NOC code in Canada and TEER, explained
Your NOC code in Canada comes from the National Occupational Classification (NOC), and its TEER category sorts every job by skill and responsibility. The NOC code and TEER level decide whether your experience qualifies for Express Entry and many provincial streams. This guide shows how the system works and how to find your code.
Key takeaways
A NOC code in Canada is the five-digit National Occupational Classification number that IRCC assigns to your job. Under NOC 2021, each occupation also sits in a TEER category from 0 to 5, based on the training, education, experience and responsibilities the work requires. Your NOC code and TEER decide whether your experience qualifies for Express Entry and category-based draws, and they often carry into Provincial Nominee Program eligibility. The correct code depends on your actual duties, not your title.
- The NOC classifies every Canadian occupation; NOC 2021 uses TEER categories 0 to 5.
- TEER stands for Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities; TEER 0 and 1 are the most skilled.
- Your NOC and TEER decide eligibility for Express Entry programs and category-based draws.
- The right NOC depends on your actual duties, not your job title; match the lead statement and main duties.
- NOC 2021 replaced the old Skill Level A to D system, so older guides referencing skill levels are out of date.
What is a NOC code in Canada, and what is TEER?
A NOC code in Canada is the five-digit number the National Occupational Classification (NOC) assigns to your job, and TEER is the category from 0 to 5 that tells IRCC how skilled that job is. The NOC is the standard system Canada uses to name, describe and group every occupation in the labour market. The version IRCC uses today is NOC 2021, which gives each occupation that five-digit code and places it in a category called TEER.
TEER stands for Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities, the four things that define how skilled a job is. Every occupation sits in one TEER category from 0 to 5, and that category, together with the code itself, is what immigration programs read when they decide whether your experience counts.
In short, the NOC code tells the system what your job is, and the TEER category tells it how skilled that job is. Both pieces matter for Express Entry, where qualifying work experience also feeds your Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score, and for many provincial programs. A useful rule of thumb: your NOC code in Canada is decided by the duties you actually performed, not by the title printed on your business card.
What are the TEER categories 0 to 5?
TEER replaces the old four-tier skill-level model with six categories that describe the typical training and responsibility level of a job. Lower numbers mean more skilled work, so TEER 0 and TEER 1 sit at the top: TEER 0 jobs are management roles, while TEER 1 jobs usually require a university degree. The table below summarises each category and the kind of preparation it usually implies.
| TEER | Typical requirement | Example types of work |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Management responsibilities | Managers and directors across sectors |
| 1 | University degree (bachelor's, master's or doctoral) | Professional roles such as engineers and analysts |
| 2 | College diploma, 2+ year apprenticeship, or supervisory roles | Technologists, skilled trades, supervisors |
| 3 | Shorter college program or several months of on-the-job training | Technical and skilled support occupations |
| 4 | High school diploma or several weeks of on-the-job training | Intermediate occupations |
| 5 | Short work demonstration and no formal education | Labour and elemental occupations |
Why the split matters
How do I find my NOC code in Canada?
To find your NOC code in Canada, match your real duties to an occupation rather than guessing from your job title. Two people with the same title can fall under different NOCs if their work differs. The official NOC code list on canada.ca acts as a free NOC code finder: you search it by keyword and read the matching occupation.
- 01
Search the NOC code list by title or keyword
On the official NOC website, use the NOC code finder to search your job title or key duties, then open the occupations from the NOC code list that look closest to your work.
- 02
Match the duties
Read the lead statement and main duties for each candidate occupation. Choose the one where most duties genuinely describe what you did.
- 03
Record the code and TEER
Note the five-digit NOC code and its TEER code (the 0 to 5 category). This is what you enter in your profile and support with reference letters.
The duties matter more than the title because IRCC assesses your experience against the NOC's main duties, usually evidenced by employer reference letters. If your letters do not reflect the duties of the code you chose, eligible experience can be questioned, so the code and the evidence have to line up.
Why your NOC code in Canada and TEER matter for Express Entry
Your NOC code in Canada and its TEER category are gatekeepers for eligibility. They decide three things at once: whether your experience qualifies for an Express Entry program at all, which program it best fits, and whether you can be selected in an occupation-targeted draw.
| Program / draw | What the NOC and TEER control |
|---|---|
| Federal Skilled Worker | Whether your foreign experience is in TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 and meets the program minimum |
| Canadian Experience Class | Whether your Canadian experience is in a qualifying TEER (generally 0, 1, 2 or 3) |
| Federal Skilled Trades | Whether your occupation is one of the eligible skilled-trade NOCs |
| Category-based draws | Whether your NOC falls within a targeted category (for example healthcare or trades) |
| Provincial Nominee Programs | Whether your NOC meets a stream's occupation list or TEER requirement |
Because so much hinges on the code, the NOC is one of the most common places a do-it-yourself application goes wrong. A code that is slightly off can make qualifying experience look ineligible, or make experience look eligible when the duties do not support it. The duties you claim must be backed by your proof of work experience, usually employer reference letters. See our category-based draws guide for how a precise NOC can open a targeted round at a lower cut-off, and use our free Express Entry eligibility check to see where your NOC and TEER place you.
NOC 2021 and the move away from skill levels
NOC 2021 replaced the older NOC 2016 system. The previous model used Skill Type 0 and Skill Levels A, B, C and D; the new model uses the six TEER categories and a five-digit code. Some occupations changed category in the transition, so a role that qualified under the old skill levels may sit differently under TEER, and the reverse can also be true. IRCC adopted NOC 2021 for Express Entry, which means any guide that still talks about Skill Level A or B is out of date. Always check your occupation against the current NOC 2021 structure.
Ignore older skill-level guides
How Wild Mountain Immigration helps you get your NOC right
Working under a licensed RCIC (CICC #R706497), our team matches your actual duties to the correct NOC 2021 code and TEER category, then confirms which programs and draws that opens, from Federal Skilled Worker to a category-based draw or a provincial nominee program. We also make sure your employer reference letters support the code you claim, so your experience holds up if IRCC reviews it. We work entirely online. Because NOC codes in Canada and program criteria change over time, we always confirm your NOC code in Canada and the current program rules on canada.ca before advising.
Frequently asked questions
What is the NOC and what is TEER?
The National Occupational Classification (NOC) is Canada's system for naming and grouping every occupation. The current version, NOC 2021, organises jobs by a structure called TEER, which stands for Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities. Each occupation sits in a TEER category from 0 to 5 that reflects the skills, education and duties the job typically requires. Together, your NOC code and its TEER category determine which immigration programs your work experience can support.
What are the TEER categories 0 to 5?
TEER 0 covers management occupations. TEER 1 generally requires a university degree. TEER 2 usually needs a college diploma, apprenticeship training of two or more years, or supervisory roles. TEER 3 typically needs a shorter college program or several months of on-the-job training. TEER 4 usually requires a high school diploma or several weeks of training, and TEER 5 needs short demonstration or no formal education. Higher skill levels sit at the lower TEER numbers, so TEER 0 and 1 are the most skilled.
How do I find my NOC code?
Start at the official NOC website and search by your job title or keywords, then open the occupation that best matches your actual duties. Read the lead statement and the list of main duties and confirm that most of them describe what you genuinely did, not just your job title. Each occupation page shows the five-digit NOC code and the TEER category. Because the right code depends on your real responsibilities rather than your title, take time to match the duties carefully.
Why does my NOC and TEER matter for Express Entry?
Your NOC and its TEER category decide whether your work experience qualifies for an Express Entry program and which one. The Federal Skilled Worker class and Canadian Experience Class generally count experience in TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3, while the Federal Skilled Trades program focuses on specific trade occupations. Your NOC also determines whether you fit an occupation-targeted category-based draw. Choosing the wrong code can make eligible experience look ineligible, or the reverse, which is why accuracy matters.
What changed when NOC 2016 became NOC 2021?
NOC 2021 replaced the old four-tier skill-level system (Skill Type 0 and Skill Levels A, B, C, D) with the six-category TEER structure (0 to 5) and moved to a five-digit code. Some occupations also shifted category, so a job that qualified under the old system may sit differently now, and vice versa. IRCC adopted NOC 2021 for Express Entry, so older guides that reference Skill Level A or B are out of date. Always use the current NOC 2021 code.
Can my job match more than one NOC code?
Sometimes a role looks close to two occupations, especially for blended or senior positions. The correct approach is to choose the single NOC whose lead statement and main duties best describe the work you actually performed, supported by your reference letters. Picking a code only because it sits in a more favourable TEER, without the duties to back it, creates real risk if IRCC reviews your experience. We help match duties to the right code and gather reference letters that support it.
Does my NOC affect Provincial Nominee Program eligibility?
Yes. Many Provincial Nominee Program streams set their own occupation lists or TEER requirements, and some target specific in-demand NOCs. The same NOC code you use federally usually carries into a provincial application, so getting it right benefits both. Because each province sets its own rules and in-demand lists, we check the specific stream's requirements rather than assuming a federally eligible NOC automatically qualifies provincially.
Is a NOC code the same as my job title?
No. Your NOC code in Canada is decided by the duties you actually performed, not the title on your contract. Two people with the same title can fall under different NOCs if their work differs, and the right code is the one whose lead statement and main duties best match what you genuinely did. IRCC assesses your experience against those main duties, usually through employer reference letters, so the title alone does not determine your code.
What is a TEER code and where do I find it?
A TEER code is the single digit from 0 to 5 that sits alongside your five-digit NOC code and shows how skilled an occupation is. Lower numbers mean more skilled work: TEER 0 is management and TEER 1 usually needs a university degree, down to TEER 5 for short-demonstration roles. You find it on the official NOC website on each occupation's page, listed next to the NOC code and the main duties.
Get your NOC and TEER right the first time
Get started with a licensed RCIC to match your duties to the correct NOC code and confirm exactly which Express Entry and provincial routes your experience unlocks.