Non-commissioned · Army
Gunner
Training information checked 2026-09-15: Official training source. Basic training, waiting periods and individual entry conditions may add time.
Civilian pathways are a guide, not a licence guarantee. Entry route, province and regulator affect recognition; confirm required education, registration and exams with the relevant authority.
What the listing leaves outGunners do not all serve on the gun line. The trade splits into four employment streams — gun line, surveillance and target acquisition, observation party, and air defence — so a career can be spent well away from a howitzer, on radar, forward observation or uncrewed systems.Source · checked 2026-09-06
What the job involves
A Gunner can be called upon to serve in any kind of terrain be it Arctic tundra, tropical jungle, desert, mountains, or urban towns and cities. They are deployed overseas on operational missions and in Canada in support of civil…
Getting in
No previous work experience or career related skills are required. CAF recruiters can help you decide if your personal interests and attributes match the criteria for this occupation. The minimum required education to…
Training
Upon completion of BMQ, Gunners attend The Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery School in Gagetown, New Brunswick for another 9-week course (DP1) covering Individual soldiers’ skills, more advance…
Civilian equivalent
Surveyor Computer Network Operator Prison/Security Guard Heavy Equipment Operator Drone Operator Demolition
Equipment this trade works with
Where you serve
What it pays
You enrol at Private (Basic) and move up on qualification. Increments inside a rank are annual, so the top of a range is what someone earns after several years at that rank rather than on reaching it.
| NATO | Rank | Monthly pay |
|---|---|---|
| OR-2 | Private (Basic) Pte(B) · where you start | $4,337 |
| OR-3 | Private (Trained) Pte(T) | $4,987 – $5,994 |
| OR-4 | Corporal Cpl | $6,858 – $7,337 |
| OR-4 | Master Corporal MCpl | $7,118 – $7,841 |
| OR-6 | Sergeant Sgt | $7,959 – $8,340 |
| OR-7 | Warrant Officer WO | $8,694 – $8,997 |
| OR-8 | Master Warrant Officer MWO | $9,668 – $10,057 |
| OR-9 | Chief Warrant Officer CWO | $10,562 – $13,410 |
Regular Force monthly salary, effective 2025-04-01. Not official — confirm current rates with canada.ca.
If you serve part-timeReserve Class A and B use separate daily pay tables. Class C uses the Regular Force monthly tables and can include operational or non-operational service. Do not estimate daily pay from a fixed percentage of monthly salary.Reserve Force pay by rank · checked 2026-09-06
Full listing on forces.ca
The description above is a short excerpt of the official Government of Canada listing, which is the authority on entry requirements and training.
forces.caOpen this in Trades & Occupations
Filter all 110 occupations by element, entry plan and area of work.
Trades & Occupations