Knowing what you will actually earn is the other half of the decision. The wage tables below are drawn from Canada's federal Job Bank, with the wage data updated on 19 November 2025, and they are stated in Canadian dollars per hour. They are a dated snapshot, not a live quote: wages move, and the figures should be re-verified at the Job Bank wage report before you rely on them. Treat the ranges as orientation. A few honest points up front: union and specialised work sits at the high end, apprentices earn a fraction of journeyperson rates, and roughly a quarter to a third of your gross pay disappears in deductions before it reaches your bank account.
How to read these figures
Each trade below shows a low, median and high hourly wage by province, from the federal Job Bank (pull dated 19 November 2025). The median is the most useful single number: half of workers earn more, half less. The low end usually reflects apprentices and entry-level roles; the high end reflects experienced, specialised or union workers. Always re-verify the current figure for your trade and province at jobbank.gc.ca/wagereport, because these update on the government's own cycle.
Electrician (NOC 72200), CAD per hour, Job Bank Nov 2025
- Canada: low 20.00, median 35.00, high 48.00
- Alberta: low 21.50, median 38.00, high 46.00
- British Columbia: low 20.00, median 34.00, high 47.49
- Ontario: low 20.00, median 34.00, high 50.50
- Quebec: low 22.40, median 41.30, high 44.79
Plumber (NOC 72300), CAD per hour, Job Bank Nov 2025
- Canada: low 21.00, median 34.00, high 46.00
- Alberta: low 20.00, median 30.00, high 43.00
- British Columbia: low 23.00, median 32.00, high 48.00
- Ontario: low 20.00, median 32.50, high 50.38
- Saskatchewan: low 22.00, median 35.00, high 43.00
Carpenter (NOC 72310), CAD per hour, Job Bank Nov 2025
- Canada: low 22.00, median 32.12, high 44.23
- Alberta: low 22.22, median 34.00, high 42.00
- British Columbia: low 23.00, median 32.00, high 43.71
- Ontario: low 22.00, median 32.00, high 48.00
Welder (NOC 72106), CAD per hour, Job Bank Nov 2025
- Canada: low 22.00, median 30.00, high 47.00
- Alberta: low 25.00, median 38.00, high 52.18
- British Columbia: low 23.25, median 35.00, high 51.87
- Ontario: low 21.00, median 28.00, high 41.28
HVAC mechanic (NOC 72402), CAD per hour, Job Bank Nov 2025
- Canada: low 22.00, median 37.50, high 56.00
- Alberta: low 25.00, median 40.00, high 54.00
- British Columbia: low 24.23, median 40.00, high 62.00
- Ontario: low 21.00, median 37.00, high 58.00
Heavy-duty equipment mechanic (NOC 72401), CAD per hour, Job Bank Nov 2025
- Canada: low 23.87, median 37.12, high 55.00
- Alberta: low 23.50, median 42.00, high 65.00
- British Columbia: low 27.00, median 45.00, high 55.50
- Ontario: low 22.00, median 35.00, high 51.19
All figures above: federal Job Bank, wage data updated 19 November 2025. Re-verify at jobbank.gc.ca/wagereport before relying on any number.
Union versus non-union
Unionised tradespeople in major urban markets often earn well above the medians shown, particularly electricians (IBEW) and plumbers and pipefitters (UA), where day rates plus benefits packages push experienced journeypersons toward the high end of the range and beyond. Union work also tends to come with pension and benefit contributions on top of the headline wage. Non-union and residential work is more variable and usually sits nearer the median.
Apprentice versus journeyperson
Apprentices typically start at roughly 40 to 60 per cent of the journeyperson rate and step up each year of their apprenticeship. A first-year apprentice carpenter in Ontario might earn around 20 to 25 dollars an hour; a fully qualified journeyperson earns the median and above. If you arrive needing to complete an apprenticeship to be certified, expect a period on lower pay while you do.
What lands in your bank account
The headline hourly rate is not take-home pay. Income tax, Canada Pension Plan and Employment Insurance contributions, plus any union dues, typically reduce gross pay by around 25 to 35 per cent depending on your income and province. As a rough planning rule, a median journeyperson on, say, 35 dollars an hour gross is not bringing home 35 dollars an hour. Budget on the net, not the gross. Provinces with no provincial income tax surcharge, such as Alberta, leave more in your pocket for the same gross wage.
A note for UK and overseas readers
It is tempting to convert these figures to pounds, euros or rupees and compare directly. Do not anchor your decision to a single conversion. The GBP-to-CAD rate (and every other rate) fluctuates, so always use a live exchange rate at the moment you are budgeting, and weigh wages against the local cost of living rather than the home-country equivalent. A wage that looks modest converted to pounds can go a long way in a lower-cost Canadian province, and the reverse is true in high-cost cities.
Common mistakes
- Quoting a stale wage as current. These figures are dated to November 2025 and will drift. Re-pull them before you rely on them.
- Planning on the gross. Deductions take a real bite. Budget on take-home.
- Comparing by exchange rate alone. Cost of living and tax differ by province; the conversion is only one input.
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