NOC 2021 · 73310 · TEER 3
NOC 73310: Railway and yard locomotive engineers
Official NOC 2021, Job Bank and IRCC data · checked 21 October 2026
Railway locomotive engineers operate railway locomotives to transport passengers and freight. They are employed by railway transport companies. Yard locomotive engineers operate locomotives within yards of railway, industrial or other establishments. They are employed by railway transport companies and industrial or commercial users of rail transport.
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)
$50.00 / hour
Job Bank, 2023-2024
High-wage tier (from 3 Nov 2026)
Tier 2
+40 CRS for Canadian work, or 70 for a job offer
Express Entry categories
None
General and program draws only
Express Entry
How NOC 73310 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 73310 is in tier 2 of IRCC's high-wage list, in effect from 3 November 2026.
| 12+ months of Canadian work | +40 points on top of work-length points |
|---|---|
| Qualifying job offer (no LMIA) | 70 points |
You get whichever option scores higher, not both.
See all 186 high-wage occupationsCategory-based draws
NOC 73310 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:
- Railway locomotive engineers
- Operate locomotives to transport passengers and freight on railways
- Operate communication systems to communicate with train crews and traffic controllers to ensure safe operation and scheduling of trains
- Inspect assigned locomotives and test operating controls and equipment.
- Yard locomotive engineers
- Operate locomotives to switch, couple and uncouple cars for loading and unloading
- Perform switching operations according to written switching orders or dispatched instructions
- Inspect locomotives, replenish fuel or perform routine maintenance on locomotives.
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
- locomotive engineer - railway
- railway engineer
- switch engineer - railway
- transfer hostler - railway
- yard engineer - railway
All 16 job titles in NOC 73310
- diesel locomotive engineer - railway
- freight train engineer
- industrial locomotive engineer
- locomotive engineer - railway
- locomotive hostler
- passenger train engineer
- passenger train locomotive engineer
- railway engineer
- railway engineer trainee
- railway hostler
- railway locomotive engineer
- switch engineer - railway
- train engineer
- transfer hostler - railway
- yard engineer - railway
- yard locomotive engineer - railway
Requirements
Employment requirements
- Completion of secondary school is usually required.
- Experience as a conductor is required for railway locomotive engineers and may be required for yard locomotive engineers.
- Experience as a railway yard worker may be required for yard locomotive engineers.
- Railway locomotive engineers require a Canadian Rail Operating Rules certificate.
Additional information
- Mobility between railway transport companies or between establishments employing locomotive engineers may be limited due to seniority provisions of collective agreements.
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 73310 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 | $33.00 | $50.00 | $68.85 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
| Nova Scotia | $28.04 | $45.85 | $56.34 | Small Area Estimation, 2024 |
| New Brunswick | $37.82 | $50.52 | $60.68 | Small Area Estimation, 2024 |
| Quebec | $31.97 | $43.00 | $64.90 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
| Ontario | $32.05 | $56.09 | $72.12 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
| Manitoba | $32.88 | $43.96 | $72.53 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
| Saskatchewan | $32.05 | $44.87 | $67.31 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
| Alberta | $35.34 | $48.63 | $62.16 | Small Area Estimation, 2024 |
| British Columbia | $36.55 | $54.00 | $69.71 | Labour Force Survey, 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 Quebec, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alberta.
GoodQuebec
The employment outlook will be Good for railway and yard locomotive engineers (NOC 73310) in Quebec for the 2025-2027 period.
The following factors contributed to this outlook:
Employment growth will lead to a moderate number of new positions.
A moderate number of positions will become available due to retirements.
There are a small number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.
Here are some key facts about railway and yard locomotive engineers in Quebec:
Approximately 1,650 people work in this occupation.
Railway and yard locomotive engineers mainly work in the following sectors:
Other transportation and warehousing (NAICS 482-483, 485-486, 487, 493): 63%
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction (NAICS 21): 9%
Primary metal manufacturing (NAICS 331): 5%
Construction (NAICS 23): 5%
76% of railway and yard locomotive engineers work all year, while 24% 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 47 weeks compared to 43 weeks 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: 13% compared to 12% for all occupations
high school diploma or equivalent: 30% compared to 19% for all occupations
apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 37% compared to 19% 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 17% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: less than 5% compared to 11% for all occupations
GoodOntario
The employment outlook will be Good for railway and yard locomotive engineers (NOC 73310) 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.
A moderate number of positions will become available due to retirements.
There are a small number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.
Here are some key facts about railway and yard locomotive engineers in Ontario:
Approximately 1,700 people work in this occupation.
Railway and yard locomotive engineers mainly work in the following sectors:
Other transportation and warehousing (NAICS 482-483, 486, 487, 493): 89%
81% of railway and yard locomotive engineers work all year, while 19% 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 47 weeks compared to 43 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: less than 5% compared to 9% for all occupations
high school diploma or equivalent: 44% compared to 25% for all occupations
apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 16% compared to 8% for all occupations
college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 22% compared to 22% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: 12% compared to 24% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: less than 5% compared to 13% for all occupations
GoodSaskatchewan
The employment outlook will be Good for railway and yard locomotive engineers (NOC 73310) in Saskatchewan for the 2025-2027 period.
The following factors contributed to this outlook:
Employment growth will lead to a moderate number of new positions.
A moderate number of positions will become available due to retirements.
There are a small number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.
Here are some key facts about railway and yard locomotive engineers in Saskatchewan:
Approximately 1,050 people work in this occupation.
Railway and yard locomotive engineers mainly work in the following sectors:
Other transportation and warehousing (NAICS 482-483, 486, 487, 493): 92%
79% of railway and yard locomotive engineers work all year, while 21% 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 48 weeks compared to 43 weeks for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 95% compared to 53% for all occupations
Women: 5% compared to 47% for all occupations
The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
no high school diploma: less than 5% compared to 11% for all occupations
high school diploma or equivalent: 61% compared to 33% for all occupations
apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 21% compared to 15% for all occupations
college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 6% compared to 17% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: less than 5% compared to 18% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: n/a
GoodAlberta
The employment outlook will be Good for railway and yard locomotive engineers (NOC 73310) in Alberta 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 small number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.
Here are some key facts about railway and yard locomotive engineers in Alberta:
Approximately 950 people worked in this occupation in May 2021.
Railway and yard locomotive engineers mainly work in the following sectors:
Other transportation and warehousing (NAICS 482-483, 486, 487, 493): 88%
Architectural, engineering and design services (NAICS 5413): 6%
82% of railway and yard locomotive engineers work all year, while 18% 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 47 weeks compared to 42 weeks 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: less than 5% compared to 10% for all occupations
high school diploma or equivalent: 43% compared to 28% for all occupations
apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 27% compared to 13% for all occupations
college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 14% compared to 19% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: 10% compared to 21% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: less than 5% compared to 9% for all occupations
ModerateManitoba
The employment outlook will be Moderate for railway and yard locomotive engineers (NOC 73310) in Manitoba for the 2025-2027 period.
The following factors contributed to this outlook:
Employment is expected to remain relatively stable.
A moderate number of positions will become available due to retirements.
There are a small number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.
Demand for this occupation is driven by freight and passenger volumes. Freight activity may be indirectly impacted by current tariffs that are altering trade patterns, disrupting supply chains and increasing carrier costs.
Key trends in this occupation include AI-powered platforms which optimize switching operations, smart sensors and the Internet of Things (IoT) devices that provide real-time monitoring of rail assets and infrastructure, along with predictive maintenance. Workers use Computer Aided Dispatching (CAD) systems for situational awareness, communication, and safety.
Jobs are concentrated in the Southwest, Southeast and Winnipeg regions.
Here are some key facts about railway and yard locomotive engineers in Manitoba:
Approximately 750 people work in this occupation.
Railway and yard locomotive engineers mainly work in the following sectors:
Other transportation and warehousing (NAICS 482-483, 486, 487, 493): more than 95%
85% of railway and yard locomotive engineers work all year, while 15% 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 47 weeks compared to 43 weeks for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: more than 95% compared to 53% for all occupations
Women: less than 5% compared to 47% for all occupations
The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
no high school diploma: less than 5% compared to 12% for all occupations
high school diploma or equivalent: 54% compared to 31% for all occupations
apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 25% compared to 12% for all occupations
college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 9% compared to 17% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: 7% compared to 20% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: less than 5% compared to 8% for all occupations
ModerateBritish Columbia
The employment outlook will be Moderate for railway and yard locomotive engineers (NOC 73310) in British Columbia for the 2025-2027 period.
The following factors contributed to this outlook:
Employment growth will lead to a few new positions.
A moderate number of positions will become available due to retirements.
There are a small number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.
Here are some key facts about railway and yard locomotive engineers in British Columbia:
Approximately 1,300 people worked in this occupation in May 2021.
Railway and yard locomotive engineers mainly work in the following sectors:
Other transportation and warehousing (NAICS 482-483, 486, 487, 493): 89%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 95% compared to 78% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 5% compared to 22% for all occupations
76% of railway and yard locomotive engineers work all year, while 24% 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 46 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: less than 5% compared to 8% for all occupations
high school diploma or equivalent: 48% compared to 28% for all occupations
apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 28% compared to 13% for all occupations
college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 13% compared to 17% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: 7% compared to 22% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: less than 5% compared to 12% for all occupations
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.
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 73310 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 73310: common questions
What is the NOC code for railway and yard locomotive engineers?
What TEER category is NOC 73310?
Is NOC 73310 eligible for Express Entry?
Is NOC 73310 a high-wage occupation for Express Entry?
Is NOC 73310 eligible for category-based Express Entry draws?
What is the median wage for NOC 73310 in Canada?
Classification
Where it sits in NOC 2021
- 7Trades, transport and equipment operators and related occupationsBroad Category
- 73General tradesMajor Group
- 733Transportation occupationsSub-major Group
- 7331Train crew operating occupationsMinor Group
- 73310Railway and yard locomotive engineers
Enquiry
Is NOC 73310 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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