Trade jobs in Nova Scotia
Current Nova Scotia postings for electricians, plumbers, steamfitters/pipefitters, ironworkers, carpenters and millwrights, with pay on every listing, plus the apprenticeship rules and wages for each trade.
Nova Scotia trades postings today
Carpenter
Complex Construction · Halifax, Nova Scotia
Pay: $50.00/hrPosted Oct 27, 2026Apply on Job Bank: Carpenter, Complex Construction (opens in a new tab)Job number 10308018992
Electrician
Solectric Energy Solutions Nova Scotia INC. · Timberlea, Nova Scotia
Pay: $45.00/hrPosted Oct 27, 2026Apply on Job Bank: Electrician, Solectric Energy Solutions Nova Scotia INC. (opens in a new tab)Job number 3705095
The six trades in Nova Scotia
Postings today are from our board. Wages are Job Bank's 2025 hourly figures for Nova Scotia (median, with low and high), revised November 19, 2025; they cover the whole occupation group and don't account for experience. Outlooks are Job Bank's 2025–2027 ratings, which compare occupations within the same province. A dash means Job Bank didn't publish a figure. Each trade links to our full guide.
| Trade | Certification | Postings today | Median hourly wage, 2025 (low–high) | Outlook 2025–2027 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrician (construction) | Compulsory | 1 | $31.00 ($19.00–$42.00) | Good |
| Plumber | Compulsory | 0 | $33.00 ($18.00–$38.38) | Good |
| Steamfitter/pipefitter | Compulsory | 0 | $45.00 ($27.50–$60.00) | Good |
| Ironworker | Not compulsory | 0 | $36.71 ($24.72–$47.35) | Good |
| Carpenter | Not compulsory | 1 | $25.00 ($20.00–$33.80) | Good |
| Millwright (industrial mechanic) | Not compulsory | 0 | $33.00 ($22.44–$45.60) | Good |
Apprenticeship and certification in Nova Scotia
Your apprenticeship authority is Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency (opens in a new tab).
- Nova Scotia has 13 compulsory certified trades, including Construction Electrician, Plumber and Steamfitter/Pipefitter.
- To do the work of a compulsory certified trade you need a certificate of qualification, registration as an apprentice in that trade, a temporary permit from the Agency, or a certificate recognized by the Agency's Director.
- The Agency says people working in a compulsory trade without the right status can face a stop-work order, a ticket, an administrative penalty, or a fine of up to $5,000 for a first offence and $10,000 for a second.
How to read the table: Compulsory means only registered apprentices or certified journeypersons may do the work (in Alberta, the trade's restricted activities). Not compulsory means the trade isn't on that province's compulsory list, so apprenticeship certification is optional, though other licences, permits or tickets may still apply. In Quebec, anyone doing construction work covered by Act R-20 needs a CCQ competency certificate, and some work outside construction (such as electricity, plumbing and pipe fitting) needs a separate compulsory certificate from the Quebec government. Where we couldn't confirm a status from an official source, we say check with the authority. Status is from each province's own list, checked October 28, 2026.
More for Nova Scotia job seekers
- How apprenticeship works in Canada and how to land your first apprentice job
- Red Seal exam guide and wage comparison by province
- Safety tickets guide and the free Safety Basics course
- Other provinces: Ontario · Quebec · British Columbia · Alberta · Manitoba · Saskatchewan · New Brunswick · Newfoundland and Labrador · Prince Edward Island
Sources
- Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency — Compulsory certified trades (opens in a new tab)
- Job Bank — Wages open data, 2025 Wages file (revised November 19, 2025), Open Government Portal (opens in a new tab)
- Job Bank — 3-Year Employment Outlooks, 2025–2027 (published December 10, 2025), Open Government Portal (opens in a new tab)
- Job Bank (Government of Canada) — postings (opens in a new tab)
Postings updated: Oct 28, 2026, 6:25 AM ET. Province facts checked: Oct 28, 2026.