According to the most recently available information, the list below shows the current occupations in demand in Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario. This list is subject to change at any time.
At present, Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia have entered into an agreement with the Canadian Federal Government to ensure occupations in demand can be more easily filled by temporary foreign workers.
Applying for these positions in the above provinces will provide you with a more streamlined visa process, and help you make the move to Canada faster and more simply.
Generally, Canadian employers can hire temporary foreign workers once they have demonstrated they have not been able to hire a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
Below is a list of occupations in demand (subject to change):
| NOC | Management occupations |
|---|---|
| 0013 | Senior managers – financial, communications and other business services |
| 0111 | Financial managers |
| 0113 | Purchasing managers |
| 0122 | Banking, credit and other investment managers |
| 0211 | Engineering managers |
| 0212 | Architecture and science managers |
| 0213 | Computer and information systems managers |
| 0311 | Managers in healthcare |
| 0611 | Sales, marketing and advertising managers |
| 0621 | Retail trade managers |
| 0711 | Construction managers |
| Business, finance and administration | |
| 1111 | Financial auditors |
| 1112 | Financial and investment analysts |
| 1113 | Securities agents, investment dealers and brokers |
| 1121 | Specialist in human resources |
| 1122 | Professional occupations in business services to management |
| 1214 | Supervisors, mail and message distribution occupations |
| 1223 | Personnel and recruitment officers |
| 1225 | Purchasing agents and officers |
| 1232 | Loan officers |
| 1235 | Assessors, valuators and appraisers |
| 1236 | Customs, ship and other brokers |
| 1243 | Medical secretaries |
| 1244 | Court recorders and medical transcriptionists |
| 1452 | Correspondence, publication and related clerks |
| 1472 | Storekeepers and parts clerks |
| 1473 | Production clerks |
| Natural and applied sciences and related occupations | |
| 2111 | Physicists and astronomers |
| 2112 | Chemists |
| 2113 | Geologists, geochemists and geophysicists |
| 2121 | Biologists and related sciences |
| 2123 | Agricultural representatives, consultants and specialists |
| 2131 | Civil engineers |
| 2132 | Mechanical engineers |
| 2133 | Electrical and electronics engineers |
| 2134 | Chemical engineers |
| 2141 | Industrial and manufacturing engineers |
| 2142 | Metallurgical and materials engineers |
| 2143 | Mining engineers |
| 2144 | Geological engineers |
| 2145 | Petroleum engineers |
| 2146 | Aerospace engineers |
| 2147 | Computer engineers (except software engineers) |
| 2151 | Architects |
| 2152 | Landscape architects |
| 2153 | Urban and land use planners |
| 2154 | Land surveyors |
| 2161 | Mathematics, statisticians and actuaries |
| 2171 | Information systems analysts and consultants |
| 2172 | Database analysts and data administrators |
| 2211 | Applied chemical technologists and technicians |
| 2213 | Meteorological technicians |
| 2222 | Agricultural and fish products inspectors |
| 2225 | Landscape and horticultural technicians |
| 2231 | Civil engineering technologists and technicians |
| 2232 | Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians |
| 2233 | Industrial engineering and manufacturing technologists and technicians |
| 2234 | Construction estimators |
| 2241 | Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians |
| 2242 | Electronic service technicians (household and business equipment) |
| 2243 | Industrial instrument technicians and mechanics |
| 2244 | Aircraft instrument, electrical and avionics mechanics, technicians and inspectors |
| 2251 | Architectural technologists and technicians |
| 2252 | Industrial designers |
| 2253 | Drafting technologists and technicians |
| 2261 | Non-destructive testers and inspectors |
| 2275 | Railway traffic controllers and marine traffic regulators |
| 2281 | Computer and network operators |
| 2283 | Systems testing technicians |
| Health occupations | |
| 3111 | Specialist physicians |
| 3112 | General practitioners and family physicians |
| 3113 | Dentists |
| 3114 | Veterinarians |
| 3121 | Optometrists |
| 3122 | Chiropractors |
| 3131 | Pharmacists |
| 3132 | Dieticians and nutritionists |
| 3141 | Audiologists and speech language pathologists |
| 3151 | Head nurses and supervisors |
| 3152 | Registered nurses (RNs) |
| 3211 | Medical laboratory technologists and pathologists’ assistants |
| 3212 | Medical laboratory technicians |
| 3213 | Veterinary and animal health technologists and technicians |
| 3214 | Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardio-pulmonary technologists |
| 3215 | Medication radiation technologists |
| 3216 | Medical sonographers |
| 3218 | Electroencephalographic and other diagnostic technologists |
| 3221 | Denturists |
| 3222 | Dental hygienists and dental therapists |
| 3223 | Dental technologists, technicians and laboratory bench workers |
| 3231 | Opticians |
| 3232 | Midwives and practitioners of natural healing |
| 3233 | Registered nursing assistants/licensed practical nurses |
| 3234 | Ambulance attendants and other paramedical occupations |
| Occupations in social science, education, government and religion | |
| 4112 | Lawyers and Quebec notaries |
| 4121 | University professors |
| 4143 | School and guidance counsellors |
| 4151 | Ministers of religion |
| 4154 | Ministers of religion |
| 4155 | Probation and parole officers and related occupations |
| 4161 | Natural and applied science policy researchers, consultants and programme officers |
| 4166 | Education policy researchers, consultants and programme officers |
| 4214 | Early childhood educators |
| 4215 | Instructors and teachers of persons with disabilities |
| Occupations in art, culture, recreation and sport | |
| 5113 | Archivists |
| 5122 | Editors |
| 5125 | Professional occupations in public relations and communications |
| 5132 | Conductors, composers and arrangers |
| 5133 | Musicians and singers |
| 5134 | Dancers |
| 5135 | Actors and comedians |
| 5136 | Painters, sculptors and other visual artists |
| 5221 | Photographers |
| 5222 | Film and video camera operators |
| 5223 | Graphic arts technicians |
| 5225 | Audio and video recording technicians |
| 5231 | Announcers and other broadcasters |
| 5242 | Interior designers |
| 5244 | Artisans and crafts persons |
| 5245 | Patternmakers – textile, leather and fur products |
| 5251 | Athletes |
| Sales and service occupations | |
| 6232 | Real estate agents and salespersons |
| 6233 | Retail and wholesale buyers |
| 6241 | Chefs |
| 6242 | Cooks |
| 6251 | Butchers and meat cutters – retail and wholesale |
| 6252 | Bakers |
| 6271 | Hairstylists and barbers |
| 6272 | Funeral directors and embalmers |
| 6421 | Retail salespersons and sales clerks |
| 6433 | Airline sales and service agents |
| 6435 | Hotel front desk clerks |
| 6441 | Tour and travel guides |
| 6453 | Food and beverage servers |
| 6474 | Live-in caregivers |
| 6482 | Aestheticians, electrologists and related |
| 6611 | Cashiers |
| 6641 | Food counter attendants and related |
| 6661 | Light duty cleaners |
| 6662 | Specialised cleaners |
| 6663 | Janitors, caretakers and building superintendents |
| 6681 | Dry cleaning and laundry occupations |
| Trades, transport and equipment operators and related occupations | |
| 7211 | Supervisors, machinists and related |
| 7212 | Contractors and supervisors, electrical |
| 7213 | Contractors and supervisors, pipefitting trades |
| 7214 | Contractors and supervisors, metal forming, shaping and erecting |
| 7215 | Contractors and supervisors, carpentry trades |
| 7216 | Contractors and supervisors, mechanic trades |
| 7219 | Contractors and supervisors, other construction trades, installers, repairers and servicers |
| 7221 | Supervisors, railway transport operations |
| 7222 | Supervisors, motor transport and other ground transit operators |
| 7231 | Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors |
| 7232 | Tool and die makers |
| 7241 | Electricians (except industrial and power system) |
| 7242 | Industrial electricians |
| 7243 | Power system electricians |
| 7244 | Electrical power line and cable workers |
| 7242 | Industrial electricians |
| 7243 | Power system electricians |
| 7244 | Electrical power line and cable workers |
| 7245 | Telecommunications line and cable workers |
| 7247 | Cable television service and maintenance technicians |
| 7251 | Plumbers |
| 7252 | Steamfitters, pipefitters and sprinkler system installers |
| 7253 | Gas fitters |
| 7261 | Sheet metal workers |
| 7262 | Boilermakers |
| 7263 | Structural metal and plate work fabricators and fitters |
| 7264 | Ironworkers |
| 7265 | Welders and related machine operators |
| 7266 | Blacksmiths and die setters |
| 7271 | Carpenters |
| 7272 | Cabinetmakers |
| 7281 | Bricklayers |
| 7282 | Cement and concrete finishers |
| 7283 | Tile setters |
| 7284 | Plasterers, drywall installers and finishers and lathers |
| 7291 | Roofers and shinglers |
| 7292 | Glaziers |
| 7293 | Insulators |
| 7294 | Painters and decorators |
| 7295 | Floor covering installers |
| 7311 | Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics (except textile) |
| 7312 | Heavy-duty equipment mechanics |
| 7313 | Refrigeration and air conditioning mechanic |
| 7314 | Railway car men/women |
| 7315 | Aircraft mechanics and aircraft inspectors |
| 7316 | Machine fitters |
| 7318 | Elevator constructors and mechanics |
| 7321 | Automotive service technicians, truck mechanics and mechanical repairers |
| 7322 | Motor vehicle body repairers |
| 7331 | Oil and solid fuel heating mechanics |
| 7332 | Electric appliance servicers and repairers |
| 7333 | Electrical mechanics |
| 7334 | Motorcycle and other related mechanics |
| 7341 | Upholsterers |
| 7344 | Jewellers, watch repairers and related |
| 7351 | Stationary engineers and auxiliary equipment operators |
| 7352 | Power systems and power station operators |
| 7361 | Railway and yard locomotive engineers |
| 7362 | Railway conductors and brakemen/women |
| 7371 | Crane operators |
| 7373 | Water well drillers |
| 7381 | Printing press operators |
| 7382 | Commercial divers |
| 7411 | Truck drivers |
| 7414 | Delivery and courier service drivers |
| 7421 | Heavy equipment operators (except crane) |
| 7441 | Residential and commercial installers and servicers |
| 7443 | Automotive mechanical installers and servicers |
| 7444 | Pest controllers and fumigators |
| 7452 | Material handlers |
| 7611 | Construction trades helpers and labourers |
| Occupations unique to primary industry | |
| 8222 | Supervisors, oil and gas drilling service |
| 8232 | Oil and gas well drillers, servicers, testers and related |
| 8232 | Oil and gas well drillers, servicers, testers and related |
| 8251 | Farmers and farm workers |
| 8253 | Farm supervisors and specialised livestock workers |
| 8256 | Supervisors, landscape and horticulture |
| 8257 | Aquaculture operators and managers |
| 8412 | Oil and gas drilling workers and services operators |
| 8431 | General farm workers |
| 8432 | Nursery and greenhouse workers |
| Occupations unique to processing, manufacturing and utilities | |
| 9211 | Supervisors, mineral and metal processing |
| 9212 | Supervisors, petroleum, gas and chemical processing and utilities |
| 9214 | Supervisors, plastic and rubber products manufacturing |
| 9216 | Supervisors, textile processing |
| 9221 | Supervisors, motor vehicle assembling |
| 9222 | Supervisors, electronics manufacturing |
| 9224 | Supervisors, furniture and fixtures manufacturing |
| 9231 | Central control and process operators, mineral and metal processing |
| 9435 | Paper converting and machine operators |
| 9452 | Fabric, fur and leather cutters |
| 9454 | Inspectors and testers, fabric, fur and leather products manufacturing |
| 9491 | Boat assemblers and inspectors |
| 9494 | Furniture finishers and refinishers |
| 9497 | Plating, metal spraying and related |
| 9512 | Forging machine operators |
| 9617 | Labourers in food, beverage and tobacco processing |
See also: Is your occupation on Canada’s ‘extreme demand’ list?