94105 Metalworking and forging machine operators

What this occupation covers

Light metalworking machine operators operate metalworking machines which shape and form sheet or other light metal into parts or products. Heavy metalworking machine operators operate metalworking machines which shape and form steel or other heavy metal into parts or products. Forging machine operators operate forging machines to form and shape metal into various shapes and sizes and impart desired strength, hardness or other characteristics. Light metalworking machine operators are employed by sheet metal products manufacturing companies, sheet metal shops and other light metal products manufacturing establishments. Heavy metalworking machine operators are employed by structural steel fabrication, boiler and platework manufacturing companies, heavy machinery manufacturing companies and in the shipbuilding industry. Forging machine operators are employed primarily in the fabricated metal products, machinery and transportation equipment manufacturing industries.

Official main duties

The NOC profile lists 14 main duties for this code.

• Read specifications or follow verbal instructions
• Lay out, set up and operate one or more light or heavy metalworking machines such as shears, power presses, saws, plate rolls, drills, brakes, slitters, punch presses, computer numerically controlled (CNC) equipment, and other hand tools to cut, bend, roll, ream, punch and drill, weld or otherwise shape and form metal stock into parts or products
• Operate machines or equipment which weld, solder, bolt, screw or rivet metal parts together
• Check products for correct shapes, dimensions and other specifications
• Troubleshoot and perform corrective action or minor repairs
• May select and transport material to work area manually or using crane or hoist
• May document work completed
• May build staging or erect scaffolding as required for heavy metalworking jobs
• May clean or lubricate equipment and replace parts as required.
• Operate gas or oil fired furnaces to heat metal to proper temperature prior to forging
• Place metal pieces in furnace using hand tongs or overhead cranes and remove from furnace when colour of metal indicates proper forging temperature, or load and unload furnace with automatic conveyor
• Position heated or cold metal pieces, on die of press or other forging machinery
• Operate presses or other forging machines to perform hot or cold forging by flattening, straightening, twisting, forming, drawing, upsetting, splitting, cutting, punching, piercing, bending, coining, or other operations to shape or form metal
• Position and adjust dies on anvil of forging machinery using overhead cranes or other hoisting devices and hand tools.

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 3 of its 14 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.

• 72102 Sheet metal workers
• 72104 Structural metal and platework fabricators and fitters
• 92023 Supervisors, other mechanical and metal products manufacturing

Excluded from this code

• Sheet metal workers (See 72102 Sheet metal workers)
• Structural metal and platework fabricators and fitters (See 72104 Structural metal and platework fabricators and fitters)
• Supervisors, other mechanical and metal products manufacturing (See 92023 Supervisors, other mechanical and metal products manufacturing)

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.

acetylene torch operator - metal fabrication · air hammer operator - metal forging · aluminum sheet cutter - ductwork · aluminum sheet cutter - metal fabrication · aluminum sheet trimmer - ductwork · angle shear operator - metal fabrication · arc cutter - metal fabrication · automatic cut-off operator - metal fabrication · automatic cut-off saw operator - metal products manufacturing · bender set-up operator - metal products manufacturing · bending machine operator - metal forging · bending machine set-up operator - metal fabrication · bending machine tender - metal fabrication · bending machine tender - metal products manufacturing · bending press operator - metal fabrication · bending roll operator - metal fabrication · board drop hammer operator · board hammer operator - metal forging · brake setter - metalworking · buffing line setter · buffing machine set-up operator - metal fabrication · burning machine operator - metal fabrication · burning table operator - metal fabrication · cage builder - metal fabrication

Employment requirements

• Completion of secondary school education may be required.
• Previous experience as a labourer or helper in the same company may be required.
• On-the-job training is usually provided.