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The Employment and Social Development Canada(ESDC) is the organization in charge of developing the National Occupational Classification (NOC) system. The NOC is a system of classifying all jobs in Canada based on job duties and competency required and it is reviewed and modified every ten years. Currently, it covers over 30,000 occupational titles. NOC 2021 is the latest version and will come into effect on November 16, 2021. The IRCC (Immigration Refugees, and Citizenship Canada) announced the implementation of NOC 2021 from November 16, 2022 which makes major modifications to NOC 2016 and reorganizes how skill levels and jobs are codified for Express Entry (EE) applicants and Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs).
ESDC regularly updates the NOC system, the Canada NOC list reflects the current realities of the Canadian economy and the nature of work. The NOC list exists to give statisticians, labour market analysts, career counsellors, employers, and individual job seekers a uniform way of defining and understanding the standard for the nature of work in Canada. The IRCC (Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada) uses the NOC system to decide an applicant’s eligibility for Federal Express Entry and Provincial Nominee Program. The five-category “skill level” structure that governs NOC 2016 has undergone a significant revision and was replaced with a new six teer system in NOC 2021. The Occupation contained in the NOC list includes different skill levels, some requiring a university degree, diploma, job training or apprenticeship.
Major Changes To The Noc List
One of the major changes to NOC 2016 is the addition of new occupations to the list of eligible occupations for Federal Express Entry. These occupations qualify under the Federal Skilled Worker(FSW) and Canadian Experience Class (CEC). They are;
- 1432 – Payroll administrator
- 3411 – Dental assistants
- 3413 – Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates
- 3414 – Other assisting occupations in support of health services
- 4413 – Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants
- 4421 – Sheriffs and bailiffs
- 4422 – Correctional service officers
- 4423 – By-law enforcement and other regulatory officers, n.e.c.
- 6411 – Sales and account representatives – wholesale trade (non-technical)
- 6562 – Estheticians, electrologists and related occupations
- 6733 – Janitors, caretakers and building superintendents
- 7441 – Residential and commercial installers and servicers
- 7444 – Pest controllers and fumigators
- 7445 – Other repairers and servicers
- 7511 – Transport truck drivers
- 7512 – Bus drivers, subway operators and other transit operators
- 7521 – Heavy equipment operators (except crane)
- 9521 – Aircraft assemblers and aircraft assembly inspectors
However, three occupations will no longer be eligible for Express Entry as of November 16, 2022, they are:
- Other artists (NOC 55109, previously NOC 5232)
- Recreational, athletic, and fitness program directors and instructors (NOC 54100, previously NOC 5254)
- dressmakers, milliners, furriers, and tailors (NOC 64200, previously NOC 6342)
If you work in one of these professions, you may still be eligible under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) streams that will continue to accept them.
NOC 2021 introduces a new system for calculating eligibility under TEER, which stands for Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities. The previous system is organized under NOC skill types, O, A or B.
With the switch, only applicants with occupations under TEERs 0, 1, 2, and 3 will be eligible for express entry. The four-digit NOC code has been replaced with five-digit codes.
The Table below illustrates how the skill types under NOC 2016 have been transferred to NOC 2021 TEER. Note that only TEERs, 0,1,2 and 3 are eligible for Express Entry.
NOC 2016
NOC 2021
Skill Level O
TEER 0
Skill Level A
TEER 1
Skill Level B
TEER 2,3
Skill Level C
TEER 4
Skill Level D
TEER 5
If you have received an Invitation to apply (ITA) before November 16, you may proceed to submit your application using NOC 2016. However, if you haven’t received an ITA after submitting your profile you need to update your profile before or on November 16, using NOC 2021 TEER category. After November 16, all applications must follow the TEER system.
How Can You Find Your TEER Level?
Determining which NOC code applies to you is pretty simple, even though the changes to the codes may seem complicated. Your new NOC code is listed in the NOC 2021 list on the website of the Canadian government. To find your new NOC code, simply select the NOC 2021 Version 1.0 and search by job title.
You can use the Statistics Canada Correspondence Table to change your NOC 2016 code to a NOC 2021 code if you already have an Express Entry profile and are aware of your NOC 2016 code. Find your NOC 2021 V1.0 code by entering your NOC 2016 code into the “filter items” search box.
You can also estimate your TEER level with the second number of your five-digit NOC. For example, the 2021 code for Transport Truck Drivers is NOC 73300, the second digit is 3 hence the occupation is classified as TEER 3. The implication of this is that applicants with this occupation may be considered for express entry if they fulfil all the other requirements stated by the IRCC.
You can use the Statistics Canada Correspondence Table to change your NOC 2016 code to a NOC 2021 code if you already have an Express Entry profile and are aware of your NOC 2016 code. Find your NOC 2021 V1.0 code by entering your NOC 2016 code into the “filter items” search box.
You can also estimate your TEER level with the second number of your five-digit NOC. For example, the 2021 code for Transport Truck Drivers is NOC 73300, the second digit is 3 hence the occupation is classified as TEER 3. The implication of this is that applicants with this occupation may be considered for express entry if they fulfil all the other requirements stated by the IRCC.
Conclusion
The Canadian government wants to address and improve vacancies in the Canadian labour market by modifying and developing NOC periodically.
There are resources readily available for you on the Canadian government website to aid your Express Entry application process.
If you’d rather not do self-help, we at Enclave Immigration have experts at your disposal to assist you with the process and eliminate confusion and mistakes along the way so you can achieve your dream of moving to Canada!
There are resources readily available for you on the Canadian government website to aid your Express Entry application process.
If you’d rather not do self-help, we at Enclave Immigration have experts at your disposal to assist you with the process and eliminate confusion and mistakes along the way so you can achieve your dream of moving to Canada!