Healthcare Express Entry NOC codes — the full list
Healthcare category-based draws let nurses, physicians, allied health professionals and medical technologists receive an ITA at CRS scores well below the general draw. The list below covers every NOC 2021 code IRCC has designated as healthcare-eligible.
Healthcare-eligible NOC codes
| NOC | Occupation | TEER |
|---|---|---|
| 30010 | Managers in health care | TEER 0 |
| 31100 | Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine | TEER 1 |
| 31101 | Specialists in surgery | TEER 1 |
| 31102 | General practitioners and family physicians | TEER 1 |
| 31103 | Veterinarians | TEER 1 |
| 31110 | Dentists | TEER 1 |
| 31111 | Optometrists | TEER 1 |
| 31112 | Audiologists and speech-language pathologists | TEER 1 |
| 31120 | Pharmacists | TEER 1 |
| 31121 | Dietitians and nutritionists | TEER 1 |
| 31200 | Psychologists | TEER 1 |
| 31201 | Chiropractors | TEER 1 |
| 31202 | Physiotherapists | TEER 1 |
| 31203 | Occupational therapists | TEER 1 |
| 31204 | Kinesiologists and other professional occupations in therapy and assessment | TEER 1 |
| 31209 | Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating | TEER 1 |
| 31300 | Nursing coordinators and supervisors | TEER 1 |
| 31301 | Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses | TEER 1 |
| 31302 | Nurse practitioners | TEER 1 |
| 31303 | Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals | TEER 1 |
| 32101 | Licensed practical nurses | TEER 2 |
| 32102 | Paramedical occupations | TEER 2 |
| 32103 | Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists | TEER 2 |
| 32109 | Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment | TEER 2 |
| 32120 | Medical laboratory technologists | TEER 2 |
| 32121 | Medical radiation technologists | TEER 2 |
| 32122 | Medical sonographers | TEER 2 |
| 32123 | Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists | TEER 2 |
| 33102 | Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates | TEER 3 |
Source: IRCC category-based selection announcements. Codes are periodically updated — check the official IRCC page before submitting.
Being on the list isn't enough
IRCC issues an ITA based on the NOC code you claim. Category eligibility is confirmed later, when the officer reads your reference letters. If the duty language doesn't match the NOC lead statement — an RN letter that reads like LPN scope, a specialist letter that reads like GP work — the officer can requalify or refuse.
The common healthcare refusal pattern: applicants with a strong clinical background but a reference letter written by HR that skips the scope-of-practice verbs (assess, diagnose, prescribe, administer, supervise). The letter needs those verbs to hold up under review.
Your NOC is on the healthcare list — but is your letter?
Score your reference-letter duties against the NOC you're claiming in 30 seconds. Category eligibility depends on it.
FAQ
- What is the healthcare category Express Entry draw?
- Healthcare and social services is one of IRCC's category-based Express Entry draws. Candidates with 6+ months of continuous work experience in an eligible healthcare NOC in the last 3 years qualify, and IRCC issues ITAs at CRS scores well below the general draw.
- Which NOC codes qualify for the healthcare category?
- The list spans physicians, nurses, allied health professionals and health-care technicians — roughly 30 NOC 2021 codes across TEER 0, 1, 2 and (for nurse aides) TEER 3. The full list is above.
- Do I need a Canadian licence to qualify?
- Not to receive an ITA — IRCC scores your foreign work experience against the NOC duty list, not your licensure status. But you'll need provincial licensure to actually practise once you land, so the earlier you start that process, the better.
- I'm an RN — do I claim 31301 or 32101?
- 31301 is TEER 1 (Registered Nurse or Registered Psychiatric Nurse); 32101 is TEER 2 (Licensed Practical Nurse). Claim 31301 if you've been working as an RN or RPN. If your reference letter describes LPN-scope duties under an 'RN' title, the officer will reclassify — which is the most common healthcare-category refusal pattern.
Last updated: July 2026