Jobs in Canada can be classified under different categories under the National Occupation Classification (NOC) system. NOC is Canada’s national system of organizing and describing jobs. For immigration purposes, there are 5 broad NOC categories based on the job duties – 0, A, B, C and D. Jobs in 0, A and B categories are considered skilled jobs for the purpose of immigration.
These broad categories are further divided into NOC codes, one for each type of job. For example, within NOC category A, there are several different codes for professions in Finance. Financial Manager’s NOC code is 0111, Financial auditors and accountants have the code 1111, while Financial and Investment Analysts are assigned the code 1112. Before you apply for Express Entry, you need to find out the NOC code for your occupation.
Skill types
Skill type 0
Management jobs. For example:
- Financial managers
- Human resource managers
- Sales managers
Skill type A
Professional jobs that need a university degree. For example:
- Doctors
- Architects
- Engineers
Skill type B
Skilled trades that usually need a college diploma or training as an apprentice. For example:
- Electricians
- Plumbers
- Purchasing officers
Skill type C
Intermediate jobs that usually need high school or job-specific training. For example:
- Truck drivers
- Receptionists
- Data entry clerks
Skill type D
Labour jobs that usually give on the job training. For example:
- Cleaning workers
- Construction workers
- Cashiers
How to find your NOC code
To find the NOC code of your own profession, go to the NOC website and search for your job title. You may get one or more options to choose from. Along with each title, you will see their Skill level. If it’s 0, A or B, then your profession is considered skilled for the purpose of immigration.
For example, if you search for accountant, you will see 3 titles related to that. One of those will sound more relatable to you.
These job titles are usually very broad but your title may be very specific. For example, you may be a tax accountant. Or maybe in your country, you have a different name for the same job title. To avoid any confusion, you can click on the “Matching job titles” button in the last column and it will show other job titles that are included in that broader title. If you see your title in that list, it means you are on the right track.
Your search for finding your NOC code isn’t over yet. The most important step follows next. You will also need to make sure that your job duties also broadly match the job duties listed on the NOC website. Your company can give you any fancy job title but if you work on something totally different, then you can’t use that NOC code. For example, your job title may be accountant but if entering data is all that you do, sorry, you can’t use the NOC code for accountants.
If you click on the job title, it will open up a page with the major job duties under that role. If this is what you mostly do, then you are looking at the right NOC code. However, if the job duties mentioned here do not align with what you do, then try searching again with a different keyword.
Frequently Asked Questions
I have worked in more than one profession and they have different NOC codes. Which one should I choose?
You can choose any one of these as your primary NOC code. For example, it can be the one where you have the most experience or the one that is most recent. But you will need to mention the NOC codes for all your professions while creating your Express Entry profile. You will get points for all of your work experience, even if it is split over multiple NOC codes.
I can’t find any NOC code that exactly matches with my job duties. How can I choose one?
Usually the NOC codes don’t perfectly align with people’s job duties because organizations have their own unique structure and job duties for the same title can vary a little. Even if you have a 70-80% match, it’s still a good match.
If you feel that the job duties listed for your title are not at all matching with what you do, try searching using different words. For example, pick words from your industry or your work routine and see the options that you get. Even if the title sounds different but the job duties are matching, that’s the one you should consider.