22230 Non-destructive testers and inspectors

What this occupation covers

Non-destructive testers and inspectors operate radiographic, ultrasonic, liquid penetrant, magnetic particle, eddy current and similar testing equipment to detect discontinuities in objects of various compositions and materials. They are employed by quality control, maintenance and safety departments of manufacturing, processing, transportation, energy and other companies and by private industrial inspection establishments.

Official main duties

The NOC profile lists 8 main duties for this code.

• Transport, set up and calibrate non-destructive testing equipment
• Conduct tests to ensure quality or detect discontinuities (defects) using ultrasonic, radiographic, liquid penetrant, magnetic particle, eddy current and other non-destructive testing methods
• Establish techniques for proper examination of objects under inspection, ensuring strict adherence to safety regulations
• Interpret radiographs, cathode ray tube (CRT) or digital readouts, conductivity meters and visual indicators
• Apply testing criteria in accordance with applicable specifications or standards and evaluate results
• Organize and report test results
• May perform specialized inspections using acoustic emission, vibration analysis, infrared thermography and laser shearography testing methods
• May instruct and supervise trainees.

Do not copy these lines into your reference letter. The letter has to describe what you actually did, in your employer’s words. DUTYPROOF flags wording lifted from the NOC as something to review, and an officer reading a letter that mirrors the NOC reads it the same way.

What DUTYPROOF screens for

This is DUTYPROOF’s screening threshold, not IRCC’s decision. For this NOC, screening requires at least 2 of its 8 official duties to be evidenced in your own words, plus the required letter elements. IRCC asks that you performed the actions in the occupation’s lead statement and a substantial number of its main duties — so treat the duty coverage as the number that matters, not the badge.

Codes this one is confused with

The NOC profile names these itself. Choosing the wrong code of a look-alike pair is the most common way genuine work experience fails to establish eligibility.

• 22231 Engineering inspectors and regulatory officers

Excluded from this code

• Engineering inspectors and regulatory officers (See 22231 Engineering inspectors and regulatory officers)
• Medical technologists and technicians (See 3212 Medical technologists and technicians)

Job titles filed under this code

A title on this list does not by itself put your experience in this code — the duties in your letter decide that.

acoustic emission technician · acoustic emission tester · aircraft non-destructive inspection technician · black light technician - non-destructive testing · boiler tester · dye penetrant technician · dye penetrant tester · eddy current technician · eddy current tester · fluorescent penetrant testing technician · fluoroscope tester · forging tester · hydrostatic tester · industrial radiographer · industrial radiographer - radiotelephony · infrared technician · infrared tester · infrared thermographer · infrared thermography technician · liquid penetrant technician - non-destructive testing · liquid penetrant testing technician · magnetic particle technician · magnetic particle tester · magnetic particle testing technician

Employment requirements

• Completion of secondary school is required.
• Completion of two years of an approved post-secondary science or engineering program may be required.
• Additional classroom and on-the-job training is required for certification in non-destructive testing.
• Non-destructive testing certification by Natural Resources Canada is available in three levels and is usually required by employers.
• Industrial radiographers using a radioactive isotope must pass an examination to be recognized as a certified exposure device operator by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.
• Welding inspector certification by the Canadian Welding Bureau is available in three levels and may be required by employers.
• Boiler and pressure vessel, process pipeline and above-ground storage tank inspector certification is available from the American Petroleum Institute.