Canada immigration scene to embrace new changes in NOC system

The latest news today is that Canada immigration system is overhauling the NOC as part of the standard practice Canada follows. Every year, the NOC system is reviewed and every 5 years, the whole list of occupations under NOC and other necessary factors are changed. This is to be inclusive and reflective of the current labor market scene of Canada.

The NOC is the national system Canada has to describe occupations.

NOC has great relevance in programs for skilled worker immigration and TFW programs. It’s necessary for an immigration candidate to meet the NOC eligibility criteria.

Currently, IRCC uses the NOC 2016 to make assessments of eligibility for programs leading to skilled worker immigration. This NOC standard is used for evaluations of LMIA applications.

As part of the new changes, the new NOC 2021 will get implemented in the fall of 2022. The skill types upon which the Government of Canada will categorize jobs will change. This change will be as part of implementing a new TEER system.

Currently, skill levels under NOC fall into 4 categories namely A, B, C, and D. With NOC 2021, the TEER system will be implemented and will change the categories to 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. Here are the details of what is expected of the immigration candidate in each category:

TEER 0 ·      Management occupations. TEER 1 ·      Completion of a university degree (bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate); or ·      Several years of experience in a specific occupation from TEER category 2 (when applicable). TEER 2 ·      Completion of a post-secondary education program of two to three years at community college, institute of technology or CÉGEP; or ·      Completion of an apprenticeship training program of two to five years; or ·      Occupations with supervisory or significant safety (police officers and firefighters) responsibilities; or ·      Several years of experience in a specific occupation from TEER category 3 (when applicable). TEER 3 ·      Completion of a post-secondary education program of less than two years at community college, institute of technology or CÉGEP; or ·      Apprenticeship training of less than 2 years; or ·      More than six months of on-the-job training, training courses, or specific work experience with some secondary school education; or ·      Several years of experience in a specific occupation from TEER category 4 (when applicable). TEER 4 ·      Completion of secondary school; or ·      Several weeks of on-the-job training with some secondary school education; or ·      Several years of experience in a specific occupation from TEER category 5 (when applicable). TEER 5 ·      Short work demonstration and no formal educational requirements.

*Table info courtesy www.cicnews.com

The reasons behind TEER

• To avoid the confusion arising from classifying skills. So, TEER focuses on occupations and the experience and education needed for them rather than skills
• To avoid the creation of an artificial low vs high skill categorization

With the TEER getting implemented, foreign workers and immigration candidates must make sure that their NOC corresponds with the criteria for eligibility of the program they have applied to.

The new TEER system will have 516 occupations. Under NOC 2016, there were 500 occupations. The added occupations will reflect the emergence of employment opportunities in areas like cyber security and data science.

Check your eligibility with Canada points calculator  for free

For world-class immigration services contact Y-Axis, the World’s No.1 immigration & visa company.

Read these recent articles too:

BC PNP invites 85 immigration candidates, offers provincial nomination

OINP offers a pathway for Canada immigration without a Canadian job offer

Note:

IRCC – Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada

NOC – National Occupational Classification