The trade
What a pipefitter does.
Pipefitters install, modify, repair, and maintain plumbing and heating systems on construction sites. The trade covers two specialties recognized by the CCQ: plumber and heating equipment installer.
CCQ rate
Between $22.68 and $48.45 / hour (May 2025, depending on sector and apprenticeship period)
Wage rates are set by CCQ collective agreements and vary by sector (residential, institutional-commercial, industrial, civil engineering and roads) and apprenticeship period. Check the official current rate grid at ccq.org/fr-CA/avantages-sociaux/salaire-taux.
Why it's tight
The pool is thin. Speed makes the difference.
The CCQ projects average annual needs of 16,000 new workers for 2025-2029 across the industry, with qualified labour availability rated low. In 2024, 1,701 companies were hiring pipefitters, against only 639 new apprentices admitted into the trade that year. The number of annual graduates in construction trades isn't enough to meet job site demand, per the CCQ. Add to that an aging workforce, high turnover (nearly 35% of workers leave the industry after five years), and a steady pipeline of major projects (Hydro-Québec infrastructure, large-scale Greater Montréal builds).
That's exactly where Aplomb wins: Audrey activates candidates in under 2 minutes, 24/7. While others call back the next day, your pipefitter is already talking to us.
What we check
Before it lands on your desk.
- Valid CCQ competency certificate (apprentice or journeyperson)
- DEP in Plumbing-Heating (5333) or a recognized equivalent
- Current ASP Construction health and safety card
- Ability to read plans and technical specs
- Experience in institutional-commercial (72% of hours worked in the trade)
Competency card
How a pipefitter qualifies.
The pipefitter trade is regulated by the CCQ. Entry starts with the apprentice competency certificate (CCA), earned after completing the DEP in Plumbing-Heating (5333, 1,680 hours) and a job guarantee of at least 150 hours over 3 consecutive months with a CCQ-registered employer. The apprenticeship covers 4 periods of 2,000 hours each (8,000 hours total), after which the apprentice sits the provincial qualification exam. Passing it leads to the journeyperson competency certificate (CCC). Apprentice-to-journeyperson ratio in residential: 1:1. In institutional-commercial, industrial, and civil engineering: 2 journeypersons required per apprentice on site (a journeyperson can supervise 2 apprentices if one is in their final period or one is a woman).
Frequently asked questions
Hiring a pipefitter, plainly.
How does the apprentice-to-journeyperson ratio work for pipefitters on my sites?
In residential, you can have 1 apprentice per journeyperson. In the other sectors (institutional-commercial, industrial, civil engineering), the base rule is 2 journeypersons per apprentice. A journeyperson can supervise 2 apprentices at once if one is in their final apprenticeship period or one is a woman — but those two conditions don't stack.
Is there a rate difference depending on which sector my pipefitters work in?
Yes. Hourly rates are set by CCQ collective agreement and vary by sector. The overall range for this trade runs from $22.68 to $48.45/hour (May 2025). Check the official current-rate tool on ccq.org to find the exact rate for your site by sector and worker classification.
Where do I find qualified pipefitters in Quebec? Is the market tight?
Yes, the market is tight. In 2024, 1,701 companies were looking for pipefitters against only 639 new apprentices admitted into the trade. The CCQ runs a regional labour pool system: when a pool opens (insufficient available labour), you can tap into it to recruit. Use the pool status tool on ccq.org or subscribe to shortage alerts to track availability in real time.
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- Clear mandate, no surprise quotes.
- 90-day replacement guarantee.
- We respond to candidates in <2 min, 24/7.
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Also by region
pipefitters in your area.
We recruit across Québec. See the candidate job pages by region for this trade.