HR glossary · Hiring and contracts

NOC code (National Occupational Classification)

A NOC code is the 5-digit federal code that classifies a job in Canada, used for foreign worker hiring, immigration and labour market data.

Also called: NOC, National Occupational Classification, TEER category, NOC 2021

What NOC code means

The National Occupational Classification (NOC) is the Government of Canada's official system for describing and grouping every kind of job in the Canadian economy. Each occupation group has a code, a title, example job titles and a list of main duties.

The current version is NOC 2021. It uses a 5-digit code. The second digit shows the job's TEER category, which stands for Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities. TEER replaced the older "skill levels" used in earlier versions of the NOC.

Most small employers never need a NOC code for day-to-day hiring. You need one when you hire through a federal program, such as the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, or when a worker or their family member applies for an immigration program that depends on the kind of job they hold.

How it works

Each digit narrows the job down. The first digit is the broad occupational category (for example, health, trades or sales and service). The first two digits together give the TEER category inside that broad category. The first three digits are the sub-major group, the first four are the minor group, and all five are the unit group, which is the occupation itself. NOC 2021 has 516 unit groups. For example, 41220 is the unit group for secondary school teachers, and it sits in TEER 1 because its second digit is 1.

There are six TEER categories. TEER 0 is management. TEER 1 usually needs a university degree. TEER 2 usually needs a college program of 2 to 3 years or an apprenticeship of 2 to 5 years. TEER 3 usually needs a college program or apprenticeship of less than 2 years. TEER 4 usually needs a high school diploma. TEER 5 usually needs a short work demonstration and no formal education. These describe what is typically needed for the occupation, not what a particular employer asks for.

To find the right code, search the NOC by job title, then read the lead statement and main duties for each possible unit group. Choose the group that matches what the person will actually do most of the time. A job title alone can mislead: a "kitchen manager" who mostly cooks may fit a cooking group better than a management group.

A common mistake is to pick a higher TEER code because it seems to help an application. Federal programs compare the code you give with the duties, wage and requirements in your job offer. If they do not line up, expect questions or a refusal. Write an honest job description first, then match it to the NOC.

Is it the same in every province?

The NOC is a federal classification and is the same in every province and territory. Provinces may refer to NOC codes in their own nominee or labour programs, so check with your province if you are using one of those.

Example: Matching a bakery job to the NOC

Maya runs a 9-person bakery in Moncton and is looking at hiring through a federal program for the first time. Her job ad says "Head Baker", but the person will mix dough, bake, decorate and train two junior bakers.

Maya searches the NOC for "baker", reads the main duties of each matching unit group, and compares them with her job description. She picks the unit group whose duties match the work, not the one with the most senior-sounding title, and keeps a note of why she chose it in case she is asked.

Job descriptions in Staffkin

Staffkin's free job description templates help you write down the real duties of a role first. That makes it easier to compare the job with NOC unit group descriptions.

See the job description templates

Free tools and guides for this

Questions about NOC code

What is the current NOC version in Canada?

The current version is NOC 2021. It uses 5-digit codes and TEER categories 0 to 5 instead of the older 4-digit codes and skill levels.

What does TEER mean in a NOC code?

TEER stands for Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities. It is the second digit of a NOC 2021 code and shows the usual level of preparation the occupation needs, from TEER 0 (management) to TEER 5.

Do I need a NOC code to hire a Canadian worker?

No. Employment standards do not require one. You need a NOC code mainly for federal programs, such as a Labour Market Impact Assessment, and for some immigration applications.

Why does the TEER category matter for a foreign worker's family?

Since 21 January 2025, whether the spouse of a foreign worker can get an open work permit depends partly on the TEER category of the worker's job. TEER 0 and 1 jobs qualify, and only some TEER 2 and 3 jobs do.

Official sources

General information for Canadian employers, not legal advice. Rules differ by province and territory and change over time, so check with your provincial employment standards office (or the federal Labour Program if you are federally regulated) before you rely on it. See employment standards by province.

Checked against official sources on 4 November 2026.