Several of Canada’s immigration programs require foreign nationals to first understand their National Occupational Classification (NOC) code. The NOC system generates a code that identifies almost every single type of work inside Canada.
When a foreign national applies for a work permit or permanent residency, especially under Express Entry, they need to indicate the duties they have performed in certain job types. The government of Canada uses this classification system to determine and organize these different areas of work.
Figuring out the correct code can be quite confusing for many people. Applicants often wonder if the code is based on the duties they will perform inside Canada, or if it relates to the title of the job they held previously. The truth is that it is a combination of all of the above.
How does the government measure work experience?
If a foreign national wants to come to Canada on a work permit, they must make a claim about their specific area of work experience. The experience the foreign national has is then compared to the actual stipulated duties written into that particular NOC type.
The NOC code and the detailed listing of duties serve as a standard. This standard is used to measure an international applicant’s work experience against the government’s expectations.
What do immigration authorities look at?
The government has an initial description for every job type, such as a registered nurse, outlining what they are generally expected to do inside Canada. A foreign national must have performed duties that align with that general description.
Separate and apart from the general description, there are detailed listed duties that a typical worker in Canada would be expected to perform. The expectation is that the foreign national would have performed similar duties in their previous role.
Do applicants need an exact duty match?
There is no expectation that every foreign national must have performed all and exactly the same duties indicated in the NOC codes. You do not need to have performed every single duty listed by the government.
However, the general expectation is that the experience you have had and the duties you have performed must more or less align with those prescribed descriptions. Typically, immigration authorities are looking for a match of 75% or above between your past work and the duties listed on the government’s classification site.
Which is more important: the job title or the duties?
Many applicants struggle to know if a job title, like project manager, is sufficient on its own. For Canada’s immigration purposes, it is really the job duties that matter.
The job title often serves as a cue and gives an indication of where to start looking. Ultimately, the true measure will come from the detailed listing of duties that the foreign national actually performed.
These duties help the immigration authorities ascertain whether the indicated NOC code actually aligns with the work experience. Accurately matching your duties is a crucial part of work permit and permanent residency applications, helping save companies and employees unnecessary legal hassle. For help with employee work permits, check out Goose Law Immigration.
