Compensation
While careers in oil and gas are known to pay very good wages, compensation naturally varies from employer to employer, province to province and job to job. For example, here are some average starting salaries in Alberta: petroleum engineers $32.71/hour, drilling rig leasehands $21.00/ hour, well services $19.81/hour and truck drivers $17.59/hour.
For more salary data, check out these sites:
Professional & Industry Associations Wage Information
- Canadian Association of Oilwell Drilling Contractors Wage Schedule Drilling and service rig recommended wage schedules.
- Canadian Association of Geophysical Contractors HR Brochures HR brochures contain range of pay information and living allowances.
- Petroleum Services Association of Canada
Listing of typical jobs in the petroleum service industry and average salaries. - Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists, and Geophysicists of Alberta (APEGGA) Salary Survey
Salary information based on the level of responsibility of each employee's position, data on year of graduation, if available, and information on the type of organization. - The Association of Science & Engineering Technology Professionals of Alberta (ASET) ASET Annual Salary Survey Report
- Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union Wages Comparison wage chart of union vs. non-unionized workers in Canada.
Wages by Province
- Alberta Wage Survey
- Energy Services BC Careers
- British Columbia Labour & Income Stats
- Newfoundland Pay Information - Petroleum Industry Human Resource Council
- Saskatchewan Wage Survey
- Ontario Community Profiles
(Select 'Community' & 'Wage Rates & Benefits by Occupation' on left menu-bar.)
Wage & Salary Databases
- Statistics Canada: Labour Wages, Salary & Other Information
- Service Canada Wages & Salaries
- Salary Expert
- Salary Wizard Canada
- Workopolis Payscale Database
Benefits
There's more to a job than its salary. Petroleum industry employers also offer a wide array of generous benefits to attract and keep good workers happy. Benefits vary from employer to employer, and could include health, vision, dental and life insurance, matching contributions to retirement accounts, flexible work schedules, transportation allowances, tuition reimbursement or scholarships for employees and family members.
Changing demographics in the industry and our country as a whole, as well as the growing need for additional workers, have inspired many employers to get really creative in the benefit plans they provide, and to focus on new perks and policies that help people balance their work and personal lives. For example, compressed work schedules, discounted health club memberships and child and elder care are increasingly popular benefits.
