Is this the same as a construction electrician?

No. Construction electricians are NOC 72200, a separate trade with its own Red Seal. Both are on the 2026 trades list.

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.

Canada job guide

Industrial electrician in Canada: your Express Entry path

Picture yourself keeping Canada's factories, mines and plants powered and running, with a new life for your family. Industrial electricians (NOC 72201, TEER 2) 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. Whether you need a certificate depends on the province: it is compulsory in Prince Edward Island, Quebec and Manitoba, voluntary in Ontario, and in Alberta the work falls under the compulsory Electrician trade.

At a glance

Occupation: Industrial electricians · NOC 72201 · TEER 2
Express Entry group: Trades
Latest trades round: October 1, 2026, cut-off 476
Median wage in Canada: $42.00 an hour Job Bank, wages updated November 19, 2025

Three ways into the Express Entry pool

A draw can only invite people already in the Express Entry pool, through one of three programs:

Federal Skilled Worker. Experience must be in a TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 job; this one is TEER 2.
Federal Skilled Trades. It covers NOC Major Group 72 except sub-major group 726, and 72201 sits in group 722, so it counts. You need at least 2 years of full-time work (3,120 hours) in the trade within the last 5 years, plus either a full-time job offer of at least 1 year or a Canadian certificate of qualification in the trade.
Canadian Experience Class. For skilled work experience already gained in Canada.

The trades draws

Trades draws rank only people with recent experience in a listed trade. 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 an industrial electrician 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.

Certification, province by province

Industrial Electrician is a Red Seal trade in most provinces and territories, but not in Alberta or Saskatchewan.

Ontario: a non-compulsory trade, with a Certificate of Qualification for those who pass the certifying exam. The apprenticeship is about 9,000 hours, and Skilled Trades Ontario's Trade Equivalency Assessment asks for experience at least equal to that before you can challenge the exam.
Alberta: there is no separate industrial electrician trade. Alberta's Electrician trade covers both construction and industrial work and is compulsory. Its Trades Qualifier – Work Experience Program asks for 72 months (9,180 hours) of verifiable electrician work, is meant for people who will live and work in Alberta, and does not by itself give you the right to work in Canada.

A Canadian certificate of qualification also opens the Federal Skilled Trades program without a job offer.

What industrial electricians earn

The panel above shows Job Bank's median hourly wage for this occupation across Canada, with pay by province and region on Job Bank.

What to do next

Work out your CRS score

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a certificate to work as an industrial electrician in Canada?: It depends on the province. It is compulsory in Prince Edward Island, Quebec and Manitoba, voluntary in Ontario, and in Alberta the work comes under the compulsory Electrician trade.
Is this the same as a construction electrician?: No. Construction electricians are NOC 72200, a separate trade with its own Red Seal. Both are on the 2026 trades list.
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

Official sources

Every job in Trades