What Is the TEER System in Canada?

TEER stands for Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities. It is the system Canada uses to classify every occupation by skill level.

In 2021 it replaced the old "skill level A/B/C/D" system, and every job now sits in one of six TEER categories, from 0 to 5. Your occupation's TEER level is part of its 5-digit NOC code, and it matters because Canada's main skilled-immigration programs, including Express Entry, generally require a job in TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3.

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The six TEER levels

TEER	What it means	Examples	Express Entry
0	Management occupations	Restaurant, IT, construction managers	Eligible
1	Usually need a university degree	Doctors, engineers, nurses, accountants	Eligible
2	College diploma, 2+ year apprenticeship, or supervisory	Electricians, technologists, paralegals	Eligible
3	College diploma, short apprenticeship, or 6+ months training	Cooks, truck drivers, dental assistants	Eligible
4	High school or a few weeks of training	Retail salespersons, food counter attendants	Limited
5	Short demonstration, no formal education	Cleaners, harvesting labourers	Limited

The lower the TEER number, the higher the skill level. TEER 0-3 is "skilled" for most economic immigration. TEER 4-5 have far fewer pathways.

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How the NOC code works

Every occupation has a unique 5-digit code, and the second digit is the TEER level. For example, NOC 31102 (family physicians) has a second digit of 1, so it is TEER 1. The simplest reliable way to confirm both your code and TEER is the official tool: Find your NOC on the official Government of Canada NOC tool.