Canadian Immigration Workers Guide: NOC And Why

Moving to Canada for job opportunities is the dream of millions of foreigners who are looking for greener pastures with better-paying jobs. Getting your Canadian visa approved and finding the right job are two sides of a coin because they have similar difficulties. There are several people who end up being scammed or deported to their home country because they applied and accepted jobs in Canada that are not suitable for the skill type. 

In this article, we will be talking about a system that will guide new and prospective immigrants about home to find the right job in Canada without facing difficulties.

What is National Occupational Classificational Code In Canada?

The Canadian National Occupational Code (NOC) is a legally accepted system used to classify jobs based on the required tasks and the job of the applicant. It is nationally recognized as the standardized system used by the Canadian labor market to describe a job using a unique 4-digit code that is assigned to every occupation in the Canadian market.

The NOC code is assigned using the NOC matrix and every job available in the Canadian Labour Market has its own code. The NOC code is used to grade an immigrant's profile based on their work experience, thus this code is important to the Canadian immigration, Refugees and Citizenship board. 

It is a prequisite for immigrants to get their NOC code that fits into their profile beacuse the code is very important to their Canadian visa application process. Each Immigrant is given a 4-digit NOC code which carries an important information about the bearer. The first 2-digits in the NOC describes the skill type, while the last 2-digits highlights the skill level of the bearer.

HOW IS THE NATIONAL OCCUPATIONAL CLASSIFICATION (NOC) CODE USED

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) use NOC to classify jobs under specific skill level. These job classification is based on the job, roles and responsibilities of the job.

The skill levels are classifed by the IRCC as follows;

• Skill Level O (Management Jobs).
• Skill Level A (Professional jobs - University degree usually required).
• Skill Level B (Technical jobs and skill trade jobs - College diploma usually required). 
• Skill Level C (Intermediate jobs - high school education or specific jib traning usually required).
• Skill Level D (Labour jobs)

NOC JOB GROUPS FOR SKILL TYPES / SKILL LEVEL

NOC LEVEL O

This category includes all the management jobs:

• Shore Captains
• Restaurant Managers
• Marketing Managers
• HR Manager
• Mine Managers
• Construction Manager

NOC LEVEL A

This category includes professional jobs that require a degree from a university or college:

• Scientists
• Professors
• Dentists
• Doctors
• Architects

NOC LEVEL B

This category is for technical jobs and skilled traders. To this the immigrant need have a college diploma or training as an apprentice in the following areas:

• Mechanics
• Chefs
• Electricians
• Plumbers

NOC LEVEL C

• Long-haul truck drivers
• Industrial butcher
• Food and beverage servers

NOC LEVEL D

This category mainly concerns on labour jobs like:

• General labor
• Farm workers
• Oil field workers

Programs that require NOC

They are several programs available for foreigners in Canada, but the kind of program availabe to each person depends on their NOC code. This part of the article covers the available programs based on the skill type and NOC code:

NOC SKILL TYPE O, A, B

Applicants under this skill level are eligible for the three federal programs of the express entry. Eligible people can apply for the atlantic high skill program offered by the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program.

NOC SKILL TYPE C & D

People under this skill level can apply for intermediate skill program that falls under Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program. People in Yukon PNP, Northwest Territory, and Prince Edward Island PNP are also eligible for Provicial Nominee programs.

HOW TO FIND YOUR NATIONAL OCCUPATIONAL CLASSIFICATION CODE & SKILL LEVEL IN CANADA

The easiest way to find your National Occupational Classification Code is to use the NOC finder Canada Service. This web-based platform allows users to find their eligible skills level and type. Click here to use the NOC finder Canada Service.