Recruitment · Welder
Hire a welder in Québec.
We'll find you a carded, qualified welder who's actually interested — not a pile of resumes. Permanent placement, 90-day guarantee, no surprise quotes.
The trade
What a welder does.
Welders interpret specs and welding procedures, carry out prep work, then cut, prepare, and assemble metal parts using various welding processes to build structural elements on construction sites. They work mainly in civil engineering and roads, and in institutional-commercial.
CCQ rate
$42.98 – $47.03 / hour (journeyperson, May 2025)
Hourly rates are set by CCQ collective agreements and vary by sector: from $42.98/h (residential) to $47.03/h (civil engineering and roads) for a journeyperson in May 2025. For current, sector-by-sector rates, check the official grid at ccq.org.
Why it's tight
The pool is thin. Speed makes the difference.
Per CCQ data (2024), only 377 welders were active in Quebec's construction industry, spread across 154 companies — and only 24 new workers entered the trade that year, below the 2020-2023 average of 37 per year. The CCQ projects recruitment needs of 17,000 people per year across the industry for 2024-2028 (up 1,000 from prior projections), driven by an aging workforce and growth in major projects. About 44% of active welders travel between regions to find work — a sign of geographically concentrated but persistent demand.
That's exactly where Aplomb wins: Audrey activates candidates in under 2 minutes, 24/7. While others call back the next day, your welder is already talking to us.
What we check
Before it lands on your desk.
- Hold a valid occupation competency certificate (CCO) issued by the CCQ
- Master arc welding processes and metal cutting and prep techniques
- Completed the General Construction Site Health and Safety course (ASP Construction)
- Hold a CWB (Canadian Welding Bureau) certification or pressure vessel qualification for industrial or pipefitting roles
- Ability to read welding plans and specs and adjust parameters by material and process
Competency card
How a welder qualifies.
Welders hold an occupation competency certificate (CCO) issued by the CCQ — there's no formal apprenticeship period with a journeyperson ratio like in the traditional trades. To get the CCO, the worker must have completed a DEP in Welding-Fitting (1,800 hours, codes 5195 or 5695) and passed the General Knowledge of the Construction Industry course (CCGIC). A job guarantee of at least 150 hours over 3 months is also required for admission. For high-pressure work, a Professional Specialization Attestation (ASP) in high-pressure welding (600 hours) is required to work as a pipe welder. The CCQ also runs a Welding Qualification Fund that reimburses exam fees tied to CWB (Canadian Welding Bureau) certifications or pressure vessel qualifications required by employers.
Frequently asked questions
Hiring a welder, plainly.
How many welders are available in Quebec's construction industry?
The pool is small: 377 active welders in 2024, spread across 154 companies. Only 24 new workers entered the trade that year. This is a trade under real pressure — plan ahead and start recruiting early.
Can a construction welder work unsupervised on site?
A welder with a journeyperson-level occupation competency certificate (CCO) can work independently. The CCO is issued by the CCQ after a DEP and the CCGIC — verify your candidate's card is current before hiring, it's a legal requirement on sites governed by the R-20 Act.
Do I have to pay for the welding certifications (CWB, pressure vessel) I require from my welder?
If you require a welding certification because of the nature of your work, the CCQ's Welding Qualification Fund can reimburse certain costs to the employee (travel, lodging, exam fees). It costs you nothing directly, and it helps attract and retain strong candidates.
Get started
Need a welder?
Leave your info. We'll call you back quickly to understand the role — and tell you how we'll fill it, guarantee included.
- Clear mandate, no surprise quotes.
- 90-day replacement guarantee.
- We respond to candidates in <2 min, 24/7.
Hire a welder
We'll call you back quickly. No surprise quotes.
Also by region
welders in your area.
We recruit across Québec. See the candidate job pages by region for this trade.