The Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI) The Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI) The Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI)

What Does HVACR Stand For

HVACR stands for Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration, but it stands for a lot more than that.

This high-paying, always-in-demand career provides Canadians with safe and comfortable indoor environments while protecting the outdoor environment. We’re here for Canadians in all regions, in all weather, always. HVACR designers, engineers, installers, manufacturers, and distributors are as important as the air we breathe.

What Does HVACR Stands for?

A Multi-skilled Industry

Discover the Skills

Earning Potential

In 2023 the average salary of an HVACR worker in Canada was $68,400 with a high of $103,001.

(Jobbank.gc.ca, 2024)

In 2021, those who became newly certified trade journeypersons earned on average $56,160.

(Canada, Earnings and mobility indicators for newly certified journeypersons in Canada, 2021, 2023)

$238,200

vs

-$8,129

Five Year Apprenticeship (Refrigeration & Air Conditioning) vs. Undergraduate Degree (Arts & Humanities)

Year Apprenticeship Degree
Year 1 Earnings $32,000* $10,830**
Year 2 Earnings $40,000* $11,400**
Year 3 Earnings $48,000* $11,940**
Year 4 Earnings $56,000* $12,537**
Year 5 Earnings $64,000* $13,164**
Total Approx. Earnings $240,000 $59,871
Approx. Tuition Costs $1,800 $40,000
Student Debt $0 $28,000
Bottom Line $238,200 -$8,129

* John Finan, 2023
** Canada, Income of individuals by age group, sex and income source, Canada, provinces and selected census metropolitan areas, 2023