STEM Express Entry NOC codes — the full list
STEM category-based draws let candidates with STEM work experience receive an ITA at CRS scores well below the general draw. The list below covers every NOC 2021 code IRCC has designated as STEM-eligible. Your NOC on the list is only the first requirement — your reference-letter duties still need to prove it.
STEM-eligible NOC codes
| NOC | Occupation | TEER |
|---|---|---|
| 20012 | Computer and information systems managers | TEER 0 |
| 21100 | Physicists and astronomers | TEER 1 |
| 21102 | Geoscientists and oceanographers | TEER 1 |
| 21203 | Civil engineers | TEER 1 |
| 21210 | Mathematicians, statisticians and actuaries | TEER 1 |
| 21211 | Data scientists | TEER 1 |
| 21220 | Cybersecurity specialists | TEER 1 |
| 21221 | Business systems specialists | TEER 1 |
| 21222 | Information systems specialists | TEER 1 |
| 21223 | Database analysts and data administrators | TEER 1 |
| 21230 | Computer systems developers and programmers | TEER 1 |
| 21231 | Software engineers and designers | TEER 1 |
| 21232 | Software developers and programmers | TEER 1 |
| 21233 | Web designers | TEER 1 |
| 21234 | Web developers and programmers | TEER 2 |
| 21300 | Civil engineers | TEER 1 |
| 21301 | Mechanical engineers | TEER 1 |
| 21310 | Electrical and electronics engineers | TEER 1 |
| 21311 | Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers) | TEER 1 |
| 21321 | Industrial and manufacturing engineers | TEER 1 |
| 22222 | Information systems testing technicians | TEER 2 |
| 41400 | Natural and applied science policy researchers, consultants and program officers | TEER 1 |
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. Eligibility for the STEM category is confirmed later, when the officer reads your reference letters. If the duty language doesn't match the NOC lead statement, the officer can requalify you into the general pool — where the CRS cutoff can be 60+ points higher — or refuse the application outright.
The common failure pattern for STEM applicants: a job title that clearly sits inside the STEM list (Software Engineer, Data Analyst, Cybersecurity Analyst), paired with a reference letter that describes duties from a lower TEER (implementation-only tasks, SOC-tier-1 alert monitoring, dashboard-building without modelling). Same title, different classification.
Your NOC is on the STEM 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 STEM category Express Entry draw?
- STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) is one of IRCC's category-based Express Entry draws. Candidates with 6+ months of continuous work experience in an eligible STEM NOC in the last 3 years qualify, and IRCC issues ITAs to STEM candidates at CRS scores well below the general draw.
- Which NOC codes qualify for the STEM category?
- IRCC's official STEM list currently covers roughly two dozen NOC 2021 codes across software, data, engineering, IT, physical sciences and applied science research. The full list is above.
- Does being on the STEM list mean I qualify?
- No. It means your NOC code is eligible. IRCC still scores your reference-letter duties against the NOC lead statement — if your letter doesn't prove the duties, category eligibility falls apart on review.
- I have a 21234 (TEER 2) role — do I qualify for the STEM draw?
- NOC 21234 web developers is included in the STEM list even though it's TEER 2. Your reference letter still needs to match 21234 duties (website design, front-end/back-end development, digital interface work) — the STEM category doesn't relax that requirement.
Last updated: July 2026