The National Occupational Classification(NOC) is Canada's national system for describing occupations. You can search the NOC to find where an occupation is classified or to learn about its main duties, educational requirements, or other useful information.
As of November 16, 2022, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will be transitioning to the new 2021 version of the National Occupation Classification (NOC) system. The changes in effect have major implications for candidates that apply for Canada PR and Work Permits – as well as those with an active profile in the Express Entry system.
To move to Canada, you must have a basic understanding of the NOC Code categories under the federal government's Express Entry program. Choosing the right NOC code is one of the vital steps for your Canada PR application.
In case your NOC code does not match your work experience, your application may get rejected or returned.
To be eligible to apply for Canada PR Visa through the express entry program, you must have work experience in a skilled occupation that is categorized under NOC TEER Category 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5.
If you have work experience in an occupation categorized under NOC TEER Category 0, 1, 2, and 3, you can apply for Canada PR Visa through Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program (AIPP).
For the occupation falling under NOC TEER Category 4 and 5, and you want to apply for Canada PR Visa, you can apply through:
People who come to work temporarily are not permanent residents. However, some continue to immigrate here permanently as PR holders.
You have to search for the NOC code that matches your Job duties and is not based on the job titles. When submitting your proof of work experience, your job duties are the most important part.
While processing your application, IRCC will compare your job duties with the NOC code you have selected.