NOC 2021 and TEER Categories
Original article: November 2, 2021 | By Hans ‘John’ Kalina | Reviewed and updated October 6, 2026
The original article described a planned change to Canada’s occupational classification system. That transition has now happened: IRCC adopted NOC 2021 on November 16, 2022. This updated guide explains the change and how to check an occupation without relying on an obsolete code or job title alone.
From NOC 2016 to NOC 2021
The National Occupational Classification (NOC) organizes occupations for labour-market and program purposes. Immigration programs use it in different ways to assess work experience, job offers and other requirements. Under the former NOC 2016 framework, managerial occupations and skill levels A, B, C and D were used. NOC 2021 uses five-digit occupation codes and six Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities (TEER) categories.
A previous code should not simply be copied into a current application. Check the applicable NOC version, the current occupation description and the instructions for the program. The transition did not make every occupation eligible for every immigration route.
The six TEER categories
IRCC’s NOC finder gives these broad descriptions. They describe occupations, not a ranking of a person’s value or an assurance of immigration eligibility.
TEER 0: management occupations.
TEER 1: occupations usually requiring a university degree.
TEER 2: occupations usually requiring a college diploma, apprenticeship training of two or more years, or supervisory responsibilities.
TEER 3: occupations usually requiring a college diploma, apprenticeship training of less than two years, or more than six months of on-the-job training.
TEER 4: occupations usually requiring a high school diploma or several weeks of on-the-job training.
TEER 5: occupations generally requiring a short work demonstration and no formal education.
Choose the code that matches the work
Use the official NOC finder to identify possible occupation titles and codes.
Read the full occupation description. Compare the actual main duties performed, rather than selecting a code solely because its title resembles the job title.
Check exclusions and related occupations when more than one description appears relevant.
Confirm the TEER category and then test the occupation and work experience against the particular immigration program’s rules.
Prepare reliable employment evidence that describes the work actually performed. Do not rewrite a job history to manufacture a match.
IRCC directs readers to the official ESDC NOC database for the full classification and treats that database as controlling where its reference table differs.
A NOC match is not the whole eligibility test
A suitable occupation code does not by itself establish that work experience qualifies, that an applicant can obtain a work permit or that an Express Entry invitation will be issued. Programs can impose separate requirements concerning duties, duration and timing of experience, language, education, licensing, job offers and admissibility.
Not every work permit requires an LMIA. The employer-specific or open-permit route and any applicable exemption must be assessed separately. See Work Permit Documents for the distinction and program-specific preparation.
Historical commentary versus current application rules
In November 2021, the original commentary discussed uncertainty about how occupations would be treated after the transition. Those forward-looking statements are no longer unresolved predictions about a future launch. The readable TEER descriptions and official classification tools above provide a starting point for checking an occupation today.
Use current program instructions when assessing an application. Do not assume that an old NOC B occupation automatically maps to one TEER category or that the former NOC 0, A and B labels remain the application framework.
Related guidance
For advice about your circumstances, contact our office. This article provides general information, not legal advice.