9 Highest Paying Trades in Canada

Get your resumes (and work visas, if applicable) for the highest paying trades in Canada.

Trade schools provide alternative, non-college education that focuses on a specific technical skill rather than a full four-year experience that spans several subjects. Trade school is pragmatic and a shorter amount of time to get you started right into the field you want to work in. It makes a lot of sense if you’re not the kind of person who’s into academia. Not everyone thrives in a college classroom, nor is it necessary to get a full-on degree for every career path, which I’ll show in the following list.

A lot of things are different in Canada from the US, but I wonder if any jobs on this list match up with the Highest Paid Trade School Jobs in America. I can imagine that Canada has similar needs when it comes to the workforce as in the US, but the pay is obviously different. If you’re terrified of the current political climate and you want some kind of escape, you could potentially consider these careers in a new place where you’ll be less affected (in theory).

In order to find the highest paid trades, we looked online and found some sources that are credible. We primarily looked at Huffington Post, Canadian Business, and Trade Schools CA. From there, we took the jobs that were on all three lists and ranked them according to the average median salary, which we got from Canadian Business. Obviously, the jobs that pay the most are at the top of the list. All of the jobs on this list are those that you can get by vocational courses and a trade school education.

Without any further delay, let’s check out the highest paying trades in Canada.

9. Heavy Construction Equipment Supervisor

Annual median wage: $62,400

These workers supervise heavy equipment to make sure it’s all handled and maneuvered properly. They generally work on construction sites and handle piledrivers, cranes, and other equipment. The projected job growth is about 50%, which is must faster than most jobs in Canada.

8. Locomotive Engineer

Annual median wage: $62,400

Locomotive engineers drive freight from station to station. They’re usually in charge of long distance trains. They monitor speed, battery use, and even air pressure to ensure freight is driven properly. The wage growth is at 20%, so you’ll be sure to make a lot as time progresses.

7. Industrial Electrician

Annual median wage: $62,400

Industrial electricians are among the most in-demand skilled workers in this generation.They install and maintain electric power and communications lines, as well as repair lighting and wiring on homes and buildings.

6. Power Line and Cable Worker

Annual median wage: $66,650

Also known as line workers, people in this job work with electricians to install, repair, and maintain power lines. They also handle defective devices and switches, as well as transmission towers and telecommunications equipment. Because of the high salary, they’re among the highest paying trades in Canada.

5. Pipefitting Contractor and Supervisor

Annual median wage: $69,326

Pipefitting contractors and supervisors deal with companies and businesses to provide services, supervise, and coordinate installation, repair, and maintenance processes to ensure the quality and safety of every done job. It’s typical for them to be skilled pipefitters before moving into this job.

4. Longshore Worker

Annual median wage: $70,720

Longshore workers are responsible for loading and unloading freight from ships to docks. They play a crucial role in global trade since they do most of the manual labor needed in imports and exports.

3. Oil and Gas Well Operator

Annual median wage: $70,720

We are continuing our list of highest paying trades in Canada with oil and gas well operators that are responsible for setting up drills for extracting oil and gas. They work for mining companies to provide support services generally. These workers also handle the removal of core samples during oil and gas explorations. It’s a fairly stable career path.

2. Electrical and Telecommunications Contractor

Annual median wage: $72,800

Contractors generally start as electricians who work their way up through extensive experience. Contractors own their own firms and offer out their services.

1. Construction Manager

Annual median wage: $72,800

Construction managers foresee and coordinate projects to ensure they’re done properly. They either work onsite to supervise or work in offices on budgeting and client coordination. They do all of the busy backend work.

Canada’s demand for skilled workers has stayed strong and consistent over the last few years. As the country looks for more and more of trade school graduates, salaries for these jobs also follow suit and increase from time to time. Can’t decide which trade to master? Pick one from the highest paying trades in Canada.