Last verified: July 5, 2026 · Official source: canada.ca — Find your NOC
General information, not legal or immigration advice. For advice on your situation, consult a licensed RCIC or immigration lawyer.
Why this matters
Almost every economic immigration program asks: is your work "skilled," and in what occupation? Canada answers that with the NOCNOC: National Occupational Classification — Canada's system for describing and coding every job. Each occupation has a 5-digit code and a TEER category.. Getting your NOC right is one of the most important things you'll do — it drives your eligibility for Express Entry, the Canadian Experience Class, category-based draws, and most PNPs.
Canada uses the 2021 version of the NOC, which introduced the TEER system.
What is TEER?
TEERTEER: Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities — the 2021 NOC's way of grouping jobs by the skill and preparation they require, on a 0–5 scale. replaced the old "skill levels." Every occupation sits in one of six categories:
| TEER | What it means (examples) |
|---|---|
| TEER 0 | Management jobs (e.g. restaurant managers, IT managers) |
| TEER 1 | Usually need a university degree (e.g. software engineers, accountants) |
| TEER 2 | Usually need a college diploma, apprenticeship (2+ yrs), or supervisory roles (e.g. computer network technicians, many trades) |
| TEER 3 | Usually need a college diploma, shorter apprenticeship, or several months of on-the-job training (e.g. dental assistants, some trades) |
| TEER 4 | Usually need a high-school diploma or weeks of on-the-job training |
| TEER 5 | Usually need short demonstration, no formal education (e.g. some labourers) |
For most PR programs, "skilled" means TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3. Work in TEER 4 or 5 generally does not count toward Express Entry or the CEC (though some PNP and pilot streams target specific TEER 4/5 occupations).
How to read a NOC code
A 2021 NOC code has 5 digits. The second digit tells you the TEER category. For example, in NOC 21231 (software engineers), the second digit 1 = TEER 1.
That single digit is what programs check when they ask whether your experience is skilled.
How to find your NOC
Don't pick a code by job title alone — match the duties. IRCC and Statistics Canada expect your actual day-to-day tasks to line up with the occupation's "main duties."
- Search the official NOC tool for your job title.
- Open the candidate occupation and read its lead statement and main duties.
- Confirm that most of your real responsibilities match — this is what an officer checks against your reference letters.
- Note the 5-digit code and its TEER.
⚠️ Your employer reference letters should describe duties that clearly match your chosen NOC. A mismatch between your letters and your NOC is a common reason skilled-experience claims are questioned.
Where TEER shows up in your PR journey
- Canadian Experience Class: you need qualifying Canadian experience in a TEER 0–3 occupation. See our CEC guide.
- Express Entry pool: your NOC and skilled experience feed your profile and CRS score.
- Category-based draws: many 2026 categories (healthcare, trades, STEM, etc.) are defined by specific NOC codes.
- PNPs: provinces target in-demand NOCs — see the PNP overview.
Common pitfalls
- Choosing by title, not duties. Two people with the same title can have different NOCs.
- Assuming a degree = TEER 1. TEER reflects the occupation, not your personal education.
- Ignoring TEER 4/5. If your work is TEER 4 or 5, look at PNP/pilot streams built for it rather than standard Express Entry.
Where this fits
Your NOC is the foundation under Express Entry, the CEC, and your CRS score. Coming from the student path? See how work experience builds toward PR on the Study → PR pathway map.