72203 Electrical power line and cable workers

What this occupation covers

Electrical power line and cable workers construct, maintain and repair overhead and underground electrical power transmission and distribution systems. They are employed by electric power generation, transmission and distribution companies, electrical contractors and public utility commissions. Apprentices are also included in this unit group.

Official main duties

The NOC profile lists 7 main duties for this code.

• Install, maintain, troubleshoot and repair electrical distribution and transmission systems including overhead and underground power lines and cables, insulators, conductors, lightning arrestors, switches, transformers and other associated equipment
• Erect and maintain steel, wood or concrete poles, towers and guy wires
• Splice, solder and insulate conductors and related wiring to connect power distribution and transmission networks using splicing tools, related electrical equipment and tools
• Inspect and test overhead and underground power lines and cables and auxiliary equipment using electrical test equipment
• Climb ladders or operate hydraulic buckets when working aloft on poles and towers, or work in confined spaces such as trenches and tunnels to install power lines and cables and associated equipment
• Install and maintain street lighting systems
• Communicate with other workers to coordinate the preparation and completion of work assignments.

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 7 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.

• 72011 Contractors and supervisors, electrical trades and telecommunications occupations
• 72202 Power system electricians
• 72204 Telecommunications line and cable installers and repairers

Excluded from this code

• Line and cable workers supervisor (See 72011 Contractors and supervisors, electrical trades and telecommunications occupations)
• Power system electricians (See 72202 Power system electricians)
• Telecommunications line and cable installers and repairers (See 72204 Telecommunications line and cable installers and repairers)

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.

apprentice line maintainer - electric power systems · apprentice lineman/woman - electric power systems · apprentice power line repairer · assistant transmission lineman/woman - electric power systems · cable installer - electric power systems · cable installer - electrical power · cable installer and repairer - electric power systems · cable jointer - electric power systems · cable line worker - electric power systems · cable repairer - electric power systems · cable splicer - electric power systems · cable splicer - electrical power · cableman/woman - electric power systems · conduit installer - electric power systems · construction lineman/woman - electric power systems · construction lineman/woman - electrical power line · distribution construction lineman · electric meter installer - electric power systems · electric meter setter - electric power systems · electrical cable splicer - electric power systems · emergency line repairer - electric power systems · emergency servicer - electric power systems · high voltage lineman/linewoman · high voltage lineman/woman - electric power systems

Employment requirements

• Completion of secondary school is usually required.
• Completion of a provincial three- or four-year lineman/woman apprenticeship program or a combination of over four years of work experience in the trade and some high school, college or industry courses in electrical technology is usually required for electrical power line and cable workers.
• Trade certification for powerline technicians is available, but voluntary, in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, the Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.
• Trade certification for powerline technicians (construction) is available, but voluntary, in Newfoundland and Labrador.
• Trade certification for distribution construction linemen/women is available, but voluntary, in New Brunswick.
• Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified powerline technicians upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.