These changes will be implemented by IRCC and ESDC in fall 2022.
The NOC (National Occupation Classification) is a major part of Canada’s immigration system. Permanent Skilled worker candidates and Temporary foreign workers need to demonstrate their work experience corresponds with NOC requirements of the program they are applying. For Example, Express Entry and PNP programs are the main way to immigrate to Canada as a skilled worker and candidates need to prove their work experience falls under NOC skill level 0, A, B OR C, D as one of the eligibility factors under Express Entry.
The federal government conducts a major revision of the NOC on every ten years period. It means changes to the NOC reflect changes to the Canadian economy and labour market.
In September, Statistics Canada and Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) unveiled NOC 2021.
It is the final outcome of a major process that involved extensive research, analysis, and assessment of the Canadian economy from NOC 2021.
As of now IRCC, ESDC, and Canada’s provinces and territories use NOC 2016 to operate immigration and foreign worker programs.
Summary of NOC changes
- The NOC’s current four-category “skill level” structure has been replaced by a new six-category system that outlines the level of Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities (TEER) to enter each occupation. As of now, the NOC has featured 4 skill levels. NOC A represents jobs that tend to require university degrees, NOC B represents jobs that are in the skilled trades or require a college diploma, NOC C represents jobs that require intermediate skills or job-specific training, and NOC D are labour jobs that require on the job training.
- NOC 2021 will use a five-tier hierarchical system to classify occupations. NOC 2021 no longer uses the four tier hierarchical system (i.e., NOC A, B, C, D), and now has a TEER system with six categories: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5)
TEER 0 | Management occupations. |
TEER 1 |
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TEER 2 |
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TEER 3 |
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TEER 4 |
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TEER 5 | Short work demonstration and no formal educational requirements. |
How will immigrants and foreign workers be impacted?
For many immigration and foreign worker candidates, NOC 2021 will have little or no impact on them. This is because despite changes to the NOC, their work experience will continue to meet the eligibility criteria for their desired immigration or foreign worker program. On the other hand, Some may now find themselves eligible for additional programs since their work experience has been reclassified. Others may find themselves no longer eligible for the same reason.
It remains unclear at this point how applicants will be affected. Stakeholders will need to continue to wait for IRCC and ESDC to provide further information.
The table below provides an indication of how the four NOC skill levels have been redistributed across the six new TEER groups.
NOC 2016 V1.3 Distribution of Unit Groups by Skill Level | NOC 2021 V1.0 Distribution of Unit Groups by TEER | ||
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| TEER Category 0 | 9% |
Skill Level A | 28% | TEER Category 1 | 19% |
Skill Level B | 42% | TEER Category 2 | 31% |
Skill Level C | 24% | TEER Category 3 | 13% |
Skill Level D | 6% | TEER Category 4 | 18% |
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| TEER Category 5 | 9% |
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