Which job lets you immigrate to Canada? TEER, NOC code and Express Entry categories

No job guarantees immigration to Canada. Canada sorts every occupation into an official TEER category, and Express Entry only counts experience gained in TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3. The rules below were read on canada.ca on 1 November 2026.

Which TEER category counts for Express Entry?

TEER stands for training, education, experience and responsibilities (FEER in French). IRCC uses the 2021 National Occupational Classification (NOC), which places each occupation in one of six levels. TEER 0 is management. TEER 1 usually requires a university degree. TEER 2 means a college diploma, apprenticeship training of two years or more, or supervisory duties. TEER 3 means a college diploma, apprenticeship training of less than two years, or more than six months of on-the-job training. TEER 4 and 5 call for a high school diploma or short training.

The Federal Skilled Worker Program requires at least one year of paid experience (1,560 hours) in the last ten years, in Canada or abroad, in a TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 occupation, under the same NOC code as your primary occupation. The Canadian Experience Class asks for the same amount, but in Canada and within the last three years. The Federal Skilled Trades Program covers specific groups of trades, described below.

Work out your eligibility and CRS score here: Calculate your chances

How do you find your NOC code?

A NOC code has five digits, and the second one is the TEER category: 72300 (plumbers) is TEER 2, 31301 (registered nurses) is TEER 1, 73100 (concrete finishers) is TEER 3. On IRCC’s page Find your National Occupational Classification, you type your job title into the table, then note the code, the title and the TEER level. You then check it on the official NOC website (noc.esdc.gc.ca), NOC 2021 version.

IRCC insists: the main duties listed must match what you actually did, otherwise you need another title. The title on your contract is therefore not enough, and your employer’s letter must describe your real tasks. What IRCC expects from that letter is explained here: Employment Letter for Express Entry: IRCC Requirements and 7 Mistakes That Cause Refusals

To check whether your letter is complete: Check my letter

What are the Express Entry categories today?

The canada.ca page Express Entry: Category-based selection lists ten. There is French-language proficiency, then five occupation categories: healthcare and social services, science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), trades, education and transport. Three more require Canadian work experience: physicians, senior managers and researchers. The last one is for skilled military recruits. In a category-based round, IRCC invites the highest-ranked candidates in the pool who are eligible for that category.

For the occupation categories, you need 12 months of full-time experience, or the part-time equivalent, within the last three years, in a single occupation from the category’s list, in Canada or abroad. For physicians, senior managers and researchers, that experience must be Canadian. The French category asks for no particular occupation, but for CLB level 7 (NCLC in French) in all four abilities. The lists of codes are on the IRCC page: 37 codes for healthcare and social services, 25 for trades, 11 for STEM, 5 for education and 4 for transport.

A category does not guarantee you an invitation. IRCC states that these rounds supplement the other round types, and that a category round may not be held if enough top-ranked candidates are already invited through other rounds. The recent cut-offs are here: Latest Express Entry Draw 2026: CRS Scores by Type of Invitation Round

The latest draw and the history of rounds: the latest draws

To get an email alert for draws: Express Entry draw alert

Do skilled trades offer a more direct door?

For a plumber, an electrician or a welder, the Federal Skilled Trades Program has two conditions of its own. The first is a valid full-time job offer of at least one year, or a certificate of qualification in the trade issued by a provincial, territorial or federal authority. The second is two years of full-time experience (3,120 hours) in the last five years, in one of the eligible NOC groups: 72 (except sub-major group 726), 73, 82, 83, 92, 93 (except sub-major group 932), 6320 and 62200. The language test (TCF Canada or TEF Canada, IELTS, CELPIP or PTE Core) requires CLB 5 in speaking and listening and CLB 4 in reading and writing. Proof of funds is required, unless you can already work in Canada and hold a valid job offer.

From 3 November 2026, IRCC no longer requires a labour market impact assessment (LMIA) for a job offer to qualify. That rule and the employer-specific work permit are explained here: Job Bank and employer-specific work permits: looking for a job in Canada from Cameroon

Is there a list of guaranteed jobs?

No. For the Federal Skilled Worker Program and the Canadian Experience Class, IRCC does not set a list of occupations: any TEER 0 to 3 occupation can count. But creating a profile does not guarantee an invitation: it depends on your score and rank. IRCC also writes, on its fraud page, that no one can guarantee you a job or a visa to Canada.

Provinces have their own rules: each sets its requirements and the number of people it can nominate each year, and a nomination linked to Express Entry adds 600 points. For French speakers, Francophone Mobility is a work permit, not permanent residence. It accepts an offer in any TEER category except primary agriculture in TEER 4 and 5, with CLB 5 in speaking and listening in French. It is explained here: Francophone Mobility: work in Canada with a work permit from Cameroon

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