What is NOC classification?
The National Occupation Classification (NOC) is a system used by Canada to determine the level of skill and education mandatory for getting a job or pursuing a career in Canada.
This is a crucial assessment factor for immigrants as NOC codes establish which occupations are skilled, semi-skilled, and unskilled. Immigration to Canada under one of the federal economic programs generally requires candidates to have work experience in a skilled job.
Currently, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) use NOC 2016 to determine the eligibility of occupations under its temporary and permanent residency programs. NOC 2021 will come into effect in November 2022.
What were the categories under NOC 2016?
The current system has four levels determining the skills;
- NOC A: Jobs that tend to require university degrees
- NOC B: Jobs in the skilled trades or jobs that require a college diploma
- NOC C: Jobs that require intermediate skills or job-specific training
- NOC D: Labour jobs that require on-the-job training
What is NOC 2021?
The important change in the NOC 2021 is that the current four-category “skill level” structure has been replaced by a six-category system. The new system defines the level of Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities (TEER) required to enter each occupation.
The Teer system is categorised into;
- TEER 0: People with management occupations
- TEER 1: Completion of a university degree; several years of experience in a specific occupation from TEER category 2
- TEER 2: Immigrants who complete a post-secondary education program of two to three years at community college, institute of technology or CÉGEP; Completion of an apprenticeship training program of two to five years; occupations with supervisory or significant safety (police officers and firefighters) responsibilities;
People with several years of experience in a specific occupation from TEER category 3 (when applicable).
- TEER 3: Completion of a post-secondary education program of fewer than two years at community college, institute of technology or CÉGEP; Apprenticeship training of fewer than 2 years; More than six months of on-the-job training, training courses or specific work experience with some secondary school education; Several years of experience in a specific occupation from TEER category 4.
- TEER 4: Under this Completion of secondary school; Several weeks of on-the-job training with some secondary school education; Several years of experience in a specific occupation from TEER category 5 (when applicable) are required.
- TEER 5: Short work demonstration and no formal educational requirements.
What changed?
The reports suggest that around 16 occupations are considered eligible for Express Entry according to the new system while three which were eligible have been removed from any of the categories.
The list of the occupations added to NOC 2022 are;
- Payroll administrators
- Dental assistants and dental laboratory assistants
- Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates
- Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants
- Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants
- Sheriffs and bailiffs
- Correctional service officers
- By-law enforcement and other regulatory officers
- Estheticians, electrologists and related occupations
- Residential and commercial installers and servicers
- Pest controllers and fumigators
- Other repairers and servicers
- Transport truck drivers
- Bus drivers, subway operators and other transit operators
- Heavy equipment operators
- Aircraft assemblers and aircraft assembly inspectors.
Three jobs that became ineligible are:
- Other performers
- Program leaders and instructors in recreation, sport and fitness
- Tailors, dressmakers, furriers and milliners.
However, these professions will find eligibility if they are embedded in a larger professional course or related programs.
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