How to become an industrial sewing machine operator
Official title: Industrial sewing machine operators
Also called: Closer - sewing, Machine button sewer, Garment mender - sewing, Sewing machine operator, Serging machine operator, Buttonhole machine operator, Fur sewing machine operator, Overedging machine operator, Overcasting machine operator, Fancy stitch machine operator, Closer sewing machine operator, Joiner sewing machine operator
Industrial sewing machine operators operate sewing machines to sew fabric, fur, leather or synthetic materials to produce or repair garments and other articles. They are employed in clothing, footwear, textile products, fur products and other manufacturing establishments and by furriers.
Main tasks
- Assemble pieces of garments by matching patterns and dye lots
- Operate single, double or multi-needle serging, flat bed felling, banding and other sewing machines, to join sections of garments or other articles into finished products on a piece-work or production basis
- Operate fur sewing machines to join fur pelt strips to required size and shape and join pelts into garment sections or shells
- Operate stitching machines to sew leather parts together for leather garments, handbags, shoes and other leather articles
- Operate serging machines to sew and overcast edges of material simultaneously
- Operate tackers, pocketsetters, buttonhole makers and fusing, hemmer and other machines to perform various operations in the fabrication of garments and other articles
- Examine garments and operate sewing machines, sergers and other machines to repair garments and other articles during the manufacturing process
- Complete production reports
How to become one
Some secondary school education is usually required. Experience operating a sewing machine is usually required. On-the-job training may be provided.
Pay · Outlook
- Median pay: $35,100 a year The middle half earn $31,590 to $39,000.
- About 17,700 people worked in this job in 2023, and about 17,400 are projected by 2033. (-1.7%)
- Projected labour market to 2033: balance.
Related jobs
- Textile fibre and yarn, hide and pelt processing machine operators and workers
- Weavers, knitters and other fabric making occupations
- Inspectors and graders, textile, fabric, fur and leather products manufacturing
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Questions people ask
How do I become an industrial sewing machine operator?
Some secondary school education is usually required. Experience operating a sewing machine is usually required. On-the-job training may be provided.
How much does an industrial sewing machine operator earn in Canada?
Median full-time pay is $35,100 a year (Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank)). The middle half earn $31,590 to $39,000.
Is an industrial sewing machine operator a growing career in Canada?
Employment is projected to stay about the same by 2033: about 17,700 people now and 17,400 later (Employment and Social Development Canada).
Do you need a degree to become an industrial sewing machine operator?
Usually not. Only 11% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Sources
- Statistics Canada: Census 2021: employment by occupation, gender and education (98-10-0449) (2021 Census), Statistics Canada Open Licence, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Statistics Canada: National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 (Version 1.0), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Employment and Social Development Canada: Canadian Occupational Projection System (COPS) (2024 to 2033), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank): Wages by occupation (2025 (revised 2025-11-19)), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03