NOC 94152: Binding and finishing machine operators

Binding and finishing machine operators set up, operate or oversee the operation of machines, equipment or computerized units that bind and finish printed material. Workers who perform finishing operations in the paper, carton and packaging industries, as well as those who encode and stamp plastic cards, are included in this unit group. They are employed by binderies, commercial printing companies, newspapers, magazines, and other publishing companies, and establishments in both the public and private sectors that have in-house printing, binding and finishing departments.

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 94152 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 94152

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 and operate specialized equipment and machines that cut, fold, gather and bind or finish brochures, pamphlets, business forms, magazines, books and other printed material
• Set up and operate specialized equipment and machines that die cut, emboss, imprint, laminate, heat stamp and perform other finishing operations on printed material
• Perform pre-production runs of binding or finishing jobs to verify output and to ensure that product specifications are met
• Operate automatic and semi-automatic equipment and machines to bind or finish print material according to specifications
• Pack, weigh and stack bound and finished products on pallet for shipment
• May repair and rebind damaged or worn books.

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

Example job titles

• binder - printing
• binder and finisher
• bindery operator
• bookbinding machine operator
• Cerlox binder operator
• cutter operator - printing
• finishing machine operator - printing
• foil stamper - printing
• gathering machine set-up operator - printing
• gold leaf stamper
• laminating machine operator
• machine bookbinder
• perforator operator - printing
• stitcher operator - printing

Employment requirements

• Completion of secondary school is usually required.
• Completion of a college program in graphic arts technology or a combination of on-the-job training and specialized college, industry or other courses may be required.

Similar jobs with a different code

• 95109Feeder - printing
• 53124Hand bookbinder
• 95109Offbearer - printing
• 95109Pocket-folding machine feeder-loader - printing
• 73401Printing press operators
• 72022Supervisors, printing and related occupations