National Occupational Classification (NOC)
The National Occupational Classification (NOC) is the national reference on occupations in Canada. It provides a systematic classification structure that categorizes the entire range of occupational activity in Canada for collecting, analyzing, and disseminating occupational data for labour market information and employment-related program administration. Occupational information is of critical importance for the provision of labour market and career intelligence, skills development, occupational forecasting, labour supply and demand analysis, employment equity, and numerous other programs and services.
The NOC has been developed as part of a collaborative partnership between Employment and Social Development Canada and Statistics Canada. The NOC comprises about 30,000 job titles gathered into 500-unit groups, organized according to four skill levels and ten broad occupational categories. Unit groups are based on similarity of skills, defined primarily by functions and employment requirements.
An occupation is defined as a collection of jobs, sufficiently similar in work performed to be grouped under a common label for classification purposes. A job, in turn, encompasses all the tasks carried out by a particular worker to complete their duties.
The basic principle of the classification of the NOC is the kind of work performed. Job titles are identified and grouped primarily in terms of the work usually performed, this being determined by the tasks, duties, employment requirements, and responsibilities associated with each occupation. Factors such as the materials processed or used, the industrial processes and the equipment used, the degree of responsibility and complexity of work, as well as the products made and services provided, have been taken as indicators of the work performed when combining jobs titles into occupations and occupations into groups.
NOC classification criteria
The two major attributes used as classification criteria in developing the NOC are the broad occupational category and the skill level. Other factors, such as occupational mobility and the industrial sector, are also taken into consideration.
Broad occupational category
Represents the type of work performed, the field of study, or the industry of employment whenever industry-specific work experience is required for entry into occupation. The first digit of a NOC code represents the broad occupational category.
Skill level
Represents a broad aggregation of education, training, and work experience and considers the complexity of the tasks and responsibilities associated with the job. The second digit of a NOC code represents the skill level.
Hierarchy and Structure
The National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2016, is based on the NOC 2011 four-tiered hierarchical structure. The first level contains 10 broad occupational categories, the second level is made of 40 major groups, the third level consists of 140 minor groups and the last level comprises 500-unit groups.
Classification Matrix
NOC Structure | Skilled Jobs | Intermediate Jobs | Labour Jobs | ||
NOC 0 | NOC A | NOC B | NOC C | NOC D | |
1 Business, finance, & administration occupations | 01 Specialized middle management occupations | 11
Professional occupations in business & finance |
12 Administrative & financial supervisors & administrative occupations
13 Finance, insurance, & related business administrative occupations |
14 Office support occupations
15 Distribution, tracking & scheduling co-ordination occupations |
NA |
2 Natural & applied sciences & related occupations | 02 Specialized middle management occupations | 21 Professional occupations in natural & applied sciences | 22 Technical occupations related to natural & applied sciences | NA | NA |
3 Health occupations | 03 Specialized middle management occupations | 30 Professional occupations in nursing
31 Professional occupations in health (except nursing) |
32 Technical occupations in health | 34 Assisting occupations in support of health services | NA |
4 Occupations in education, law & social, community & government services | 04 Specialized middle management occupations | 40 Professional occupations in education services
41 Professional occupations in law & social, community & government services |
42 Paraprofessional occupations in legal, social, community & education services
43 Occupations in front-line public protection services |
44 Care providers & educational, legal & public protection support occupations | NA |
5 Occupations in art, culture, recreation, & sport | 05 Specialized middle management occupations | 51 Professional occupations in art & culture | 52 Technical occupations in art, culture, recreation, & sport | NA | NA |
6 Sales & service occupations | 06 Middle management occupations in retail & wholesale trade & customer services | NA | 62 Retail sales supervisors & specialized sales occupations
63 Service supervisors & specialized service occupations |
64 Sales representatives & salespersons – wholesale & retail trade
65 Service representatives & other customer & personal services occupations |
66 Sales support occupations
67 Service support & other service occupations |
7 Trades, transport & equipment operators & related occupations | 07 Middle management occupations in trades, transportation, production, & utilities | NA | 72 Industrial, electrical & construction trades
73 Maintenance & equipment operation trades |
74 Other installers, repairers & servicers & material handlers
75 Transport & heavy equipment operation & related maintenance occupations |
76 Trades helpers, construction labourers & related occupations |
8 Natural resources, agriculture, & related production occupations | 08 Middle management occupations in trades, transportation, production & utilities | NA | 82 Supervisors & technical occupations in natural resources, agriculture, & related production | 84 Workers in natural resources, agriculture, & related production | 86 Harvesting, landscaping, & natural resources labourers |
9 Occupations in manufacturing & utilities | 09 Middle management occupations in trades, transportation, production & utilities | NA | 92 Processing, manufacturing & utilities supervisors & central control operators | 94 Processing & manufacturing machine operators & related production workers
95 Assemblers in manufacturing |
96 Labourers in processing, manufacturing, & utilities |