NOC 2021 · 43204 · TEER 3
NOC 43204: Operations members of the Canadian Armed Forces
Official NOC 2021, Job Bank and IRCC data · checked 21 October 2026
Operations members of the Canadian Armed Forces provide operational support to soldiers including the proper functioning and testing of military equipment such as vehicles, ships and weapons. They follow the military and strategic policies established by the leadership of the Canadian Army, the Royal Canadian Airforce and the Royal Canadian Navy.
TEER
TEER 3
Usually needs a college diploma, an apprenticeship of less than 2 years, or more than 6 months of on-the-job training
Median wage (Canada)
$34.35 / hour
Job Bank, 2024
High-wage tier (from 3 Nov 2026)
Not on the list
No high-wage CRS points
Express Entry categories
Skilled military recruits
Category-based draws (2026)
Express Entry
How NOC 43204 counts for Express Entry
- Federal Skilled Worker: eligible occupationNeeds 1 year of continuous skilled (TEER 0–3) work in the last 10 years and 67 points on the FSW grid.
- Canadian Experience Class: eligible occupationNeeds 1 year of skilled (TEER 0–3) work in Canada in the last 3 years.
- Federal Skilled Trades: not eligibleNeeds 2 years of work in an eligible trade group in the last 5 years, plus a job offer or a Canadian certificate of qualification.
High-wage CRS points
NOC 43204 is not one of IRCC's 186 high-wage occupations, so Canadian work or a job offer in it earns no high-wage points. Your usual Canadian work-length points still count.
See all 186 high-wage occupationsCategory-based draws
- Skilled military recruits
At least 12 months of full-time work experience (or equal part-time) in the past 3 years in one listed occupation, plus Express Entry eligibility and the round instructions.
IRCC category listsDuties
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Analyze equipment and system performance on all combat information equipment
- Maintain and operate engineering equipment, including weapons, vehicles, heavy equipment and supplies
- Inspect motors in operation, road test motor vehicles, and test automotive systems and components using computerized diagnostic and other testing devices to diagnose and isolate faults
- Configure and operate intelligence, surveillance and recognizance systems
- Oversee the construction of tools and devices to enable infantry soldiers to cross natural and man-made obstacles and break through enemy defenses
- Operate weapons and missile related equipment for defense.
For Express Entry, your experience must match the lead statement and most of these duties, not only the job title.
Job titles
Example job titles
- airborne electronic sensor operator
- assault pioneer
- combat engineer
- naval combat information operator
- sonar operator
All 8 job titles in NOC 43204
- airborne electronic sensor operator
- assault pioneer
- combat engineer
- mortarman/woman
- naval acoustics operator
- naval combat information operator
- reconnaissance patrolman
- sonar operator
Requirements
Employment requirements
- Completion of secondary school is required.
- Three months of basic military training is required and provided.
- Occupational qualification training of at least six months is required.
- Specialized training in the operation and maintenance of military equipment and systems is provided.
Additional information
- Members of this unit group who demonstrate the required abilities and potential will be offered advanced training.
Wages
Wages for NOC 43204 in Canada
Low, median and high wages per hour in Canadian dollars, from ESDC Job Bank's 2025 wage data.
| Region | Low | Median | High | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | $25.95 | $34.35 | $44.57 | Small Area Estimation, 2024 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $24.68 | $31.75 | $42.14 | Small Area Estimation, 2024 |
| Prince Edward Island | $25.82 | $33.30 | $41.35 | Small Area Estimation, 2024 |
| Nova Scotia | $27.24 | $34.83 | $43.54 | Small Area Estimation, 2024 |
| New Brunswick | $26.03 | $31.49 | $39.12 | Small Area Estimation, 2024 |
| Quebec | $27.33 | $34.31 | $43.52 | Small Area Estimation, 2024 |
| Ontario | $26.70 | $34.46 | $46.26 | Small Area Estimation, 2024 |
| Manitoba | $25.54 | $31.79 | $40.42 | Small Area Estimation, 2024 |
| Saskatchewan | $24.08 | $33.67 | $51.46 | Small Area Estimation, 2024 |
| Alberta | $26.65 | $33.04 | $40.53 | Small Area Estimation, 2024 |
| British Columbia | $29.42 | $38.12 | $49.72 | Small Area Estimation, 2024 |
Provinces with too little data are not shown. Wages vary by city and employer; see Job Bank for regional figures.
Job outlook
Job outlook by province, 2025–2027
Job Bank's 3-year employment outlook for this occupation, by province and territory.
UndeterminedNewfoundland and Labrador
An employment outlook has not been assigned to this occupation in this region due to low levels of employment.
UndeterminedPrince Edward Island
An employment outlook has not been assigned to this occupation in this region due to low levels of employment.
UndeterminedNova Scotia
An employment outlook has not been assigned to this occupation in this region due to low levels of employment.
UndeterminedNew Brunswick
An employment outlook has not been assigned to this occupation in this region due to low levels of employment.
UndeterminedQuebec
The data required in the analysis of occupational outlooks is not available for this occupation.
UndeterminedOntario
The data required in the analysis of occupational outlooks is not available for this occupation.
UndeterminedManitoba
An employment outlook has not been assigned to this occupation in this region due to low levels of employment.
UndeterminedSaskatchewan
An employment outlook has not been assigned to this occupation in this region due to low levels of employment.
UndeterminedAlberta
An employment outlook has not been assigned to this occupation in this region due to low levels of employment.
UndeterminedBritish Columbia
The data required in the analysis of occupational outlooks is not available for this occupation.
UndeterminedNorthwest Territories
The data required in the analysis of occupational outlooks is not available for this occupation.
UndeterminedNunavut
An employment outlook has not been assigned to this occupation in this region due to low levels of employment.
Source: ESDC Job Bank, 3-year employment outlooks 2025–2027 (released December 2025).
Provinces
Provincial Nominee Programs
A provincial nomination adds 600 CRS points. Most provinces run occupation-targeted draws or in-demand lists, and some accept TEER 4 and 5 occupations that Express Entry does not.
Provincial lists change often, sometimes between draws. We check whether NOC 43204 is being targeted by any province as part of a consultation.
Similar occupations
Related NOC codes
Classified elsewhere
If your duties fit one of these better, use that code instead.
- 40042 Commissioned officers of the Canadian Armed Forces
- 44200 Primary combat members of the Canadian Armed Forces
- 42102 Specialized members of the Canadian Armed Forces
Same occupation group
Assisting occupations in legal and public protection
- 43200 Sheriffs and bailiffs
- 43201 Correctional service officers
- 43202 By-law enforcement and other regulatory officers
- 43203 Border services, customs, and immigration officers
Questions
NOC 43204: common questions
What is the NOC code for operations members of the canadian armed forces?
What TEER category is NOC 43204?
Is NOC 43204 eligible for Express Entry?
Is NOC 43204 a high-wage occupation for Express Entry?
Is NOC 43204 eligible for category-based Express Entry draws?
What is the median wage for NOC 43204 in Canada?
Classification
Where it sits in NOC 2021
- 4Occupations in education, law and social, community and government servicesBroad Category
- 43Assisting occupations in education and in legal and public protectionMajor Group
- 432Assisting occupations in legal and public protectionSub-major Group
- 4320Assisting occupations in legal and public protectionMinor Group
- 43204Operations members of the Canadian Armed Forces
Enquiry
Is NOC 43204 your occupation? Ask us about your options.
Tell us your duties, experience and language scores. We will confirm your NOC code and the Canadian routes that fit.
Sources: Statistics Canada, NOC 2021 Version 1.0, Job Bank wages (2025), Job Bank outlooks 2025–2027 and IRCC. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Checked 21 October 2026.
NOC 2026 is due from Statistics Canada in December 2026. IRCC still uses NOC 2021 codes, and this page will show any change once IRCC switches.
This page is general information, not immigration advice. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Government of Canada, IRCC or ESDC.
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