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NOC and TEER categories: how Canada classifies jobs for immigration

The National Occupational Classification (NOC) gives every job in Canada a code, and the TEER category groups codes by the training, education, experience and responsibilities they usually need. IRCC has used NOC 2021 since 16 November 2022. The Canadian Experience Class and Federal Skilled Worker classes use TEER 0 to 3. The Federal Skilled Trades Program uses specified NOC groups. Duties, not job titles, decide the code.

Almost every economic immigration rule in Canada points back to a code. Express Entry asks for it. The Canadian Experience Class counts only some of them. The skilled trades class is defined by groups of them. Category-based rounds list them by number. And a wrong code is one of the most common ways a profile goes wrong.

That code comes from the National Occupational Classification, usually shortened to NOC. This guide explains what the NOC is, what "TEER" means, how IRCC's programs use the two, why the duties in the NOC description matter more than the job title on your contract, and where to check. It is general information about how the system works. It does not tell any reader which code fits their job. That depends on the work actually done, and deciding it for a specific person is advice.

The rules here come from two kinds of source, both read on 9 October 2026: IRCC's page on finding your NOC code (dated 27 June 2025) and the text of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR), which was current to 21 September 2026. The NOC website is the authority on the classification itself. Check it directly for the full description of any code before you rely on it.

What the NOC is, and which version applies

The NOC is Canada's national system for describing occupations. Each occupation has a code and a written description. For immigration purposes, IRCC points applicants to the NOC to find their job title, code and TEER category, and then to confirm that the duties in the description match what the applicant did.

IRCC's page says the version in use is NOC 2021. It states that on 16 November 2022 IRCC switched to the 2021 version of the NOC. Information about the earlier 2016 version is held separately. If you read an old article that uses four-digit codes or the skill type letters (0, A, B, C, D), it is describing the older system. The current codes have five digits.

The IRPR gives a view of how the system is organised, because the regulations refer to levels of it. Section 87.2(1) mentions a Major Group (for example, Major Group 72 or 73), a Minor Group (for example, Minor Group 6320, cooks, butchers and bakers) and a Unit Group (for example, Unit Group 62200, chefs). So the classification works as a hierarchy: broad groups that divide into narrower ones, down to the unit group, which has the five-digit code.

IRCC's page includes a note worth keeping in mind: if any part of its information conflicts with the NOC website, the NOC website is correct. That tells you which source to trust if a table, an article or a lookup tool disagrees.

The practical consequence is that you do not choose a code from a list because it looks right. You find the occupation whose description matches the work you did, and you use that code. The Express Entry explained guide shows where the code is entered.

What TEER means

TEER stands for training, education, experience and responsibilities. It is the part of the NOC that groups occupations by what they usually require. IRCC's NOC page describes the six categories this way:

  • TEER 0: management occupations.
  • TEER 1: occupations that usually require a university degree.
  • TEER 2: occupations that usually require a college diploma, two or more years of apprenticeship, or supervisory work.
  • TEER 3: occupations that usually require a college diploma, apprenticeship training of less than two years, or more than six months of on-the-job training.
  • TEER 4: occupations that usually require a high school diploma or several weeks of on-the-job training.
  • TEER 5: occupations that usually need short-term work demonstration and no formal education.

Note the word "usually". TEER describes the typical entry requirement for the occupation. It does not say what a particular worker holds. A person in a TEER 1 occupation does not need to have a degree to hold the job; the classification describes the occupation, not the person. For immigration, what counts is the occupation's TEER category, which comes from the code, not the worker's own qualifications.

The page notes that the TEER is listed in its own column in IRCC's lookup table, next to the NOC code and the job title. The TEER category then drives eligibility, which is the next section.

How the programs use the codes

The three Express Entry programs use the classification in three different ways. Reading the regulation shows the differences clearly.

  • Canadian Experience Class. Section 87.1(2) requires work experience in occupations "listed in TEER Category 0, 1, 2 or 3". Occupations in TEER 4 and 5 do not count for this class. IRCC's language minimums for the class also depend on the TEER: CLB 7 for TEER 0 or 1, and CLB 5 for TEER 2 or 3. See the Canadian Experience Class guide.
  • Federal Skilled Worker Program. Section 75(2) likewise requires one year of work experience in the person's primary occupation, listed in TEER Category 0, 1, 2 or 3, within the 10 years before the application.
  • Federal Skilled Trades Program. Section 87.2(1) does not use TEER categories at all. It defines skilled trade occupations by listed major, minor and unit groups. See the Federal Skilled Trades Program guide.

Category-based Express Entry rounds use the NOC differently again. IRCC's category-based selection page lists occupations for each category by NOC code and TEER. A person's code has to be on the list for the category in question. See the category-based draws guide.

Provincial programs and work permit rules also use NOC codes and TEER levels, each with their own lists and conditions. Do not assume a code that works for one program works for another.

Because eligibility turns on the code, it may help to see how a single digit changes the answer. An occupation in TEER 3 can count for the Canadian Experience Class, but an occupation in TEER 4 cannot. The cut sits at a line in a classification that is written by occupation, not by the importance of the worker.

Why duties beat job titles

The most important rule about the NOC is that the code follows the work, not the title. The regulations say so in plain terms. For the Canadian Experience Class, section 87.1(2) requires that during the period of employment the person "performed the actions described in the lead statement for the occupation" and "performed a substantial number of the main duties of the occupation as set out in the occupational descriptions of the National Occupational Classification, including all of the essential duties." Section 75(2) for the Federal Skilled Worker Program and section 87.2(3) for the skilled trades class say much the same.

Three terms are worth understanding:

  • Lead statement. This is the short summary at the start of an NOC description. The regulation requires that the person performed the actions it describes.
  • Main duties. These are the listed tasks of the occupation. A substantial number must have been performed.
  • Essential duties. These are the ones the regulation says must all have been performed.

IRCC's NOC page gives the same practical advice: make sure the main duties listed match what you did at your job. If they do not, you need to find a different job title whose duties do. The page does not use the phrase "lead statement" but the regulation does.

This is also why choosing a code to fit a target program is risky. If a person selects a code because it appears on a category list or falls in TEER 0 to 3, but the duties do not match their real work, the profile is untrue in a way an officer can test against the employment letters and other evidence. A finding of misrepresentation under section 40 of the Act has serious consequences; see the misrepresentation guide.

Employers' reference letters are usually where the match is shown. Letters that list the real duties in the employer's own words, and that fit the code, are easier to assess than letters that only restate a title.

How to look up a code, and where to double-check

IRCC's page sets out the lookup steps. In summary:

  • Enter your job title in the filter field of IRCC's table to find a candidate code.
  • Note the code, the job title and the TEER category shown for it.
  • Go to the NOC website, choose the 2021 version, and search by title or code.
  • Confirm that the main duties match your job.

If your job is not in the table, IRCC's page says to search the NOC website, pick the closest match, check its duties, and then enter that code in the table's filter to get the TEER.

Some further practical points:

  • Many titles, one code. The NOC lists example job titles under each code. A title that is not listed is not automatically wrong, if the duties fit.
  • One person, several jobs. Where you have held more than one occupation, the regulation for the Canadian Experience Class deals with language thresholds by the occupation with the greater amount of experience. Keep separate documents for each.
  • Restricted occupations. The regulations exclude "restricted" occupations. Check IRCC's current guidance on what that covers.
  • Recheck before each step. Code lists attached to categories, provincial streams and work permits change. Check the date on each page.
  • Keep your evidence. Pay records, contracts and reference letters for each job are what an officer will test the code against.

For the language tests that sit next to the occupation requirement, see the language tests guide. For how the code feeds into the score, see the CRS guide.

If the question is which code fits your own job, that is a question about your facts. Only a lawyer or a licensed immigration consultant may advise on it for a fee under section 91 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. If you hire one, check their licence on the register first.

Find a regulated adviser

If you want a licensed immigration consultant or a lawyer to look at which NOC code matches your own work, use the Migratio directory to find a regulated adviser, and check their licence on the official register before you hire them. Migratio is a directory and booking platform. It does not give immigration advice and does not assign codes.

Questions people ask

What does TEER stand for?

Training, education, experience and responsibilities. It groups NOC occupations into categories 0 to 5 by what they usually require. IRCC's page describes TEER 0 as management occupations and TEER 1 as occupations that usually require a university degree.

Which NOC version does IRCC use?

NOC 2021. IRCC's page states that on 16 November 2022 it switched to the 2021 version. Older sources that use four-digit codes describe NOC 2016.

Which TEER categories count for the Canadian Experience Class?

TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3, per section 87.1(2) of the IRPR. The Federal Skilled Worker class uses the same range in section 75(2).

Does the Federal Skilled Trades Program use TEER?

Not in its definition. Section 87.2(1) defines skilled trade occupations by specified major, minor and unit groups of the NOC.

Can I use the job title on my contract to pick a code?

The title alone is not enough. The regulations require that you performed the actions in the lead statement and a substantial number of the main duties, including all the essential duties. IRCC's page says to make sure the main duties match what you did.

Sources

Last checked 2026-10-09.

Related guides

  • Express Entry explained: how the system and its three programs work — Express Entry is an online system IRCC uses to manage applications for permanent residence under three programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Canadian Experience Class and the Federal Skilled Trades Program. You create a profile, candidates with the highest scores are invited in rounds, invited candidates apply, and an officer decides. This page explains the mechanics. It cannot tell you whether you are eligible.
  • CRS score explained: where Express Entry points come from — The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores Express Entry profiles out of 1,200: core factors up to 500 (460 with a spouse), spouse factors up to 40, skill transferability up to 100 and additional points up to 600. A provincial nomination is worth 600. Job offers have not earned CRS points since 25 March 2025. This page explains the scoring. It cannot say whether a score will lead to an invitation.
  • Canadian Experience Class requirements: what the rules say — The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) is for people with skilled work experience gained in Canada. IRCC's page says at least 1 year of work or 1,560 hours in the 3 years before applying, in TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3, with temporary resident status and paid employment, plus approved language tests. There is no education requirement. The CEC is managed through Express Entry.
  • Federal Skilled Trades Program: who it covers and what it asks for — The Federal Skilled Trades Program (FST) is for people qualified in a skilled trade. IRCC's page asks for 2 years of full-time trade work in the 5 years before applying, language minimums of CLB 5 for speaking and listening and CLB 4 for reading and writing, and either a valid job offer of at least 1 year or a certificate of qualification. It is managed through Express Entry. There is no education requirement.
  • Category-based Express Entry draws: the ten categories explained — IRCC's category-based selection page, dated 22 June 2026, lists ten current categories: French-language proficiency, healthcare and social services, STEM, trades, education, transport, physicians, senior managers and researchers with Canadian work experience, and skilled military recruits. A category is a way of being invited, not a program. A candidate still has to be eligible for FSW, CEC or FST.
  • Misrepresentation in Canada: The Five-Year Inadmissibility Rule — Under section 40 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, misrepresenting or withholding a material fact that induces or could induce an error makes a person inadmissible for five years, and during that time a foreign national cannot apply for permanent residence. The five years run from the final determination if it was made outside Canada, or from the day a removal order is enforced if it was made in Canada.
  • Language tests for Canada PR: the approved tests and how scores become CLB levels — For Express Entry, IRCC accepts five tests: CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training and PTE Core in English, and TEF Canada and TCF Canada in French. Results must be less than 2 years old when you complete your profile and when you apply. Scores are converted into Canadian Language Benchmark (English) or NCLC (French) levels, and the minimum level depends on the program.