Crane Operators
On this page
Job description
These individuals operate cranes or excavators. They lift, move, and set up machinery, equipment, and other large objects. They work for:
- Construction sites
- Ports
- Stations
- Surface mines
Environment
- Equipment, machinery, tools
- Vehicle or passenger compartment
- Hazardous workplaces
- Noise
Main tasks
- Carry out inspections before executing work.
- Calculate crane capacity in preparation for hitching and lifting.
- Operate equipment used for various purposes (driving piles into the ground, loading and unloading vessels, moving objects and materials, etc.).
Advancement and mobility
- Qualified Self-Propelled and Tower Crane Operators obtain a Red Seal endorsement upon successful completion of the Interprovincial Standards Examination.
- Experience leads to supervisory positions.
Hourly wage
The hourly wage is calculated by averaging wages from 2022 to 2024.- Minimum
- $23.50
- Median
- $40.00
- Maximum
- $50.00
Job prospects for 2024-2028
Les 2 champs de sélection ci-dessous vous permettent de comparer 2 régions. Les données des régions seront automatiquement mises à jour à la sélection. Par défaut, la province de Québec est sélectionnée pour la première région.
Job prospects for 2024-2028
Job prospects
All of Québec
Non available
Limited
Good
Very good
Very good
All of Québec
Non available
Limited
Good
Very good
Non available
Total jobs for 2023
All of Québec
2,500
All of Québec
na
Gender distribution
All of Québec
Not available.
- 1.7% Female
- 98.3% Male
Not available.
- 1.7% Female
- 98.3% Male
Job types
All of Québec
Not available.
- Full time
- Part time
Not available.
- Full time
- Part time
Yearly wage on 2020
All of Québec
$79,500
All of Québec
Other characteristics
All of Québec
- Non traditional for women
- None
All of Québec
- Non traditional for women
- None
Sectors of activity
All of Québec
Not available.
-
NAICS 2341% of jobs
-
NAICS 33118% of jobs
-
NAICS 419% of jobs
-
NAICS 48, 497% of jobs
-
NAICS 534% of jobs
-
Others21% of jobs
All of Québec
Not available.
-
NAICS 2341% of jobs
-
NAICS 33118% of jobs
-
NAICS 419% of jobs
-
NAICS 48, 497% of jobs
-
NAICS 534% of jobs
-
Others21% of jobs
Training and requirements
Formation
Most training programs are offered in French only.
Secondary
Also required
- Certificate of qualification.
Sometimes required
- A Class 1 driver’s licence may be required for driving on public roads.
Main skills and characteristics
Skills
- Data collection
- Operations and control
- Monitoring operations
- Critical thought
- Information processing
- Active listening
- Result evaluation
- Reading comprehension
- Oral expression
- Time management
- Judgment and decision-making
Abilities
- Control accuracy
- Limb coordination
- Depth perception
- Distance vision
- Speed control
- Reaction time
- Awareness of issues
- Hand-arm stability
- Selective attention
- Manual dexterity
- Response orientation
- Near vision
- Verbal skills
- Speech clarity
- Oral comprehension
- Colour perception and distinction
- Perception speed
- Speech recognition
- Visualization
- Digital dexterity
- Information organization
- Spatial orientation
- Time sharing
- Deductive reasoning
- Tolerance to bright light
Knowledge and attributes
- Critical thinking
- Autonomy
- Sense of responsibility
- Capacity to work in a team
- Rigour
- Attention to detail
- Respect standards and regulations
- Sense of observation
- Knowledge of buildings and construction
- Patience
Interests
- Work in transportation and maintenance
- Work manually
- Work outdoors
Personality profiles (RIASEC)
- Realistic
- People with this profile prefer carrying out concrete tasks and being physically involved in what they do.
- Conventional
- People with this profile prefer specific, well-defined tasks. They like to respect the order of things and follow established rules.
- Enterprising
- People with this profile prefer having responsibilities, influencing others and responding to challenges.
Official name of the NOC 72500
Crane operators
Job titles
- Demolition crane operator
- Construction crane operator
- Crane operator
- Mobile crane operator
- Truck crane operator
- Crane operator apprentice
- Apprentice mobile crane operator
- Power crane operator
- Electric dragline operator
- Floating crane operator
- Crawler crane operator
- Monorail crane operator
- Electric monorail crane operator
- Locomotive crane operator
- Dragline crane operator
- Bridge crane operator
- Pile driving crane operator
- Crane and hoisting equipment operator
- Cinder crane operator
- Hot metal crane operator
- Drilling rig crane operator
- Railway car puller - crane
- Climbing crane operator
- Boom crane operator
- Boom truck crane operator
- Gantry crane operator
- Electric gantry crane operator
- Cantilever crane operator
- Tower crane operator
- Boat crane operator
- Electric crane operator
- Mechanical hoist operator
- Hoist operator - foundry
- Hoist operator (except underground mining)
- Boom truck hoist operator
- Crane hoist operator
- Ladle crane operator
- Skip operator
Skill type
Trades, transport and equipment operators and related occupations
Last update: January 29, 2026
Page evaluation