IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) will be transitioning to the 2021 version of the NOC (National Occupation Classification) today. It is a change that has been in the works since the declaration on July 27.
This is a highly effective move, which will cause shifts in eligibility for some of the more than 100 immigration programs in the country, which include Express Entry as well.
For example, the current NOC system (NOC 2016) requires that an applicant for the Express Entry program has work experience classified under NOC skill types 0, A, or B. The shift initiated by IRCC to NOC 2021 will bring with it a shift to the TEER (Training, Education, Experience, and Responsibilities) system.
This is how the categories for skill type of the existing NOC system are consistent with the TEER categories of the 2021 NOC system.
| NOC 2016 | NOC 2021 |
| Skill Type 0 | TEER 0 |
| Skill Type A | TEER 1 |
| Skill Type B | TEER 2 |
| Skill Type B | TEER 3 |
| Skill Type C | TEER 4 |
| Skill Type D | TEER 5 |
Main Note about Selection Factor Points for the FSWP
The points assigned for selection factors as part of the FSWP (Federal Skilled Workers Program) will follow the Updated Skill Type/Level chart, which was introduced with the NOC 2021 system. For instance, if an applicant would have received 10 points for arranged employment in Skill Type/Level 0, A, or B, they will yet get those points for arranged employment in TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3.
Occupational Eligibility Changes Coming for Express Entry Switching to NOC 2021
16 occupations, with the transition to NOC 2021, will become recently eligible for Express Entry. Three occupations, on the other hand, will become ineligible. The three ineligible occupations will remain ineligible for programs with extensive occupational eligibility criteria, including some streams of the PNP (Provincial Nominee Program).
Switching to NOC 2021 Will Have Implications on the CRS
Like the changes illustrated with the FSWP, the CRS (Comprehensive Ranking System) points allocated for arranged employment will follow the updated Skill Type/Level chart, which was introduced with the NOC 2021 system.
For instance, if a candidate would have received 50 points for arranged employment in Skill Type/Level 0, A, or B, they will yet get those points if their NOC is in TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3.
Next Steps Based on Your Personal Situation
Depending on where an individual applicant is in their Express Entry journey, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada require diverse actions in reference to the switch to NOC 2021.
To begin with, those candidates who have not yet submitted an Express Entry profile but they are planning to do so on or after today’s switch will be required to find as well as submit their code of occupation in accordance with the NOC 2021 when filling out the profile.
Candidates, for now, who have submitted a profile but have not received an ITA (Invitation to Apply) have several various instructions from IRCC. In this case, applicants will need to update their submitted profile for the Express Entry program any time after the changes are applied tomorrow. This will call for the individual to seek out the NOC 2021 list and have their profiles updated with their TEER category and 5-digit occupation code.
To conclude, anyone who got their Invitation to Apply before November 16 is required to submit their Express Entry application using NOC 2016 (with the NOC code that was provided at the time of receipt).
