Shop welders, structural welders, pipeline welders — Job Bank's wages for welders by province, and the UA mainline pipeline rate.
Job Bank reports wages of $22.00–$47.00/hr (low to high) for welders in Canada, with a median of $30.00/hr (NOC 72106, which also includes welding machine operators; 2023–2024 data, updated November 2025). On mainline pipeline jobs covered by the UA–Pipe Line Contractors Association of Canada agreement, the Western Canada welder journeyman rate was $79.49/hr from May 1, 2025; the agreement shows the May 1, 2026 rate as TBD, to be calculated and sent to contractors on June 1, 2026. Job Bank does not publish welder wages by industry, CWB qualification or union status, so this guide sets out its figures by province and region alongside that agreement.
Most pay figures on this page are Government of Canada Job Bank data for everyone working in the occupation, not only certified tradespeople. The 456A exam is 125 questions in 4 hours and the pass mark is 70%, which is 88 correct answers; SkilledTradesBC rounds results up from 69.5%, so 87 correct also passes there.
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| Group | Hourly Rate | Approximate Annual Earnings |
|---|---|---|
| All welders, Canada (Job Bank, NOC 72106, 2023–24 wages) | $22.00–$47.00/hr (median $30.00) | ~$60,000 at the median, 2,000 hrs |
| Welder journeyman on mainline pipeline jobs covered by the UA–PLCAC agreement (Western Canada) | $79.49/hr from May 1, 2025 (May 1, 2026 rate TBD in the agreement) + subsistence where no camp | ~$159,000 at 2,000 hrs at the 2025 rate |
Job Bank does not publish welder wages by sector, so this summary shows only published figures. For reference, Job Bank reports $22.00–$47.00/hr (low to high, median $30.00) for welders in Canada (NOC 72106, 2023–2024 data, updated November 2025). Annual earnings are estimated at 2,000 working hours/year. The UA–Pipe Line Contractors Association of Canada mainline agreement pays non-local workers a subsistence allowance of $200 per calendar day from May 1, 2026 where no camp is provided.
Alberta's welder median ($38.00/hr) is among the highest of any province, just behind Newfoundland and Labrador ($38.41/hr) (Job Bank, 2023–24 wages). Job Bank reports welder wages of $28.00–$54.00/hr (median $39.90) in the Edmonton region (2023–24 wages) and $26.16–$54.27/hr (median $37.72) in the Calgary region (2024 wages); it does not publish separate structural rates. Job Bank does not publish separate pipeline or turnaround rates; its high wage for all Alberta welders is $52.18/hr (2023–24 wages). On mainline pipeline jobs covered by the UA–Pipe Line Contractors Association of Canada agreement, the Western Canada welder journeyman rate was $79.49/hr from May 1, 2025 (the May 1, 2026 rate is TBD in the agreement). Alberta does levy provincial income tax: 8% on the first $61,200 of taxable income for 2026 (CRA, checked September 2026).
Job Bank reports welder wages of $26.00–$49.50/hr (median $37.50) in the Lower Mainland–Southwest region and $23.00–$48.00/hr (median $35.00) in Vancouver Island and Coast (2023–24 wages); it does not publish separate structural rates. On mainline pipeline jobs in BC covered by the UA–Pipe Line Contractors Association of Canada agreement, the Western Canada welder journeyman rate was $72.89/hr from May 1, 2023 and $79.49/hr from May 1, 2025; Job Bank's high wage for all BC welders is $51.87/hr (2023–24 wages). For northern BC, Job Bank reports welder wages of $28.74–$52.88/hr (median $37.81) in the Northeast region and $28.66–$54.60/hr (median $40.22) in the North Coast region (2024 wages). General fabrication shop welding in Metro Vancouver and aerospace welding (Boeing supply chain, Ducommun, Avcorp) for aluminum and titanium GTAW work are paid at employer-set rates, which Job Bank does not publish separately.
Ontario's welder median ($28.00/hr) is below Alberta's ($38.00/hr) and British Columbia's ($35.00/hr) (Job Bank, 2023–24 wages). Automotive supply chain welding (Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers to GM, Ford, Stellantis, Honda) is concentrated in the GTA, Hamilton, and Windsor, where Job Bank's welder medians are $28.00/hr (Toronto region), $27.00/hr (Hamilton–Niagara Peninsula) and $25.50/hr (Windsor-Sarnia) (2023–24 wages). Structural welding on unionized construction projects in the GTA pays the rates set in the applicable collective agreement, which Job Bank does not publish. Job Bank's range for all Ontario welders is $21.00–$41.28/hr, median $28.00 (2023–24 wages); it does not publish separate rates for pressure vessel (ASME-coded) work.
Employers of welders in Saskatchewan include potash mining, oil and gas production in the Weyburn-Estevan area, and agricultural equipment manufacturing (CNH Industrial, MacDon). Mine maintenance welders at potash and uranium operations are paid employer-set or collectively agreed rates, which Job Bank does not publish separately. For all welders, Job Bank reports $24.02–$45.15/hr (median $32.82) in the Regina–Moose Mountain region (2024 wages) and $23.00–$52.00/hr (median $32.45) in Saskatoon–Biggar (2023–24 wages); it does not publish separate construction rates. The heavy oil sector around Lloydminster (straddling the Alberta-Saskatchewan border) also employs pipeline and facility maintenance welders.
Manitoba's welder median, $27.00/hr, is the second-lowest among the provinces; only Prince Edward Island's ($25.00/hr) is lower (Job Bank, 2023–24 wages). Job Bank's range for all welders in the Winnipeg region is $23.00–$40.16/hr, median $28.00 (2023–24 wages); it does not publish separate fabrication-shop rates. Agricultural equipment manufacturing (CNH, Versatile, New Holland) employs production welders at employer-set rates.
Job Bank does not publish a separate rate for structural welders fabricating and erecting steel for buildings, bridges, and towers in Canada; its range for all welders is $22.00–$47.00/hr, median $30.00 (2023–24 wages). Structural welding work can be seasonal in cold-weather provinces, though indoor steel fabrication shops provide year-round employment.
Pipeline welding involves:
On mainline pipeline jobs covered by the UA–Pipe Line Contractors Association of Canada agreement, the Western Canada welder journeyman rate was $72.89/hr from May 1, 2023, $76.12/hr from May 1, 2024 and $79.49/hr from May 1, 2025; the agreement shows the May 1, 2026 rate as TBD, to be calculated and sent to contractors on June 1, 2026. It pays non-local workers a subsistence allowance ($195 per calendar day from May 1, 2025; $200 from May 1, 2026) where no camp is provided. Job Bank does not publish separate pipeline rates; its high wage for all welders is $52.18/hr in Alberta and $51.87/hr in BC (2023–24 wages). Long shifts and overtime on a full-season project can raise annual earnings above a 2,000-hour estimate.
Shop welding can mean year-round employment with predictable hours. Production GMAW (MIG) welding in automotive or general manufacturing, stainless steel TIG (GTAW) welding for food processing or pharmaceutical equipment, pressure vessel fabrication (ASME-coded) and aerospace welding (titanium, aluminum) are paid at employer-set rates that Job Bank does not publish separately; Job Bank publishes no premium for process or code qualifications.
Welders working on pressure-rated systems (boilers, pressure vessels, steam lines, process piping) under ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code or B31 piping codes work to specific procedure and welder qualifications (WPS/PQR under ASME IX), and the welds are subject to radiographic or ultrasonic testing. Job Bank publishes no pressure-welding premium; in British Columbia, certified welders may apply to Technical Safety BC for a pressure welder certificate of qualification. Job Bank reports a range of $37.66–$54.57/hr (median $49.00) for boilermakers in Canada and $42.35–$56.00/hr in Alberta (NOC 72103, 2023–24 wages); turnaround schedules can add shift premiums and overtime.
| Factor | How it is set |
|---|---|
| 6G pipe weld qualification (CWB) | Premium varies by employer |
| ASME IX pressure welder qualification | Premium varies by employer |
| GTAW (TIG) qualification on stainless/aluminum | Premium varies by employer |
| Shift work (night/weekend/rotating) | Shift premium set by employer or agreement |
| Remote site work (with camp + per diem) | Camp or per diem; amount varies by project |
| Union membership (UA, Boilermakers) | Rates set by collective agreement |
| AWS CWI inspection certification | Opens inspection roles (Job Bank welding inspector range: $21.13–$52.48/hr, 2023–24) |
Multiple unions represent welders in Canada depending on the type of work:
One possible career path:
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Start 456A Practice →Job Bank reports wages of $22.00–$47.00/hr (low to high) for welders in Canada, with a median of $30.00/hr (NOC 72106, which also includes welding machine operators; 2023–2024 data, updated November 2025) — about $60,000 a year at 2,000 hours. Provincial ranges reach higher in Newfoundland and Labrador ($23.46–$54.00/hr), Alberta ($25.00–$52.18/hr) and British Columbia ($23.25–$51.87/hr). On mainline pipeline jobs covered by the UA–Pipe Line Contractors Association of Canada agreement, pay is above these figures: the agreement set the Western Canada welder journeyman rate at $79.49/hr from May 1, 2025 and shows the May 1, 2026 rate as TBD, to be calculated and sent to contractors on June 1, 2026; non-local workers receive a daily subsistence allowance where no camp is provided.
Among the provinces, Job Bank's highest welder medians are Newfoundland and Labrador ($38.41/hr) and Alberta ($38.00/hr), then British Columbia ($35.00/hr); Alberta's range is $25.00–$52.18/hr (NOC 72106, 2023–2024 data, updated November 2025). Ontario's figures are lower: $21.00–$41.28/hr, median $28.00. Of the territories, Job Bank's 2024 estimate for the Northwest Territories is higher still, a median of $48.29/hr. On mainline pipeline jobs covered by the UA–Pipe Line Contractors Association of Canada agreement, the Western Canada welder journeyman rate was $79.49/hr from May 1, 2025; the agreement shows the May 1, 2026 rate as TBD, to be calculated and sent to contractors on June 1, 2026.
Job Bank does not publish a premium for CWB qualifications: its welder wages (NOC 72106) cover the whole occupation, apprentices included, by region only — $22.00–$47.00/hr nationally, median $30.00 (wages updated November 2025) — so any premium depends on the employer. What a CWB qualification does is open certain work: in Canada, people welding on certain products, buildings and bridge structures must be qualified by the CWB, whose test ensures competence in the process and position tested, and must work for a CWB-certified company.
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