Reports · Machinist (Red Seal)
TRADE REPORT · LAST VERIFIED 2026-07-10
Machinist (429A) Wages & Outlook in Canada — Trade Report
Also known as: General Machinist, 429A, CNC machinist.
Here's the machinist (red seal) trade in Canada without the filler: real pay data, real demand signals, the actual certification steps, and how the exam is built — every number sourced.
The trade in 30 seconds
This trade employed about 43,400 people across Canada as of 2023 (NOC 72100 (group covers machinists AND machining/tooling inspectors + apprentices; stats are not certified-machinist-journeypersons-only)) [2]. This trade has been Red Seal-designated since 1965 [7]. Trade certification is voluntary in Newfoundland & Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut. [4]
Practice Machinist (Red Seal) free →
What you'll earn
Per Job Bank (reference period 2023-2024), the national median hourly wage is $30.00/hour, with a spread from $21.00 to $41.50 [1]. The published spread runs from $27.50/hour in Quebec to $38.00/hour in British Columbia.
Median hourly wage by province/territory, highest to lowest
Some smaller jurisdictions don't publish separate wage data for this occupation.
View exact numbers
| Province / territory | Median | Range |
|---|---|---|
| British Columbia | $38.00 | $25.00–$46.29 |
| Alberta | $36.50 | $25.00–$45.00 |
| Saskatchewan | $35.00 | $28.85–$45.00 |
| Nova Scotia | $31.00 | $21.00–$47.12 |
| New Brunswick | $30.00 | $20.00–$36.00 |
| Newfoundland & Labrador | $30.00 | $20.00–$39.00 |
| Ontario | $30.00 | $21.00–$40.85 |
| Manitoba | $28.00 | $19.00–$40.00 |
| Prince Edward Island | $27.96 | $21.95–$31.82 |
| Quebec | $27.50 | $21.00–$38.00 |
| Northwest Territories | — | no data published |
| Nunavut | — | no data published |
| Yukon | — | no data published |
Source: Job Bank wage report, NOC 72100, updated 2026-06-02 [1]. The same Job Bank page reports 97% of workers here also receive a non-wage benefit nationally.
A Red Seal in hand travels: the certification is recognized across the country, so this table doubles as a relocation or raise-negotiation reference.
Where the jobs are
The federal occupational projection assesses this trade as: moderate risk of shortage, 2024-2033 (CSV: recent 'Moderate signs of Shortage', future 'Moderate risk of Shortage'; Job Bank: 'MODERATE RISK OF SHORTAGE') [3] The workforce is 44% aged 50 or older, with a median retirement age of 64.0 [2]. Most work is in not available (COPS HTML page unreachable both attempts; the CSV carries no industry field) [3].
Why openings exist
expansion ~6.2% (computed from CSV counts: 1,000 expansion / 16,200 total); replacement ~93.8% (retirements alone ~75.9%) — among the most retirement-driven trades in the store.
Job Bank 3-year employment outlook by province
View as a table
| Rating | Provinces |
|---|---|
| Good | Nova Scotia |
| Moderate | Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Quebec, Manitoba, British Columbia |
| Limited | Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alberta |
| Undetermined | Newfoundland & Labrador, Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut |
Source: Job Bank outlook report, NOC 72100, updated 2026-06-02 [2].
The path to Red Seal
Total apprenticeship hours, by jurisdiction
- 7,200 total hours (4 levels) in NL/NS/PE/NB/MB/SK/AB/BC/YT/NT/NU (Alberta: 4 periods of 1,560 work hours + 8 wks classroom each, per Tradesecrets — reconciles to the Ellis total once training hours are added)
- Ontario 8,000 (7,280 on-job + 720 in-school, ~4 years, 3 levels, per Skilled Trades Ontario — matches Ellis)
- Quebec runs its own DEP-based system (Ellis: not applicable)
Source: interjurisdictional apprenticeship comparison [4].
Been doing the work for years without a certificate?
Challenge / trade-qualifier hours, by jurisdiction
- 10,800 NL/NS/PE/NB/MB/SK/YT
- 9,495 BC
- 9,360 AB (Tradesecrets: 72 months + 9,360 verifiable hours + theory/practical exams — exact match)
- 9,000 NT/NU
- 8,000 ON
- n/a QC
Source: interjurisdictional apprenticeship comparison [4].
Money on the table: the federal Team Canada Strong package includes: $6B plan to recruit 80,000-100,000 new Red Seal trades workers over five years; $400/week Apprenticeship Training Grant during in-class technical training, worth up to $16,000 per apprentice, in addition to EI; one-time $5,000 Red Seal completion bonus. amounts are 'up to' figures; first payments expected no earlier than fall 2026; core funding starts 2026-27 [12]
- trade-name variants: 'General Machinist' (Ontario, code 429A), 'Machinist – Conventional Machine' (Quebec) [7]
- adjacent but SEPARATE classifications: tool and die makers, machining tool operators, CAD/CAM programmers, machining supervisors — not part of this NOC group
- NL requires practical final exams (most other jurisdictions do not); Ontario has no practical level exams [4]
The exam — and what to study most
This trade's certification exam is 135 questions, pass mark 70% [11], writing time four hours [5]. Study time should follow the actual weightings, not a guess — here's the official split:
Official exam weightings, highest to lowest
Sorted highest to lowest — Machines using conventional lathes (top) carries the most marks on its own (21%).
View exact numbers
| Block | Share of exam | ≈ Questions |
|---|---|---|
| E — Machines using conventional lathes | 21% | ~28 |
| F — Machines using conventional milling machines | 21% | ~28 |
| H — Machines using computer numerical control (CNC) machines | 20% | ~27 |
| A — Common occupational skills | 9% | ~13 |
| B — Benchwork | 8% | ~11 |
| G — Machines using precision grinding machines | 8% | ~11 |
| D — Machines using drill presses | 7% | ~9 |
| C — Machines using power saws | 6% | ~8 |
Source: Red Seal exam information [5].
What this means for studying: Machines using conventional lathes is worth 21% of the whole exam. A per-block diagnostic is the cheapest way to find your real weak spots. Try a free diagnostic on Machinist (Red Seal) →
Practice against the same standard
The machinist (red seal) practice questions here follow the exam's real block structure exactly — free to try, no account needed. The full bank runs 599 questions.
Practice Machinist (Red Seal) free →
The best links
- red-seal.ca — Official Red Seal Machinist page: standard, exam info, per-province links.
- red-seal.ca — The exam's authoritative 135-question breakdown across 8 blocks.
- red-seal.ca — Red Seal's own free sample questions for this trade.
- www.jobbank.gc.ca — Government of Canada wage data by province (2023-2024).
- www.jobbank.gc.ca — Job Bank: 3-year prospects by province + the 10-year national outlook.
- ellischart.ca — Ellis Chart (ESDC): hours, levels, and certification rules per jurisdiction.
- www.skilledtradesontario.ca — Ontario's regulator page for 429A: the 8,000-hour program and C of Q.
- tradesecrets.alberta.ca — Alberta's profile: 4-period structure and the 72-month/9,360-hour challenge route.
Sources
- Job Bank — Wages: Machinist (NOC 72100). Data period 2023-2024; updated 2026-06-02. Accessed 2026-07-10.
- Job Bank — Outlook (NOC 72100). updated 2026-06-02. Accessed 2026-07-10.
- ESDC — Canadian Occupational Projection System (COPS) 2024-2033. Accessed 2026-07-10.
- Ellis Chart (ESDC) — interjurisdictional apprenticeship comparison. Accessed 2026-07-10.
- Red Seal — exam information. Accessed 2026-07-10.
- Red Seal — exam weightings. Accessed 2026-07-10.
- Official Red Seal Machinist page: standard, exam info, per-province links. Accessed 2026-07-10.
- Red Seal's own free sample questions for this trade. Accessed 2026-07-10.
- Ontario's regulator page for 429A: the 8,000-hour program and C of Q. Accessed 2026-07-10.
- Alberta's profile: 4-period structure and the 72-month/9,360-hour challenge route. Accessed 2026-07-10.
- Red Seal — Exam Preparation Guide (70% pass mark, four-hour writing time). Accessed 2026-07-10.
- Prime Minister's Office — Team Canada Strong announcement. updated 2026-04-29. Accessed 2026-07-10.
Take this as a dated, sourced snapshot, not advice. Wage and outlook numbers change over time — the linked government sources above always have today's figures.