Express Entry to include 16 new occupations

In November, the National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 will take effect, allowing the following 16 occupations to qualify for Express Entry:

• Payroll administrators;
• Dental assistants and dental laboratory assistants;
• Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates;
• Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants;
• Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants;
• Sheriffs and bailiffs;
• Correctional service officers;
• By-law enforcement and other regulatory officers;
• Estheticians, electrologists and related occupations;
• Residential and commercial installers and servicers;
• Pest controllers and fumigators;
• Other repairers and servicers;
• Transport truck drivers;
• Bus drivers, subway operators and other transit operators;
• Heavy equipment operators; and
• Aircraft assemblers and aircraft assembly inspectors.

There will also be three occupations that will become ineligible, including:

• other performers;
• program leaders and instructors in recreation, sport and fitness; and
• tailors, dressmakers, furriers and milliners.

These three occupations may still be eligible for other Canadian immigration programs.

Currently, occupations are only eligible for Express Entry if they fall under NOC skill levels 0, A, and B. The new system specifies the level of Training, Education, Experience, and Responsibilities (TEER) for each occupational category. The current four-category “skill level” system will be replaced with a new six-category structure. Due to this recategorization, 16 occupations previously ineligible are now eligible.

The following table shows how the new NOC’s six-category system compares to the skill levels of the current NOC 2016.

According to Statistics Canada, the skill type model is being replaced by the TEER model due to two reasons. First, the TEER system seeks to clarify the level of education and work experience a candidate must possess to work in a particular occupation. Second, the skill-type model creates artificial categorizations between low- and high-skilled jobs. Implementing TEER will provide stakeholders with a better understanding of the skills required for each occupation.

This Statistics Canada tool allows you to see how your current NOC corresponds with NOC 2021.

Atlantic Immigration Program

Under the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP), the eligible occupations will also be affected as part of the transition from NOC 2016 to NOC 2021.

The AIP is an employer-led program designed to bring new skilled immigrants to the provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland & Labrador.

As of now, it is open to occupations at Skill Level C or above within NOC 2016. Under NOC 2021, it will be open to occupations at TEER 4 or above.

As a result, the following occupations will no longer be eligible:

• Other support occupations in personal services
• Longshore workers
• Material handlers
• Taxi and limousine drivers and chauffeurs
• Delivery service drivers and door-to-door distributors
• Boat and cable ferry operators and related occupations
• Livestock labourers
• Nursery and greenhouse labourers
• Trappers and hunters
• Food and beverage servers
• Labourers in textile processing and cutting.