NOC 2021 · 83120 · TEER 3
NOC 83120: Fishing masters and officers
Official NOC 2021, Job Bank and IRCC data · checked 21 October 2026
Fishing masters and officers manage and operate saltwater and freshwater fishing vessels greater than 100 gross tonnes to pursue and land fish and other marine life. They are employed by establishments engaged in operating commercial fishing vessels.
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)
$40.26 / 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 83120 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 83120 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 83120 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:
- Command fishing vessels to catch fish and other marine life
- Determine areas for fishing, plot courses and compute navigational positions using compasses, charts, tables and other aids
- Steer vessels and operate navigational instruments and electronic fishing aids such as echo sounders and chart plotters
- Direct fishing operations and supervise crew activities
- Record fishing progress, crew activities, weather and sea conditions on ship's log
- Select and train vessel crews.
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
- fishing vessel boatswain
- fishing vessel deck officer
- fishing vessel first mate
- fishing vessel master
- offshore fishing vessel captain
- trawler captain
All 13 job titles in NOC 83120
- factory freezer trawler captain
- fishing master
- fishing vessel boatswain
- fishing vessel bo'sun
- fishing vessel captain
- fishing vessel deck officer
- fishing vessel first mate
- fishing vessel master
- fishing vessel mate
- fishing vessel navigation officer
- fishing vessel second mate
- offshore fishing vessel captain
- trawler captain
Requirements
Employment requirements
- Some secondary school education is usually required.
- One to two years of experience as a fishing vessel deckhand is required.
- Captains require one year of service as officer in charge of the watch.
- A Fishing Master's Certificate is required for all occupations in this unit group.
- Marine Emergency Duties Certificate is required by Transport Canada.
- A valid Fishing Vessel Operator Certificate is required for all occupations in this unit group.
- A commercial fishing licence is required.
Additional information
- Completion of Transport Canada examinations is required to advance from Fishing Master Class IV through Class I. Training programs are provided in provincial training centres.
- Progression to merchant or government vessel officer positions (which require a Marine Officer Certificate) is possible with additional training and 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 83120 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 | $20.00 | $40.26 | $100.00 | 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'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 for this occupation was not assessed in this region.
UndeterminedNew Brunswick
An employment outlook has not been assigned to this occupation in this region due to low levels of employment.
UndeterminedQuebec
An employment outlook has not been assigned to this occupation in this region due to low levels of employment.
UndeterminedOntario
An employment outlook has not been assigned to this occupation in this region due to low levels of employment.
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
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 83120 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.
- 72602 Deck officers, water transport
- 83121 Fishermen/women
- 72603 Engineer officers, water transport
Same occupation group
Fishing vessel masters and fishermen/women
- 83121 Fishermen/women
Questions
NOC 83120: common questions
What is the NOC code for fishing masters and officers?
What TEER category is NOC 83120?
Is NOC 83120 eligible for Express Entry?
Is NOC 83120 a high-wage occupation for Express Entry?
Is NOC 83120 eligible for category-based Express Entry draws?
What is the median wage for NOC 83120 in Canada?
Classification
Where it sits in NOC 2021
- 8Natural resources, agriculture and related production occupationsBroad Category
- 83Occupations in natural resources and related productionMajor Group
- 831Occupations in natural resources and fisheriesSub-major Group
- 8312Fishing vessel masters and fishermen/womenMinor Group
- 83120Fishing masters and officers
Enquiry
Is NOC 83120 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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