenders and hoists to carry out one or more papermaking and finishing process steps
• Observe equipment and machinery panel indicators, gauges, level indicators and other equipment instruments to detect machinery and equipment malfunctions and ensure process steps are carried out according to specifications
• Communicate with pulping, papermaking and coating control operators to make process adjustments and start up or shut down machinery and equipment as required
• Collect processing samples and conduct titration tests, pH readings, specific density tests and other routine tests on pulp and solutions
• Inspect paper visually for wrinkles, holes, discolouration, streaks or other defects and take corrective action
• Complete and maintain production reports.

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

Example job titles

• assistant bleacher operator - pulp and paper
• assistant coating operator - pulp and paper
• calender operator - pulp and paper
• cook - pulp and paper
• digester operator - pulp and paper
• embossing calender operator - pulp and paper
• fourth hand - pulp and paper
• graderman/woman - pulp and paper
• grinderman/woman - pulp and paper
• paper machine operator
• paper-coating machine operator
• refiner operator - pulp and paper
• sheeter operator - pulp and paper
• thermomechanical pulp assistant operator
• thermomechanical pulp operator
• winder operator - pulp and paper
• winderman/woman - pulp and paper

Employment requirements

• Completion of secondary school is required.
• A college diploma in forest products processing or a related subject may be required.
• Completion of several weeks of formal company training and/or on-the-job training is required.
• Previous experience as a labourer within the same company is usually required.
• A certificate in industrial first aid may be required.
• A competency certificate in natural gas may be required.

Similar jobs with a different code

• 95103Labourers in wood, pulp and paper processing
• 94122Paper converting machine operators
• 93102Pulping, papermaking and coating control operators
• 92014Supervisors, forest products processing