Canada job guide
Construction manager in Canada: your Express Entry path
Picture yourself running the building projects of a country that needs homes and infrastructure, with a new life for your family. Construction managers (NOC 70010, TEER 0) are on IRCC's 2026 trades list: 12 months of this work in the last 3 years, in Canada or abroad, puts you in the trades draws as well as the regular rounds. There is one surprise: although you are in the trades draws, you cannot use the Federal Skilled Trades program, so you get into the pool through Federal Skilled Worker or Canadian Experience Class.
At a glance
- Occupation
- Construction managers · NOC 70010 · TEER 0
- Express Entry group
- Trades
- Latest trades round
- October 1, 2026, cut-off 476
- Median wage in Canada
- $48.72 an hour Job Bank, wages updated November 19, 2025
Your way into the Express Entry pool
Every invitation needs a profile in the Express Entry pool. Construction managers qualify through:
- Federal Skilled Worker. Experience must be in a TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 job; construction management is TEER 0.
- Canadian Experience Class. For skilled work experience already gained in Canada.
The Federal Skilled Trades program covers NOC major groups 72, 73, 82, 83, 92 and 93 (with some exclusions), minor group 6320 and unit group 62200. Construction managers are in major group 70, which is not on that list.
The trades draws
Trades draws rank only people with recent experience in one of the 25 listed trade jobs, and construction managers are one of them. The panel above shows the latest one and its cut-off. You need at least 12 months of full-time work (or the same part-time) as a construction manager within the last 3 years. The months do not have to be in a row, and the work must match the NOC description of the job.
No licence in general
Construction management is not a licensed occupation in general. Job Bank lists a regulator only in Alberta, and only for residential construction site managers. The NOC says the usual background is a civil engineering degree or a construction technology diploma plus several years of construction experience, and that some employers may ask for professional engineering status or a trade certificate.
What construction managers earn
The panel above shows Job Bank's median hourly wage for construction managers across Canada, with pay by province and region on Job Bank.
What to do next
Frequently asked questions
- Can I use the Federal Skilled Trades program as a construction manager?
No. That program does not cover NOC major group 70. Use Federal Skilled Worker or Canadian Experience Class; you can still be invited in the trades draws.
- Do I need a licence to work as a construction manager?
Not in general. Alberta regulates residential construction site managers, and some employers ask for engineering status or a trade certificate.
- Does my experience abroad count for the trades draws?
Yes. The trades category counts experience in Canada or abroad, as long as you have 12 months in the last 3 years.
Last updated October 21, 2026