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Master Electrician, Certified Master Electrician, Professional Electrical Contractor
In Canada, the federal government groups and organizes occupations based on a National Occupational Classification (NOC) system. This alis occupation may not reflect the entire NOC group it is part of. Data for the NOC group can apply across multiple occupations.
The NOC system is updated every 5 years to reflect changes in the labour market. Government forms and labour market data may group and refer to an occupation differently, depending on the system used.
Here is how this occupation has been classified over time.
2006 NOC
2006 NOC-S
2011 NOC
2016 NOC
2021 NOC
2023 OaSIS
Electrical contractors are master electricians or employ master electricians. They apply for and obtain permits for electrical work. They may do various types of construction or service work. They may specialize in certain types of projects, such as:
Duties and responsibilities vary from one job to another. In general, electrical contractors:
Most electrical contractors have a main crew of employees, and hire more help as needed.
Working conditions on construction sites vary from one site to another. Electrical contractors often work long, irregular hours to meet project deadlines. They may travel to visit clients, job sites, and suppliers.
On construction sites, electrical contractors must wear personal protective equipment. For example, hard hats and safety boots reduce risk of injury. Dealing with unexpected delays, managing unrealistic expectations, and collecting overdue payments can be stressful.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2023 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
To find out how well this occupation fits your work personality types, complete the Work Personalities Quiz in Find Your Fit.
Click or tap a personality type for its description.
Find other alis occupations that match this occupation’s work personalities.
To identify or change your work personalities, complete the Work Personalities Quiz in Find Your Fit.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2023 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
Contractors and supervisors, electrical trades and telecommunications occupations
2023 OaSIS: 72011.00
The graph below shows how well your scores match the overall abilities for this occupation.
The closer your ability scores are to the center, the more they match this occupation’s. The further away they are, the less they match this occupation’s.
The lower your ability scores are compared to the occupation’s, the more challenging the occupation will likely be for you. The higher your ability scores are compared to the occupation’s, the less challenging the occupation will likely be for you.
To find out how well this occupation fits your abilities, complete the Abilities Quiz in Find Your Fit.
The 49 abilities are grouped into 5 abilities sets: Critical Thinking, Numbers and Patterns, Physical Activity, Mind-Body Coordination, and Senses.
Some abilities are more relevant to an occupation than other abilities. Individual abilities that are not relevant to an occupation are greyed out.
To fill in or change the values for your abilities, complete the Abilities Quiz in Find Your Fit.
Critical Thinking includes 9 abilities related to identifying and solving problems, thinking of ideas, and communication, such as speaking and writing.
This is how well your scores match the set of Critical Thinking abilities for this occupation:
Numbers and Patterns includes 10 abilities related to math, memorizing, and multitasking. It also includes how we perceive patterns, shapes, and distances.
This is how well your scores match the set of Numbers and Patterns abilities for this occupation:
Physical Activity includes 9 abilities related to strength, balance, flexibility, coordination, and endurance.
This is how well your scores match the set of Physical Activity abilities for this occupation:
Mind-Body Coordination includes 9 abilities related to movement control and how we react to signals. It also includes fine motor skills, such finger and hand dexterity and hand-eye coordination.
This is how well your scores match the set of Mind-Body Coordination abilities for this occupation:
Senses includes 12 abilities related to seeing, hearing, and speaking.
This is how well your scores match the set of Senses abilities for this occupation:
Electrical contractors need:
They should enjoy:
They should be comfortable directing and supervising the work of others.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
This chart shows which job skills are currently in highest demand for this occupational group. It was created using this occupation's 44 most recent Alberta job postings, collected between May 20, 2022 and Nov 07, 2025.
Review these skills to learn:
| Tasks: Establish methods to meet work schedules and co-ordinate work activities with other work units | 32 |
|---|---|
| Tasks: Supervise workers and projects | 32 |
| Tasks: Co-ordinate and schedule activities | 29 |
| Tasks: Requisition or order materials, equipment and supplies | 27 |
| Attention to detail | 26 |
| Tasks: Train or arrange for training | 26 |
| Tasks: Prepare production and other reports | 25 |
| Tasks: Ensure health and safety regulations are followed | 25 |
| Tasks: Read blueprints and electrical schematics | 22 |
| Tasks: Resolve work problems and recommend measures to improve productivity | 19 |
Business success does not necessarily depend on education level. However, electrical contractors benefit from related education and supervisory experience. They may be journeyperson electricians or have post-secondary education in electrical engineering. For more information, see the Electrician, Electrical Engineering Technologist and Electrical Engineer occupational profiles.
To help electrical contractors operate successful and profitable businesses, the Electrical Contractors Association of Alberta offers a professional education program that grants the designation of Professional Electrical Contractor (PEC). It includes (but is not limited to) the following courses:
The following schools offer programs or courses that are related to this occupation but are not required to enter the field.
To expand or narrow your program options, visit Post-Secondary Programs and start your search with:
Completing a program does not guarantee entrance into an occupation. Before enrolling in an education program, prospective students should look into various sources for education options and employment possibilities. For example, contact associations and employers in this field.
To obtain electrical permits in Alberta, a contractor must have an Alberta Master Electrician’s certificate or employ someone who does.
Certain professional titles or duties within this occupation are protected by provincial legislation. Requirements vary if you use these titles or perform these duties.
The related legislation is shown below. If there are multiple related legislations, select a certification heading to learn about each one.
Master electricians and professional electrical contractors can obtain electrical permits for electrical installations in Alberta. They may be electrical contractors themselves or work for companies that do electrical contracting work.
Master Electrician is a designation awarded under the Certification and Permit Regulation [pdf]. In Alberta, only Master Electricians awarded a Certificate of Competency by the Safety Codes Council are able to obtain electrical permits (other than homeowners)
Professional Electrical Contractor (PEC), Certified Master Electrician (CME) and Registered Master Electrician (RME) are titles awarded by the Electrical Contractors Association of Alberta (ECAA). These titles and abbreviations are protected under Alberta’s Professional and Occupational Associations Registration Act [pdf]. You do not have to be registered with ECAA if you do not use one of these titles or abbreviations.
For information on what you need and other details, visit the certification profile Electrical Contractor / Master Electrician.
Source: 2021-2025 Alberta Regional Occupational Demand Outlook
Electrical contractors may be public companies, private businesses, or self-employed individuals. They are often contracted by large general contracting companies. Advancement generally means building an increasingly successful business or being assigned larger, more complex projects.
This section shows the industries where the majority of people in this occupation work. The data is based on the 2016 Census.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.
Contractors and supervisors, electrical trades and telecommunications occupations
2016 NOC: 7202
78.6% of people in this occupational group work in:
NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For examples, see Note.
This section shows the Alberta job market condition, or short-term demand forecast, for this occupation over a 3-year period. It also shows the number of people employed in the occupation.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2021 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.
Source: 2024-2026 Alberta Short-Term Employment Forecast
NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For examples, see Note.
To see data for all occupations, visit Occupations in Demand.
This section shows the employment outlook for this occupation in Alberta over a 5-year period.
Employment outlook is influenced by a wide variety of factors including:
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.
Source: 2021-2025 Alberta Regional Occupational Demand Outlook
Annual growth is from 2021 to 2025. New positions created each year are in addition to job openings created by employment turnover.
NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For examples, see Note.
Employment turnover is expected to increase as members of the baby boom generation retire over the next few years.
Earnings for self-employed electrical contractors vary a great deal from contractor to contractor and year to year.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2021 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
Unless otherwise noted, the data shown here is for all industries and all regions in Alberta.
All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production), and other forms of compensation.
To see the full survey data for this NOC group, visit the wage profile.
Other wage sources
To make an informed wage and salary decision, research other wage sources to supplement this data.
Good Reliability, represents a CV of between 6.01% and 15.00% and/or fewer than 30 survey observations and/or if survey observations represent less than 50% of all estimated employment for the occupation.
| Wages* | Low (5th percentile) | High (95th percentile) | Average | Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting | $25.00 | $54.57 | $37.85 | $40.10 |
| Overall | $29.15 | $59.80 | $45.26 | $45.46 |
| Top | $33.26 | $60.50 | $50.76 | $50.00 |
Swipe left and right to view all data. Scroll left and right to view all data.
* All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production) and other forms of compensation.
Pay brackets for hourly wages
| ALL INDUSTRIES | $94,711 |
|---|---|
| Construction | $97,151 |
| Public Administration | $72,579 |
Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training website: tradesecrets.alberta.ca
BuildForce Canada website: www.buildforce.ca
Construction Labour Relations - Alberta website: www.clra.org
Electrical Contractors Association of Alberta website: www.ecaa.ab.ca
Get information and referrals about career, education, and employment options from Alberta Supports.
Updated Mar 31, 2025. The information contained in this profile is current as of the dates shown. Salary, employment outlook, and educational program information may change without notice. It is advised that you confirm this information before making any career decisions.
