In 2021, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), transitioned to a new system to replace the National Occupation Classification (NOC) system. The NOC system was used to classify an application’s job to determine their eligibility for Canadian immigration programs. All occupations were broken down into codes. The new system – called Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities (TEER) – is replacing those classifications.
The new changes to the categories and how they correspond to the old NOC system can be seen in the following table:
NOC Skill Type | TEER Category |
Skill Type 0 | TEER 0 |
Skill Type A | TEER 1 |
Skill Type B | TEER 2 & 3 |
Skill Type C | TEER 4 |
Skill Type D | TEER 5 |
So, as you can see, the new TEER system is no longer 5 levels but 6 categories.
What Does Each Category Entail?
1) TEER Category 0
- Management
2) TEER Category 1
- Completion of a university degree (bachelor’s, master’s or doctorate); OR
- previous experience and expertise in subject matter knowledge from a related occupation found in TEER 2 (when applicable).
3) TEER Category 2
- Completion of a 2-3 year post-secondary education program at community college, institute of technology, or CÉGEP; OR
- Completion of a 2-5 apprenticeship training program; OR
- Occupations with supervisory or significant safety (e.g. police officers and firefighters) responsibilities; OR
- Several years of experience in a related occupation from TEER 3 (when applicable).
4) TEER Category 3
- Completion of a post-secondary education program of less than two years at community college, institute of technology, or CÉGEP; OR
- Completion of an apprenticeship training program of less than two years; OR
- 6+ months of on-the-job training, training courses, or specific work experience with some secondary school education; OR
- Several years of experience in a related occupation from TEER 4 (when applicable).
5) TEER Category 4
- Completion of secondary school; OR
- Several weeks of on-the-job training with some secondary school education; OR
- Experience in a related occupation from TEER 5 (when applicable).
6) TEER Category 5
- Occupations that usually need short-term work demonstration and no formal education
What Does the New TEER System Mean?
Sometimes in your research, you will see the old NOC system is still used, and it is good to know what that means and how it corresponds to the new TEER categories for your application.
Similar to the old NOC system, this new TEER system determines the jobs needed for your permanent resident application. For instance, the Canadian Experience Class and the Federal Skilled Worker Program are two federal immigration programs that specify the type of work experience needed for eligibility using the TEER system. For both programs, it is a requirement for applicants to have skilled work experience in TEER 0,1,2 and 3 categories.
In addition to skilled work experience, the TEER system determines the minimum language level you have to meet to qualify for the programs. For example, the Canadian Experience Class requires applicants in TEER 0 and 1 to have a Canadian Language Benchmark of 7, while those in TEER 2 and 3 must meet CLB of 5. For more information about the eligibility criteria of permanent resident pathways, see here.
Overall, the TEER program helps fill labour market gaps in Canada for highly skilled occupations when qualified workers within the local labour market are unavailable. It helps to support the Canadian economy by filling important positions that result in the country’s growth and development.
How mana immigration Can Walk you Through this
If you are still looking to learn more about the new system, or need help with your application, contact us today. At mana immigration, we have regulated consultants working on immigration applications all day. We work with our clients to ensure all the paperwork and deadlines are completed on time in order to have a successful process.
No matter your needs, we guide you every step of the way. Contact us today to learn more about the incredible opportunities awaiting you in Canada. Live your dreams!