NOC codes & TEER explained
Nearly every Canadian economic immigration program is built on your occupation's NOC code. Understanding the National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 and its TEER categories helps you choose — and defend — the right one.
What a NOC code is
The National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 is the official system Statistics Canada and ESDC use to describe every occupation in Canada. Each occupation has a 5-digit unit-group code with an official definition, main duties, and example job titles.
Immigration programs reference your NOC to decide eligibility, so the goal is to find the unit group whose duties genuinely match the work you do — not just a similar job title.
How to read the code: broad category and TEER
A NOC 2021 code is self-describing. The first digit is the broad occupational category (0–9, e.g. health, or trades and transport). The second digit is the TEER category (0–5), which signals the training, education, experience or responsibilities a job usually requires.
TEER 0 is management; TEER 1 usually needs a university degree; TEER 2 a college diploma or longer apprenticeship; TEER 3 shorter college or training; TEER 4 a high-school diploma; TEER 5 a short demonstration with no formal education. Many federal and Quebec streams hinge on whether your TEER is 0–3.
Why matching your duties matters
Officers compare the duties you actually perform against the code you claim. If your real work fits a different ("look-alike") code better, that mismatch can be flagged — and a code whose duties don't match your job can be treated as misrepresentation under IRPA s.40, carrying serious consequences.
Use the free NOC validator to read a code's official definition and duties, and browse occupations by category or TEER to compare similar codes before you commit.