NOC 2021 · 72321 · TEER 2
NOC 72321: Insulators
Official NOC 2021, Job Bank and IRCC data · checked 21 October 2026
Insulators apply insulation materials to plumbing, air-handling, heating, cooling and refrigeration systems, piping equipment and pressure vessels, and walls, floors and ceilings of buildings and other structures, to prevent or reduce the passage of heat, cold, sound or fire. They are employed by construction companies and insulation contractors, or they may be self-employed. Apprentices are also included in this unit group.
TEER
TEER 2
Usually needs a college diploma, an apprenticeship of 2 or more years, or supervisory work
Median wage (Canada)
$37.61 / hour
Job Bank, 2023-2024
High-wage tier (from 3 Nov 2026)
Tier 3
+20 CRS for Canadian work, or 50 for a job offer
Express Entry categories
None
General and program draws only
Express Entry
How NOC 72321 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: eligible occupationNeeds 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 72321 is in tier 3 of IRCC's high-wage list, in effect from 3 November 2026.
| 12+ months of Canadian work | +20 points on top of work-length points |
|---|---|
| Qualifying job offer (no LMIA) | 50 points |
You get whichever option scores higher, not both.
See all 186 high-wage occupationsCategory-based draws
NOC 72321 is not on any of IRCC's 2026 occupation categories. You can still be invited through general, program-specific or French-language draws.
IRCC category listsDuties
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Read and interpret drawings and specifications to determine insulation requirements and select type of insulation required
- Measure and cut insulating material to required dimensions using hand and power tools
- Apply and secure insulation using spraying, blowing, pasting, strapping, taping and other application and installation methods
- Fit insulation around obstructions and between studs and joists
- Install vapour barriers
- Apply waterproofing cement over insulating materials to finish surfaces
- Remove asbestos or urea-formaldehyde insulation from buildings when required.
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
- boiler and pipe insulator
- building insulator
- firestopping insulator
- heat and frost insulator
- insulation applicator
- insulation mechanic
- insulator
- insulator apprentice
- sound insulator
All 24 job titles in NOC 72321
- apprentice insulator
- asbestos insulator
- boat and ship insulator
- boiler and pipe insulator
- boiler insulator
- building insulator
- cork insulation installer
- fibreglass insulation installer
- fire protection insulator
- firestopping insulator
- foamed insulation applicator
- heat and frost insulator
- insulation applicator
- insulation installer
- insulation mechanic
- insulator
- insulator apprentice
- journeyman/woman insulator
- pipe insulator
- plastic insulation applicator
- refrigeration and air conditioning equipment insulator
- residential insulation installer
- sound insulator
- soundproof material installer
Requirements
Employment requirements
- Completion of secondary school is usually required.
- Completion of a three- to four-year apprenticeship program or A combination of over four years of work experience in the trade and some high school, college or industry courses in insulating is usually required to be eligible for trade certification.
- Trade certification for insulators (heat and frost) is compulsory in Quebec and available, but voluntary, in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, the Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.
- Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified insulators (heat and frost) upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.
Additional information
- The Red Seal endorsement allows for interprovincial mobility.
- Progression to supervisory positions is possible with experience.
This occupation may be regulated in some provinces. You may need a licence or certificate from the provincial regulator before you can work in it in Canada, even if you hold permanent residence.
Wages
Wages for NOC 72321 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 | $23.00 | $37.61 | $48.65 | Employment Insurance Survey Data, 2023-2024 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $25.00 | $40.36 | $51.00 | Employment Insurance Survey Data, 2023-2024 |
| Nova Scotia | $20.00 | $36.24 | $46.27 | Employment Insurance Survey Data, 2023-2024 |
| New Brunswick | $20.00 | $30.65 | $40.88 | Employment Insurance Survey Data, 2023-2024 |
| Quebec | $26.33 | $43.00 | $46.92 | Employment Insurance Survey Data, 2023-2024 |
| Ontario | $22.00 | $35.00 | $48.88 | Employment Insurance Survey Data, 2023-2024 |
| Manitoba | $20.00 | $30.00 | $36.42 | Employment Insurance Survey Data, 2023-2024 |
| Saskatchewan | $21.75 | $39.19 | $47.06 | Employment Insurance Survey Data, 2023-2024 |
| Alberta | $24.00 | $40.00 | $50.00 | Employment Insurance Survey Data, 2023-2024 |
| British Columbia | $23.82 | $32.50 | $45.99 | Employment Insurance Survey Data, 2023-2024 |
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 rates the 3-year outlook as good or very good in Nova Scotia.
GoodNova Scotia
The employment outlook will be Good for insulators (NOC 72321) in Nova Scotia for the 2025-2027 period.
The following factors contributed to this outlook:
Employment growth will lead to several new positions.
A moderate number of positions will become available due to retirements.
There are a moderate number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.
Here are some key facts about insulators in Nova Scotia:
Approximately 350 people worked in this occupation in May 2021.
Insulators mainly work in the following sectors:
Construction (NAICS 23): 91%
Ship and Boat Building (NAICS 3366): 7%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 87% compared to 82% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 13% compared to 18% for all occupations
40% of insulators work all year, while 60% work only part of the year, compared to 62% and 38% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 37 weeks compared to 42 weeks for all occupations.
Less than 5% of insulators are self-employed compared to an average of 11% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: more than 95% compared to 51% for all occupations
Women: less than 5% compared to 49% for all occupations
The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
no high school diploma: 17% compared to 10% for all occupations
high school diploma or equivalent: 28% compared to 27% for all occupations
apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 40% compared to 12% for all occupations
college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 13% compared to 22% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: n/a
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: n/a
ModerateNewfoundland and Labrador
The employment outlook will be Moderate for insulators (NOC 72321) in Newfoundland and Labrador for the 2025-2027 period.
The following factors contributed to this outlook:
Employment growth will lead to a moderate number of new positions.
Not many positions will become available due to retirements.
There are a moderate number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.
Due to the seasonal nature of this occupation, employment opportunities may vary depending on the time of the year.
Here are some key facts about insulators in Newfoundland and Labrador:
Approximately 150 people worked in this occupation in May 2021.
Insulators mainly work in the following sectors:
Construction (NAICS 23): 50%
Oil and gas extraction (NAICS 211): 20%
Petroleum and coal product manufacturing (NAICS 324): 18%
Architectural, engineering and design services (NAICS 5413): 7%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 92% compared to 83% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 8% compared to 17% for all occupations
24% of insulators work all year, while 76% work only part of the year, compared to 56% and 43% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 29 weeks compared to 40 weeks for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: more than 95% compared to 51% for all occupations
Women: less than 5% compared to 49% for all occupations
The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
no high school diploma: 20% compared to 11% for all occupations
high school diploma or equivalent: 17% compared to 27% for all occupations
apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 55% compared to 17% for all occupations
college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 7% compared to 23% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: n/a
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: n/a
ModerateNew Brunswick
The employment outlook will be Moderate for insulators (NOC 72321) in New Brunswick for the 2025-2027 period.
The following factors contributed to this outlook:
Employment growth will lead to a moderate number of new positions.
Not many positions will become available due to retirements.
There are several unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.
Here are some key facts about insulators in New Brunswick:
Approximately 300 people worked in this occupation in May 2021.
Insulators mainly work in the following sectors:
Construction (NAICS 23): 84%
Petroleum and coal product manufacturing (NAICS 324): 13%
28% of insulators work all year, while 71% work only part of the year, compared to 62% and 38% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 34 weeks compared to 42 weeks for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 93% compared to 52% for all occupations
Women: 7% compared to 48% for all occupations
The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
no high school diploma: 11% compared to 11% for all occupations
high school diploma or equivalent: 37% compared to 30% for all occupations
apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 44% compared to 12% for all occupations
college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 8% compared to 23% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: n/a
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: n/a
ModerateOntario
The employment outlook will be Moderate for insulators (NOC 72321) in Ontario for the 2025-2027 period.
The following factors contributed to this outlook:
Employment growth will lead to a moderate number of new positions.
Not many positions will become available due to retirements.
Here are some key facts about insulators in Ontario:
Approximately 2,250 people work in this occupation.
Insulators mainly work in the following sectors:
Construction (NAICS 23): 88%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 94% compared to 81% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 6% compared to 19% for all occupations
54% of insulators work all year, while 46% work only part of the year, compared to 63% and 37% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 43 weeks compared to 43 weeks for all occupations.
19% of insulators are self-employed compared to an average of 15% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: more than 95% compared to 52% for all occupations
Women: less than 5% compared to 48% for all occupations
The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
no high school diploma: 15% compared to 9% for all occupations
high school diploma or equivalent: 32% compared to 25% for all occupations
apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 33% compared to 8% for all occupations
college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 15% compared to 22% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: less than 5% compared to 24% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: less than 5% compared to 13% for all occupations
ModerateSaskatchewan
The employment outlook will be Moderate for insulators (NOC 72321) in Saskatchewan for the 2025-2027 period.
The following factors contributed to this outlook:
Employment growth will lead to several new positions.
Not many positions will become available due to retirements.
There are a moderate number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.
Here are some key facts about insulators in Saskatchewan:
Approximately 250 people worked in this occupation in May 2021.
Insulators mainly work in the following sectors:
Construction (NAICS 23): 75%
Petroleum and coal product manufacturing (NAICS 324): 11%
Architectural, engineering and design services (NAICS 5413): 8%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 85% compared to 81% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 15% compared to 19% for all occupations
43% of insulators work all year, while 56% work only part of the year, compared to 65% and 35% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 38 weeks compared to 43 weeks for all occupations.
28% of insulators are self-employed compared to an average of 16% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 94% compared to 53% for all occupations
Women: 6% compared to 47% for all occupations
The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
no high school diploma: 13% compared to 11% for all occupations
high school diploma or equivalent: 38% compared to 33% for all occupations
apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 38% compared to 15% for all occupations
college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 8% compared to 17% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: n/a
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: n/a
LimitedManitoba
The employment outlook will be Limited for insulators (NOC 72321) in Manitoba for the 2025-2027 period.
The following factors contributed to this outlook:
Employment growth will lead to a moderate number of new positions.
Not many positions will become available due to retirements.
There are several unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.
Here are some key facts about insulators in Manitoba:
Approximately 300 people worked in this occupation in May 2021.
Insulators mainly work in the following sectors:
Construction (NAICS 23): 87%
Chemical manufacturing (NAICS 325): 8%
Real Estate and rental and leasing (NAICS 53): 5%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 95% compared to 81% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 5% compared to 19% for all occupations
57% of insulators work all year, while 42% work only part of the year, compared to 65% and 35% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 42 weeks compared to 43 weeks for all occupations.
17% of insulators are self-employed compared to an average of 12% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 92% compared to 53% for all occupations
Women: 8% compared to 47% for all occupations
The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
no high school diploma: 18% compared to 12% for all occupations
high school diploma or equivalent: 45% compared to 31% for all occupations
apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 28% compared to 12% for all occupations
college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: less than 5% compared to 17% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: less than 5% compared to 20% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: n/a
LimitedAlberta
The employment outlook will be Limited for insulators (NOC 72321) in Alberta for the 2025-2027 period.
The following factors contributed to this outlook:
Employment growth will lead to a moderate number of new positions.
Not many positions will become available due to retirements.
There are several unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.
Here are some key facts about insulators in Alberta:
Approximately 2,250 people work in this occupation.
Insulators mainly work in the following sectors:
Construction (NAICS 23): 69%
Oil and gas extraction (NAICS 211): 8%
Real Estate and rental and leasing (NAICS 53): 7%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 94% compared to 80% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 6% compared to 20% for all occupations
36% of insulators work all year, while 64% work only part of the year, compared to 61% and 39% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 36 weeks compared to 42 weeks for all occupations.
8% of insulators are self-employed compared to an average of 15% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 90% compared to 53% for all occupations
Women: 10% compared to 47% for all occupations
The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
no high school diploma: 15% compared to 10% for all occupations
high school diploma or equivalent: 27% compared to 28% for all occupations
apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 40% compared to 13% for all occupations
college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 11% compared to 19% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: 6% compared to 21% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: less than 5% compared to 9% for all occupations
Very limitedQuebec
The employment outlook will be Very limited for insulators (NOC 72321) in Quebec for the 2025-2027 period.
The following factors contributed to this outlook:
Employment growth will lead to a few new positions.
Not many positions will become available due to retirements.
There are a moderate number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.
Here are some key facts about insulators in Quebec:
Approximately 1,750 people work in this occupation.
Insulators mainly work in the following sectors:
Construction (NAICS 23): 93%
48% of insulators work all year, while 52% work only part of the year, compared to 62% and 38% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 43 weeks compared to 43 weeks for all occupations.
9% of insulators are self-employed compared to an average of 12% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 92% compared to 52% for all occupations
Women: 8% compared to 48% for all occupations
The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
no high school diploma: 16% compared to 12% for all occupations
high school diploma or equivalent: 18% compared to 19% for all occupations
apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 56% compared to 19% for all occupations
college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 7% compared to 22% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: less than 5% compared to 17% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: less than 5% compared to 11% for all occupations
Very limitedBritish Columbia
The employment outlook will be Very limited for insulators (NOC 72321) in British Columbia for the 2025-2027 period.
The following factors contributed to this outlook:
Employment growth will lead to a few new positions.
Not many positions will become available due to retirements.
There are a moderate number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.
High employee turnover in this occupation could lead to additional employment opportunities.
Here are some key facts about insulators in British Columbia:
Approximately 1,300 people worked in this occupation in May 2021.
Insulators mainly work in the following sectors:
Construction (NAICS 23): 89%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 90% compared to 78% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 10% compared to 22% for all occupations
53% of insulators work all year, while 47% work only part of the year, compared to 61% and 39% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 41 weeks compared to 42 weeks for all occupations.
12% of insulators are self-employed compared to an average of 17% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 90% compared to 52% for all occupations
Women: 10% compared to 48% for all occupations
The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
no high school diploma: 20% compared to 8% for all occupations
high school diploma or equivalent: 38% compared to 28% for all occupations
apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 25% compared to 13% for all occupations
college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 12% compared to 17% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: less than 5% compared to 22% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: less than 5% compared to 12% for all occupations
UndeterminedPrince Edward Island
An employment outlook has not been assigned to this occupation in this region due to low levels of employment.
UndeterminedNorthwest Territories
An employment outlook has not been assigned to this occupation in this region due to low levels of employment.
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 72321 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.
Questions
NOC 72321: common questions
What is the NOC code for insulators?
What TEER category is NOC 72321?
Is NOC 72321 eligible for Express Entry?
Is NOC 72321 a high-wage occupation for Express Entry?
Is NOC 72321 eligible for category-based Express Entry draws?
What is the median wage for NOC 72321 in Canada?
Classification
Where it sits in NOC 2021
- 7Trades, transport and equipment operators and related occupationsBroad Category
- 72Technical trades and transportation officers and controllersMajor Group
- 723Technical construction tradesSub-major Group
- 7232Bricklayers and insulatorsMinor Group
- 72321Insulators
Enquiry
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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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