The National Occupational Classification (NOC) is a major part of Canada’s immigration system. Skilled worker candidates and temporary foreign workers need to demonstrate their work experience corresponds with NOC requirements of the program they are applying to. Express Entry is the main way to immigrate to Canada as a skilled worker, and candidates need to demonstrate their work experience falls under NOC skill level 0, A, or B as one of the eligibility factors under Express Entry.
What is NOC?
The National Occupation Classification (NOC) is Canada’s national reference for occupations. It categorizes employment activities in Canada to help understand the nature of the Canadian labour market, run government programs, promote skills development, conduct research, and help Canada manage its immigration and foreign worker programs.
It is useful for:
- describe the Canadian Labour Market;
- streamline government immigration programs;
- encourage skills development;
- assess the management of immigration and foreign worker programs
There were three major changes made to the framework of the NOC in order to make it more consistent, accurate, and flexible
Change to terminology:
The first main change is the actual terminology. Currently known as the National Occupational Classification (NOC) system it has now aptly been renamed the Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities or TEER. This now highlights the fact that NOC doesn’t just assess the skill level of an Express Entry applicant or temporary foreign worker, but rather their training, formal education, work experience, and responsibilities associated with that work experience.
Change to skill level categories:
The second major change to the NOC system is that the number of categories or tiers has increased. The previous four main categories have been upped to six categories. In the 2016 NOC, skill level B has the most occupations of all skills levels. By adding more categories, the distinction between employment requirements can be more defined and clearer which should make the selection process more consistent.
| 2016 Skill Level Categories | |
| Category | Requirements |
| NOC 0 | Management jobs (usually require a degree) |
| NOC A | Professional jobs (usually require a degree) |
| NOC B | Technical jobs and skilled trade jobs (usually require a college diploma or training) |
| NOC C | Intermediate jobs (usually require a high school diploma or job-specific training) |
| NOC D | Labour jobs (usually requires on-the-job training) |
| 2021 Skill Level Categories | |
| Category | Requirements |
| TEER 0 | Management jobs (usually require a degree) |
| TEER 1 | Completion of a university degree (bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate); or |
| Several years of experience in a specific occupation from TEER category 2 (when applicable) | |
| TEER 2 | Completion of a post-secondary education program of two to three years at community college, institute of technology or CÉGEP; or |
| Completion of an apprenticeship training program of two to five years; or | |
| Occupations with supervisory or significant safety (police officers and firefighters) responsibilities; orr | |
| Several years of experience in a specific occupation from TEER category 3 (when applicable) | |
| TEER 3 | Apprenticeship training of fewer than 2 years; or |
| Completion of a post-secondary education program of fewer than two years at community college, institute of technology or CÉGEP; or | |
| More than six months of on-the-job training, training courses, or specific work experience with some secondary school education; or | |
| Several years of experience in a specific occupation from TEER category 4 (when applicable) | |
| TEER 4 | Completion of secondary school; or |
| Several weeks of on-the-job training with some secondary school education; or | |
| Several years of experience in a specific occupation from TEER category 5 (when applicable) | |
| TEER 5 | Short work demonstration and no formal educational requirements. |
Change from four to five-level classification system:
The third major change is that the actual NOC code will change from being a four-digit to a new five-digit NOC code. This allows for more flexibility and consistency; allowing for new unit groups to be incorporated in the future.
New NOC codes to be in a 5-digit format:
The third major change is a structural move involving a shift from a 4-tiered NOC code to a 5-tiered classification system.
The new classification is more flexible. Scope has been left in NOC 2021 for the incorporation of many new unit groups, as required in future.
| NOC 2021 – 5-digit NOC Code | |
| Digit 1 | Broad occupational category |
| Digit 2 | TEER category |
| Digits 1 & 2 | Digits 1 & 2 Represent the major group |
| Digits 1, 2 & 3 | Digits 1, 2 & 3 Represent the sub-major group |
| Digit 1, 2, 3 & 4 | Represent the minor group |
| All 5 digits | Represent the occupation itself |
For example, as per the Concordance table for NOC 2021, the present NOC 2147 for Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers) requiring a Skill Level A will become NOC 21311 with TEER 1.
Moreover, with NOC 2171 (now NOC 21222) for Information systems analysts and consultants split, NOC 21232 is the new code for Software developers and programmers.
| New unit groups created | · Data Scientists · Cybersecurity |
| Granted their own unit group | · Financial advisors · Police investigators |
| 3 distinct unit groups created | For software developers and programmers |
| Sectors with significant renewal | · Information technology sector · Health and agriculture sector · Military occupations · Postal services |
The new NOC 2021 contains 516 occupations in total, up from the 423 occupations in NOC 2016.
| How the 516-unit groups from NOC 2021 were built | |
| 423-unit groups | Exactly the same as in NOC 2016 |
| 58-unit groups | New unit groups, created through the splitting up of an existing unit group |
| 30-unit groups | Existing unit groups that had parts of another unit group added |
| 5-unit groups | New unit groups, created through the merging of 2 separate unit groups |
Canada immigration will be overhauling the way occupations in the Canadian labour market are classified in Fall 2022
Impact of NOC changes on Canadian immigration:
The progressions will help a few candidates while hurt others. Some may now observe themselves to be qualified for extra projects since their work experience has been renamed. Others might observe themselves to be at this point not qualified for a similar explanation.
It stays muddled now how candidates will be influenced. Partners should keep on trusting that IRCC and ESDC will give additional data.
This Statistics Canada tool permits people to perceive how their present NOC relates with NOC 2021. The table beneath gives a sign of how the four NOC ability levels have been rearranged across the six new TEER gatherings.
Novaturient is a Licensed Immigration consultant that offer Visa services in acquiring Permanent Resident Visa, Student Visa and Visit Visa for countries such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Schengen Countries and the UK.
Call us : 9731473738
Email : info@novaturientvisas.com
Leave A Comment