National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2016 Version 1.1
8 - Natural resources, agriculture and related production occupations
These occupations include supervisors and equipment operators in the natural resource-based sectors of mining, oil and gas production, forestry and logging, agriculture, horticulture and fishing. Most occupations in this category are industry specific and do not occur outside of the primary resources industries.
Occupations within this category generally require completion of college or vocational education programs. Some of these occupations, however, are characterized by on-the-job training and progression through experience.
86 - Harvesting, landscaping and natural resources labourers
This major group comprises labourers in harvesting, landscaping and natural resources occupations which may require certification, secondary school completion or some secondary school education. It includes harvesting, landscaping and natural resources labourers.
861 - Harvesting, landscaping and natural resources labourers
This minor group includes harvesting labourers; landscaping and grounds maintenance labourers; aquaculture and marine harvest labourers; mine labourers; oil and gas drilling, servicing and related labourers; and logging and forestry labourers. They are employed by farms; landscaping and lawn care companies, golf courses, cemeteries, and landscaping operations of public works departments and private establishments; public and private fish hatcheries and commercial aquatic farms; coal, metal and non-metallic mineral mines; drilling and well servicing contractors and petroleum producing companies; and logging companies and contractors; or they may be self-employed.
8611 - Harvesting labourers
Harvesting labourers assist other farm workers to harvest, sort and pack crops.
Illustrative example(s)
- apple picker
- berry picker
- crop farm labourer - harvesting
- fruit picker
- fruit sorter - farm
- harvest hand
- vegetable packer - farm
Exclusion(s)
- Agricultural service contractors, farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers (See 8252 Agricultural service contractors, farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers)
- General farm workers (See 8431 General farm workers)
- Managers in agriculture (See 0821 Managers in agriculture)
Main duties
Harvesting labourers perform some or all of the following duties:
- Pick row and orchard crops
- Sort, weigh and pack fruit and vegetables at the farm
- Load, unload and transfer crates, supplies, farm produce and products for transport
- Clean up racks, trays, and harvest bins and general clean up of growing, producing and packing areas
- Assist with general farm maintenance and maintenance of equipment and tools
- May assist in preparing garden beds for planting
- May write daily progress reports of inventory harvested.
Employment requirements
- There are no specific education or training requirements.
Additional information
- Progression to other farm worker positions is possible with experience.
8612 - Landscaping and grounds maintenance labourers
Landscaping and grounds maintenance labourers perform work to assist in the construction of landscapes and related structures, and to maintain lawns, gardens, athletic fields, golf courses, cemeteries, parks, landscaped interiors and other landscaped areas. They are employed by landscaping and lawn care companies, golf courses, cemeteries, and landscaping operations of public works departments and private establishments.
Illustrative example(s)
- bulb planter - landscaping
- cemetery labourer
- gardening helper
- golf course worker
- grass cutter
- grounds maintenance worker
- landscape labourer
- park maintenance labourer
- park maintenance worker
- sod layer
- transplanter - landscape maintenance
Exclusion(s)
- Landscape and horticulture technicians and specialists (See 2225 Landscape and horticulture technicians and specialists)
- Nursery and greenhouse workers (See 8432 Nursery and greenhouse workers)
- Other trades helpers and labourers (See 7612 Other trades helpers and labourers)
- Public works and maintenance labourers (See 7621 Public works and maintenance labourers)
- Public works maintenance equipment operators and related workers (See 7522 Public works maintenance equipment operators and related workers)
- Residential and commercial installers and servicers (See 7441 Residential and commercial installers and servicers)
Main duties
Landscaping and grounds maintenance labourers perform some or all of the following duties:
- Spread top soil, lay sod, plant flowers, grass, shrubs and trees and perform other duties to assist with the construction of a landscape and related structures
- Cut grass, rake, aerate, dethatch, fertilize and water lawns, weed gardens, prune shrubs and trees and perform other maintenance duties as directed by supervisor
- Maintain lawns and grass along roadsides
- Operate and maintain power mowers, tractors, chain saws, electric clippers, sod cutters, pruning saws, snowblowers and other landscape maintenance equipment
- Spray and dust trees, shrubs, lawns and gardens, as directed, to control insects and disease
- Perform other manual duties to clean and maintain landscaped environments.
Employment requirements
- Some secondary school education may be required.
- A provincial licence to apply chemical fertilizers, fungicides, herbicides and pesticides may be required.
Additional information
- Progression to technical or supervisory occupations in landscaping and horticulture is possible with additional training or experience.
8613 - Aquaculture and marine harvest labourers
This unit group includes aquaculture support workers, marine plant gatherers, shellfish diggers and other labourers in aquaculture and fishing. Aquaculture support workers are employed by public or private fish hatcheries and commercial aquatic farms. Marine plant gatherers and mollusk harvesters may be self-employed.
Illustrative example(s)
- aquaculture support worker
- clam digger
- dulse gatherer
- fish farm helper
- fish tagger
- fry marker
- marine plant gatherer
- oyster picker
- sea farm attendant
- seaweed gatherer
- shellfish harvester
Exclusion(s)
- Fishermen/women (See 8262 Fishermen/women)
- Fishing vessel deckhands (See 8441 Fishing vessel deckhands)
- Managers in aquaculture (See 0823 Managers in aquaculture)
Main duties
Aquaculture support workers perform some or all of the following duties:
- Assist aquaculture technicians in the operation of fish hatcheries or other aquatic farms
- Feed aquaculture stocks, vaccinate stocks, perform culling and marking or banding techniques and report any observed irregularities in stocks
- Operate, maintain and clean pumps, filters, tanks and other aquaculture equipment and clean and maintain aquaculture enclosures
- Keep daily records of water flow and fish, shellfish and marine plant samples
- Grade and weigh aquaculture stocks
- Prepare aquaculture stocks for market
- May operate boats for aquaculture operations.
Marine plant gatherers perform some or all of the following duties:
- Rake seaweed, dulse or Irish moss from beach, rocks or shallow water and load into a cart, wagon or other receptacles
- Spread gatherings to dry and remove foreign objects
- Transport gatherings to processing plant.
Mollusk harvesters perform some or all of the following duties:
- Dig clams from beds with spades, forks or other instruments, or collect other mollusks
- Clean, sort and transport mollusks to market.
Employment requirements
- Some secondary school education is usually required.
- Shellfish harvesters require commercial fishing licences.
- Marine Emergency Duties certificate may be required for some occupations in this unit group.
8614 - Mine labourers
Mine labourers carry out a variety of general labouring duties to assist in the extraction of coal, minerals and ore, and in other services in support of underground mining. They are employed by coal, metal and non-metallic mineral mines.
Illustrative example(s)
- chute puller
- mine helper
- mine labourer
- miner helper - underground mining
- pit scaler - underground mining
- shoveller - underground mining
- underground labourer - mining
Exclusion(s)
- Underground mine service and support workers (See 8411 Underground mine service and support workers)
- Underground production and development miners (See 8231 Underground production and development miners)
Main duties
Mine labourers perform some or all of the following duties:
- Assist other mine workers in maintaining or constructing underground installations
- Clean underground rooms, roadways, working areas and mining equipment and conveyances using hand tools
- Load, move, sort and pile materials and supplies
- Clear spills of ore or coal using hand and power tools
- May cut core and prepare core sample boxes in support of mine exploration
- Assist other workers in prospecting for mineral deposits and perform various tasks related to general geophysical surveys.
Employment requirements
- Completion of secondary school is usually required.
- A short period of introductory training is provided.
- In Ontario, mine labourers are registered in the basic common core program.
Additional information
- There is mobility among jobs in this group.
- Progression to underground production and development miner or underground mine service and support worker is possible with experience and training.
8615 - Oil and gas drilling, servicing and related labourers
Labourers in this unit group carry out a variety of general labouring duties and operate equipment to assist in the drilling and servicing of oil and gas wells. This unit group also includes labourers who assist in geophysical prospecting for oil and gas. They are employed by drilling and well servicing contractors and by petroleum producing companies.
Illustrative example(s)
- floorman/woman - oil and gas drilling
- leasehand
- oil field labourer
- roughneck
- roustabout
- service rig helper
- shakerhand
- swamper - oil and gas
- well treatment helper
- wireline helper
Inclusion(s)
- seismic survey helper
Exclusion(s)
- Oil and gas well drillers, servicers, testers and related workers (See 8232 Oil and gas well drillers, servicers, testers and related workers)
- Oil and gas well drilling and related workers and services operators (See 8412 Oil and gas well drilling and related workers and services operators)
Main duties
Labourers in this unit group perform some or all of the following duties:
- Manipulate sections of pipe or drill stem at the rig floor during drilling and during the removal and replacement of strings of pipe or drill stem and drill bit
- Maintain drilling equipment on the drill floor
- Handle, sort and move drill tools, pipe, cement and other materials
- Clean up rig areas
- Assist in setting up, taking down and transporting drilling and service rigs and service equipment
- May drive trucks to transport materials and well service equipment.
Employment requirements
- Completion of secondary school may be required.
- Completion of introductory college or petroleum industry-approved training courses may be required.
- Certificates in hydrogen sulphide awareness, workplace hazardous materials information system (WHMIS) or transportation of dangerous goods (TDG) may be required.
Additional information
- Progression to more senior operating positions is possible with experience.
8616 - Logging and forestry labourers
Logging and forestry labourers perform a variety of manual tasks such as attaching choker cables to logs, planting trees, clearing brush, spraying chemicals, cleaning up landing areas and assisting other workers in woodlands operations. They are employed by logging companies and contractors.
Illustrative example(s)
- chokerman/woman
- forestry labourer
- logging labourer
- seasonal tree planter
- swamper - logging and forestry
Exclusion(s)
- Chain saw and skidder operators (See 8421 Chain saw and skidder operators)
- Logging machinery operators (See 8241 Logging machinery operators)
- Silviculture and forestry workers (See 8422 Silviculture and forestry workers)
Main duties
Logging and forestry labourers perform some or all of the following duties:
- Assist other workers at logging sites
- Attach chokers or cables to felled trees for yarding
- Plant trees using manual tools
- Spray herbicides from the ground using manual spraying equipment
- Clear trails through woodlands using chain saws
- Clean up landing areas at logging sites.
Employment requirements
- Completion of secondary school may be required.
- Completion of pre-employment safety courses may be required.
- Several weeks of formal and on-the-job training are provided.
- Workplace hazardous materials information system (WHMIS) certificate may be required.
- Chemicals application licence may be required.
Additional information
- There is mobility among jobs in this unit group.
- Progression to other positions, such as silviculture and forestry worker, chain saw and skidder operator or logging machinery operator, is possible with experience.
- Date modified: