Changes to the National Occupational Classification

Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) and Statistics Canada work collaboratively to complete National Occupational Classification (NOC) updates and revisions. Historically, the departments undertook content updates every five years and structural revisions every ten years.

To establish the frequency of updates and revisions, the departments strive to reconcile the need to keep the classification up-to-date with the ability to reflect occupational changes over time, while minimizing disruption to statistical coding and time series analysis. As part of continuous improvement, ESDC and Statistics Canada agreed to update the NOC on a more frequent basis following the publication of the 2016 version of the NOC.

You can find a summary of all the changes that took place since 2001 below:

NOC 2001 updates

NOC 2001 - 2001

The 2001 edition of the NOC replaces the original NOC publication in 1992 and the parallel 1991 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) produced by Statistics Canada. The revised SOC is now entitled the National Occupational Classification for Statistics (NOC-S). NOC 2001 and the NOC-S fill the gaps that have been identified as shortcomings of the NOC system. These include a missing technical level for information technology occupations, inconsistencies in relation to the statistical structure and the challenges in capturing the emergence of new ways of working, and new titles used in the labour market. NOC 2001, while conservative with respect to structural change, reflects the evolution occupations have undergone over the past decade.

Organizational framework of NOC 2001

The NOC is a three-tiered hierarchical arrangement of occupational groups with successive levels of disaggregation:

26 major groups
  • Each major group has a unique two-digit code and is composed of one or more minor groups.
140 minor groups
  • Each minor group has a unique three-digit code and is composed of one or more unit groups. The first two digits of this code indicate the major group to which the minor group belongs.
520 unit groups
  • Each unit group has a unique four-digit code. The first three digits of this code indicate the minor group to which the unit group belongs.

A number of job titles are classified within each unit group. All job titles classified in the same unit group share the same four-digit unit group code. The title or label of the unit group represents the overall contents of the group.

The NOC revision process also included the revision of the NOC Index of titles. Please refer to the introduction in the index of titles for details related to this terminological research project.

There are over 35,000 job titles included in the revised NOC system. Some titles are clearly occupations, such as librarian and chef, while others reflect specializations within an occupational area, such as music librarian and pastry chef. Still, others represent a range of jobs, such as furniture assembler and sawmill machine operator.

These titles are used to describe the work performed by many individuals holding similar jobs within an occupational area. The list of titles in the NOC is not meant to be exhaustive, but attempts to cover the most commonly used and universally understood labels that identify work in the labour market.

Summary of changes

A research and consultation program was carried out for the purpose of revising the NOC. The following tables outline the types of structural changes at the minor and unit group levels that have resulted from the revision initiative.

New minor groups
Minor group Details
217 Computer and Information Systems Professionals New - Information Technology minor group at the professional skill level.
228 Technical Occupations in Computer and Information Systems New - Information Technology minor group at the professional skill level.
Modified or deleted minor groups
Minor group Details
216 Mathematicians, Statisticians and Actuaries Modified - Information technology occupations moved to new minor group at professional level.
341 Assisting Occupations in Support of Health Services Modified - Occupations from former minor group 663 are now included here.
644 Tour and Recreational Guides and Casino Occupations Modified - Amusement attraction operator occupations moved to minor group 667 – Casino occupations remain here.
663 Elemental Medical and Hospital Assistants Deleted - Occupations now included in minor group 341.
667 Other Occupations in Travel, Accommodation, Amusement and Recreation Modified - Amusement attraction operator occupations from minor group 644 are now included here.
New unit groups
Unit group Details
2171 Information Systems Analysts and Consultants New - Information technology group includes some occupations that were classified in former unit group 2162, Computer Systems Analysts.
2172 Database Analysts and Data Administrators New - Information technology group at the professional skill level.
2173 Software Engineers New - Includes some occupations that were classified in unit group 2147, Computer Engineers.
2174 Computer Programmers and Interactive Media Developers New - Includes some occupations that were classified in former unit group 2163, Computer Programmers.
2175 Web Designers and Developers New - Information technology group at the professional skill level.
2281 Computer and Network Operators and Web Technicians New - Information technology group at the technical skill level that includes occupations classified in former unit group 1421, Computer Operators.
2282 User Support Technicians New - Information technology group at the technical skill level.
2283 Systems Testing Technicians New - Information technology group at the technical skill level.
Modified or deleted unit groups
Unit group Details
0721 Facility Operation and Maintenance Managers Modified - Now includes occupations from former unit group 0722.
0722 Maintenance Managers Deleted - Occupations now included in unit group 0721.
1411 General Office Clerks Modified - Now includes occupations from former unit group 1412.
1412 Typists and Word Processing Operators Deleted - Occupations now included in unit group 1411.
1421 Computer Operators Deleted - Occupations now included in new information technology unit group 2281.
2162 Computer Systems Analysts Deleted - Occupations now included in new minor group 217 for information technology occupations at the professional level.
2163 Computer Programmers Deleted - Occupations now included in minor group 217.
3223 Dental Technologists, Technicians and Laboratory Bench Workers Modified - Now includes occupations from former unit group 3412. Was 3220 for statistical purposes.
3412 Dental Laboratory Bench Workers Deleted - Occupations now included in unit group 3223. Was 3220 for statistical purposes.
3414 Other Assisting Occupations in Support of Health Services Modified - Now includes occupations from former unit group 6631.
4214 Early Childhood Educators and Assistants Modified - Now includes occupations from former unit group 6473. Was 6470 for statistical purposes.
6443 Casino Occupations Modified - Amusement attraction operators, formerly part of this group, now included in unit group 6671.
6473 Early Childhood Educator Assistants Deleted - Occupations now included in unit group 4214.
6631 Elemental Medical and Hospital Assistants Deleted - Occupations now included in unit group 3414.
6641 Casino Food Counter Attendants, Kitchen Helpers and Related Occupations Modified - Now includes occupations from former unit group 6642.
6642 Kitchen and Food Service Helpers Deleted - Occupations now included in unit group 6641.
6671 Operators and Attendants in Amusement, Recreation and Sport Modified - Amusement attraction operators, formerly from unit group 6443, now included here. Was 6670 for statistical purposes.
7265 Welders and Related Machine Operators Modified - Now includes occupations from former unit group 9515. Was 9510 for statistical purposes.
9515 Welding, Brazing and Soldering Machine Operators Deleted - Occupations now included in unit group 7265.
Changes to formerly aggregated unit groups for statistics
Unit group Details
0210 Facility Operation and Maintenance Managers Deleted - Unit groups 0211, Engineering Managers, and 0212, Architecture and Science Managers, now disaggregated for statistical purposes.
0720 Engineering, Science and Architecture Managers Deleted - Replaced by 0721, Facility Operation and Maintenance Managers
2230 Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians and Construction Estimators Deleted - Unit groups 2231, Civil Engineers, and 2234, Construction Estimators, now disaggregated for statistical purposes.
3220 Dental Technicians and Laboratory Bench Workers Deleted - Replaced by 3223, Dental Technologists, Technicians and Laboratory Bench Workers.
4160 Health and Social Policy Researchers, Consultants and Program Officers Deleted - Unit groups 4164, Social Policy Researchers, Consultants and Program Officers, and 4165, Heath Policy Researchers, Consultants and Program Officers, now disaggregated for statistical purposes.
6470 Early Childhood Educators and Assistants Deleted - Replaced by 4214, Early Childhood Educators and Assistants.
6670 Amusement Attraction Operators and Other Amusement Occupations Deleted - Replaced by 6671, Operators and Attendants in Amusement, Recreation and Sport.
9510 Welders and Soldering Machine Operators Deleted - Replaced by 7265, Welders and Related Machine Operators.
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