Key facts
- System
- National Occupational Classification, 2021 version
- Code
- Five digits per occupation
- TEER
- Categories 0 to 5
- Chosen by
- Duties performed, not job title
- Affects
- Programme eligibility, category-based rounds and many PNP streams
Last verified against official sources: 2026-09-21
What TEER means
| TEER | Typically |
|---|---|
| 0 | Management occupations |
| 1 | Occupations usually requiring a university degree |
| 2 | Occupations usually requiring a college diploma, apprenticeship of two or more years, or supervisory responsibility |
| 3 | Occupations usually requiring a college diploma, an apprenticeship of less than two years, or several months of on-the-job training |
| 4 | Occupations usually requiring a secondary school diploma or several weeks of on-the-job training |
| 5 | Occupations usually requiring short work demonstration and no formal education |
TEER replaced the older skill-level letters. It describes what an occupation typically requires — it is not a judgement of the person doing it.
How to identify your NOC
Start from your duties
Write out what you actually did, day to day, in plain terms.
Read the lead statement
It summarises the occupation; your work should fit it.
Check the main duties
You should be able to say you performed most of them.
Read the employment requirements
They describe what the occupation typically requires — useful context, not a test you must pass.
Compare similar codes
Where two codes are close, choose the one your duties match best and be ready to show why.
Where the code is used
- Programme eligibility — several programmes are limited to particular TEER categories.
- Category-based rounds — occupation categories are defined by lists of NOC codes.
- Provincial streams — many PNP streams target specific occupations.
- Work permits — the code appears in employer-driven processes as well.
Category lists change
Which occupations sit in a category is set by IRCC and revised from time to time. Check the current category page rather than an older list.
Common mistakes
- Picking a code because the title matches exactly.
- Choosing a higher TEER code in the hope it looks better.
- Using different codes for the same job across a profile and a reference letter.
- Assuming a code found in an old NOC version still exists in the 2021 version.
Frequently asked questions
What if two NOC codes fit my job?
Choose the one whose lead statement and main duties best match what you actually did, and make sure the reference letter supports that choice. Consistency across the profile, the letter and the application is what matters.
Does my job title need to match the NOC title?
No. Titles vary between employers and countries. The comparison is between your duties and the occupation description.
Does the NOC affect category-based selection?
Yes. Occupation-based categories are defined by lists of NOC codes, so the code determines whether a candidate falls inside a category when such a round is held.
What to do next
- Write out your duties before looking at any code.
- Find the codes that fit and compare their lead statements.
- Confirm the reference letter will support the code you choose.
- Check whether that code appears in a current category.
Your next steps
Continue in the order most people find useful, rather than a list of unrelated pages.