72100 Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors

What this occupation covers

Machinists set up and operate a variety of machine tools to cut or grind metal, plastic or other materials to make or modify parts or products with precise dimensions. Machining and tooling inspectors inspect machined parts and tooling in order to maintain quality control standards. They are employed by machinery, equipment, motor vehicle, automotive parts, aircraft and other metal products manufacturing companies and by machine shops. Apprentices are also included in this unit group.

Official main duties

The NOC profile lists 10 main duties for this code.

• Read and interpret engineering drawings, blueprints, charts and tables or study sample parts to determine machining operation to be performed, and plan best sequence of operations
• Compute dimensions and tolerances and measure and lay out work pieces
• Set up, operate and maintain a variety of machine tools including computer numerically controlled (CNC) tools to perform precision, non-repetitive machining operations such as sawing, turning, milling, boring, planing, drilling, precision grinding and other operations
• Fit and assemble machined metal parts and subassemblies using hand and power tools
• Verify dimensions of products for accuracy and conformance to specifications using precision measuring instruments
• May set up and program machine tools for use by machining tool operators.
• Verify dimensions of machined parts or tooling using micrometers, verniers, callipers, height gauges, optical comparators, coordinate measuring machines (CMM) or other specialized measuring instruments
• Maintain, repair and calibrate precision measuring instruments such as dial indicators, fixed gauges, height gauges and other measuring devices
• Report deviations from specifications and tolerances to supervisor
• Complete and maintain inspection reports.

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 10 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.

• 22302 Industrial engineering and manufacturing technologists and technicians
• 72010 Contractors and supervisors, machining, metal forming, shaping and erecting trades and related occupations
• 94106 Machining tool operators
• 72101 Tool and die makers

Excluded from this code

• Computer-assisted design/computer-assisted manufacturing (CAD/CAM) programmer (See 22302 Industrial engineering and manufacturing technologists and technicians)
• Contractors and supervisors, machining, metal forming, shaping and erecting trades and related occupations (See 72010 Contractors and supervisors, machining, metal forming, shaping and erecting trades and related occupations)
• Machining tool operators (See 94106 Machining tool operators)
• Tool and die makers (See 72101 Tool and die makers)

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.

aircraft engine parts machinist · aircraft machinist · apprentice automotive machinist · apprentice machinist · auto parts machine shop inspector · automotive machinist · aviation machinist · ballistic laboratory machinist · bench machinist · computer numerical control (CNC) machinist · computer-assisted machinist · diesel engine machinist · differential gear testing machinist · dimensional inspector - machine shop · electrical machinist · experimental machinist · firearms machining inspector · firearms model maker machinist · gear inspector-machinist · gear tester-machinist · general machinist · journeyman/woman machinist · machine shop charge hand · machine shop inspector

Employment requirements

• Completion of secondary school is usually required.
• Completion of a four-year apprenticeship program or a combination of over four years of work experience in the trade and some college and industry courses in machining may be required for trade certification.
• Trade certification for machinists is available, but voluntary, in all provinces and territories.
• Trade certification for tool and gauge inspectors is available, but voluntary, in Ontario.
• Trade certification for machinists (CNC) is available, but voluntary, in New Brunswick, Quebec and Manitoba.
• Several years of experience as a machinist, tool and die maker or machining tool operator may be required for machining and tooling inspectors.
• Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified machinists upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.