Canada Welcomes Foreign Steamfitters and Pipefitters
Under New ELMO Pilot Project
A new Expedited Labor Market Opinion (ELMO) pilot project makes it easier for steamfitters and pipefitters to enter Canada as temporary workers. In Canada, steamfitters and pipefitters are called upon to lay out, assemble, fabricate, maintain and repair a variety of piping systems. These systems may carry sewage, water, steam, fuel or chemicals. Steamfitters and pipefitters can typically find employment with private pipefitting contractors and in the maintenance departments of factories, mills, mines, power generation plants and similar enterprises.
Steamfitter and Pipefitter Duties
According to ELMO, steamfitter and pipefitters in Canada typically are called upon to:
- Read and interpret technical blueprints and drawings
- Operate hand or power tools to cut openings in floors, ceilings and walls
- Use tools to measure, cut, thread and bend pipe to match specifications
- Attach pipes together by welding, soldering, brazing, cementing or threading
- Install valves and other flow-control systems
- Test, maintain, clean and repair piping systems
- Prepare estimates for supervisors and clients
Steamfitter and Pipefitter Qualifications
ELMO specifies that steamfitter and pipefitters who want to work in Canada must have:
- A high school diploma or equivalent
- Certification from a 4-5 year apprenticeship program OR over 5 years of experience in the steamfitting/pipefitting trade in addition to secondary school or college courses
Steamfitters and pipefitters must be certified in Alberta and British Columbia. Inter-provincial trade certification is also available.
Steamfitter and Pipefitter Wages
According to ELMO, wages for steamfitter and pipefitters vary considerably according to region. The highest wages are in Fort McMurray, British Columbia, where steamfitters and pipefitters earn up to $33.29/hour. The lowest wages are in British Columbia's Lower Mainland region, where steamfitters and pipefitters earn only $21.34/hour.
If you would like to learn more about the ELMO pilot project and/or working as a steamfitter and pipefitter in Canada, we encourage you to visit the official ELMO web site.
|
