NOC 2021 · 21200 · TEER 1
NOC 21200: Architects
Official NOC 2021, Job Bank and IRCC data · checked 21 October 2026
Architects conceptualize, plan and develop designs for the construction and renovation of commercial, institutional and residential buildings. They are employed by architectural firms, private corporations and governments, or they may be self-employed.
TEER
TEER 1
Usually needs a university degree
Median wage (Canada)
$38.94 / hour
Job Bank, 2023-2024
High-wage tier (from 3 Nov 2026)
Tier 3
+20 CRS for Canadian work, or 50 for a job offer
Express Entry categories
None
General and program draws only
Express Entry
How NOC 21200 counts for Express Entry
- Federal Skilled Worker: eligible occupationNeeds 1 year of continuous skilled (TEER 0–3) work in the last 10 years and 67 points on the FSW grid.
- Canadian Experience Class: eligible occupationNeeds 1 year of skilled (TEER 0–3) work in Canada in the last 3 years.
- Federal Skilled Trades: not eligibleNeeds 2 years of work in an eligible trade group in the last 5 years, plus a job offer or a Canadian certificate of qualification.
High-wage CRS points
NOC 21200 is in tier 3 of IRCC's high-wage list, in effect from 3 November 2026.
| 12+ months of Canadian work | +20 points on top of work-length points |
|---|---|
| Qualifying job offer (no LMIA) | 50 points |
You get whichever option scores higher, not both.
See all 186 high-wage occupationsCategory-based draws
NOC 21200 is not on any of IRCC's 2026 occupation categories. You can still be invited through general, program-specific or French-language draws.
IRCC category listsDuties
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Consult with clients to determine the type, style and purpose of renovations or new building construction being considered
- Conceptualize and design buildings and develop plans describing design specifications, building materials, costs and construction schedules
- Prepare sketches and models for clients
- Prepare or supervise the preparation of drawings, specifications and other construction documents for use by contractors and tradespersons
- Prepare bidding documents, participate in contract negotiations and award construction contracts
- Monitor activities on construction sites to ensure compliance with specifications
- Conduct feasibility studies and financial analyses of building projects.
- Architects may specialize in a particular type of construction such as residential, commercial, industrial or institutional.
For Express Entry, your experience must match the lead statement and most of these duties, not only the job title.
Job titles
Example job titles
- architect
- architectural standards specialist
- chief architect
- consulting architect
- industrial and commercial buildings architect
- residential architect
All 8 job titles in NOC 21200
- architect
- architectural project manager
- architectural standards specialist
- chief architect
- consulting architect
- industrial and commercial buildings architect
- residential architect
- residential building architect
Requirements
Employment requirements
- A bachelor's degree from an accredited school of architecture or completion of the syllabus of studies from the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) is required.
- A master's degree in architecture may be required.
- Completion of a three-year internship under the supervision of a registered architect is required.
- Completion of the architect registration examination is required.
- Registration with a provincial regulatory body is required in all provinces and the Northwest Territories.
- Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification is offered by the Canada Green Building Council and may be required by some employers.
Additional information
- Progression to senior positions, such as chief architect, is possible with experience.
This occupation may be regulated in some provinces. You may need a licence or certificate from the provincial regulator before you can work in it in Canada, even if you hold permanent residence.
Wages
Wages for NOC 21200 in Canada
Low, median and high wages per hour in Canadian dollars, from ESDC Job Bank's 2025 wage data.
| Region | Low | Median | High | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | $26.44 | $38.94 | $74.52 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
| Nova Scotia | $25.00 | $40.87 | $50.55 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
| New Brunswick | $26.65 | $39.22 | $54.45 | Small Area Estimation, 2024 |
| Quebec | $27.00 | $32.82 | $70.00 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
| Ontario | $28.21 | $41.03 | $80.97 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
| Manitoba | $22.50 | $41.03 | $62.50 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
| Saskatchewan | $26.02 | $40.83 | $59.68 | Small Area Estimation, 2024 |
| Alberta | $29.76 | $45.69 | $69.26 | Small Area Estimation, 2024 |
| British Columbia | $29.07 | $45.14 | $69.80 | Small Area Estimation, 2024 |
Provinces with too little data are not shown. Wages vary by city and employer; see Job Bank for regional figures.
Job outlook
Job outlook by province, 2025–2027
Job Bank rates the 3-year outlook as good or very good in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta.
GoodManitoba
The employment outlook will be Good for architects (NOC 21200) in Manitoba for the 2025-2027 period.
The following factors contributed to this outlook:
Employment growth will lead to several new positions.
A moderate number of positions will become available due to retirements.
There are a small number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.
Here are some key facts about architects in Manitoba:
Approximately 500 people worked in this occupation in May 2021.
Architects mainly work in the following sectors:
Architectural, engineering and design services (NAICS 5413): more than 95%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 89% compared to 81% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 11% compared to 19% for all occupations
78% of architects work all year, while 22% work only part of the year, compared to 65% and 35% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 45 weeks compared to 43 weeks for all occupations.
22% of architects are self-employed compared to an average of 12% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 64% compared to 53% for all occupations
Women: 36% compared to 47% for all occupations
The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
no high school diploma: n/a
high school diploma or equivalent: n/a
apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: n/a
college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: less than 5% compared to 17% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: 11% compared to 20% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 83% compared to 8% for all occupations
GoodSaskatchewan
The employment outlook will be Good for architects (NOC 21200) in Saskatchewan for the 2025-2027 period.
The following factors contributed to this outlook:
Employment growth will lead to a moderate number of new positions.
A moderate number of positions will become available due to retirements.
There are a small number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.
Here are some key facts about architects in Saskatchewan:
Approximately 150 people worked in this occupation in May 2021.
Architects mainly work in the following sectors:
Architectural, engineering and design services (NAICS 5413): more than 95%
80% of architects work all year, while 20% work only part of the year, compared to 65% and 35% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 45 weeks compared to 43 weeks for all occupations.
17% of architects are self-employed compared to an average of 16% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 66% compared to 53% for all occupations
Women: 34% compared to 47% for all occupations
The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
no high school diploma: n/a
high school diploma or equivalent: n/a
apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: n/a
college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 9% compared to 17% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: 28% compared to 18% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 56% compared to 7% for all occupations
GoodAlberta
The employment outlook will be Good for architects (NOC 21200) in Alberta for the 2025-2027 period.
The following factors contributed to this outlook:
Employment growth will lead to a moderate number of new positions.
A moderate number of positions will become available due to retirements.
There are a small number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.
Here are some key facts about architects in Alberta:
Approximately 2,650 people work in this occupation.
Architects mainly work in the following sectors:
Architectural, engineering and design services (NAICS 5413): 85%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 91% compared to 80% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 9% compared to 20% for all occupations
74% of architects work all year, while 26% work only part of the year, compared to 61% and 39% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 44 weeks compared to 42 weeks for all occupations.
30% of architects are self-employed compared to an average of 15% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 69% compared to 53% for all occupations
Women: 31% compared to 47% for all occupations
The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
no high school diploma: n/a
high school diploma or equivalent: less than 5% compared to 28% for all occupations
apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: n/a
college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 11% compared to 19% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: 27% compared to 21% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 59% compared to 9% for all occupations
ModerateNova Scotia
The employment outlook will be Moderate for architects (NOC 21200) in Nova Scotia for the 2025-2027 period.
The following factors contributed to this outlook:
Employment growth will lead to a few new positions.
A moderate number of positions will become available due to retirements.
Here are some key facts about architects in Nova Scotia:
Approximately 350 people worked in this occupation in May 2021.
Architects mainly work in the following sectors:
Architectural, engineering and design services (NAICS 5413): 90%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 94% compared to 82% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 6% compared to 18% for all occupations
82% of architects work all year, while 18% work only part of the year, compared to 62% and 38% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 47 weeks compared to 42 weeks for all occupations.
26% of architects are self-employed compared to an average of 11% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 67% compared to 51% for all occupations
Women: 33% compared to 49% for all occupations
The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
no high school diploma: n/a
high school diploma or equivalent: n/a
apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: n/a
college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: less than 5% compared to 22% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: 30% compared to 20% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 64% compared to 10% for all occupations
ModerateNew Brunswick
The employment outlook will be Moderate for architects (NOC 21200) in New Brunswick for the 2025-2027 period.
The following factors contributed to this outlook:
Employment growth will lead to a moderate number of new positions.
Not many positions will become available due to retirements.
There are a small number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.
Here are some key facts about architects in New Brunswick:
Approximately 100 people worked in this occupation in May 2021.
Architects mainly work in the following sectors:
Architectural, engineering and design services (NAICS 5413): more than 95%
82% of architects work all year, while 18% work only part of the year, compared to 62% and 38% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 48 weeks compared to 42 weeks for all occupations.
19% of architects are self-employed compared to an average of 10% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 61% compared to 52% for all occupations
Women: 39% compared to 48% for all occupations
The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
no high school diploma: n/a
high school diploma or equivalent: n/a
apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: n/a
college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: n/a
bachelor's degree: 40% compared to 16% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 52% compared to 7% for all occupations
ModerateQuebec
The employment outlook will be Moderate for architects (NOC 21200) in Quebec for the 2025-2027 period.
The following factors contributed to this outlook:
Employment growth will lead to a few new positions.
Not many positions will become available due to retirements.
There are a small number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.
Here are some key facts about architects in Quebec:
Approximately 5,450 people work in this occupation.
Architects mainly work in the following sectors:
Architectural, engineering and design services (NAICS 5413): 77%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 92% compared to 82% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 8% compared to 18% for all occupations
72% of architects work all year, while 28% work only part of the year, compared to 62% and 38% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 46 weeks compared to 43 weeks for all occupations.
25% of architects are self-employed compared to an average of 12% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 53% compared to 52% for all occupations
Women: 47% compared to 48% for all occupations
The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
no high school diploma: less than 5% compared to 12% for all occupations
high school diploma or equivalent: less than 5% compared to 19% for all occupations
apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: less than 5% compared to 19% for all occupations
college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: less than 5% compared to 22% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: 34% compared to 17% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 59% compared to 11% for all occupations
ModerateOntario
The employment outlook will be Moderate for architects (NOC 21200) in Ontario for the 2025-2027 period.
The following factors contributed to this outlook:
Employment growth will lead to a few new positions.
A moderate number of positions will become available due to retirements.
There are a small number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.
What Types of Employers Are Out There?
The majority are directly employed in architectural and engineering services
What are the Main Trends Affecting Employment?
Population growth, which is resulting in significant levels of new residential construction
Opportunities expected to support the design of energy efficient new and retrofitted older buildings
Significant public sector funding for transit-related infrastructure projects
What Skills Do I Need to Succeed?
The Ontario Association of Architects (OAA) regulates the profession; individuals offering or providing architectural services must be licensed and hold a Certificate of Practice
Options are available for internationally trained architects to pursue licensure in the province
In addition to other formal education, employers tend to seek individuals with proficiency in using software such as Revit and AutoCAD.
Here are some key facts about architects in Ontario:
Approximately 11,500 people work in this occupation.
Architects mainly work in the following sectors:
Architectural, engineering and design services (NAICS 5413): 81%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 93% compared to 81% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 7% compared to 19% for all occupations
77% of architects work all year, while 23% work only part of the year, compared to 63% and 37% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 46 weeks compared to 43 weeks for all occupations.
24% of architects are self-employed compared to an average of 15% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 64% compared to 52% for all occupations
Women: 36% compared to 48% for all occupations
The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
no high school diploma: less than 5% compared to 9% for all occupations
high school diploma or equivalent: less than 5% compared to 25% for all occupations
apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: less than 5% compared to 8% for all occupations
college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 7% compared to 22% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: 40% compared to 24% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 51% compared to 13% for all occupations
LimitedBritish Columbia
The employment outlook will be Limited for architects (NOC 21200) in British Columbia for the 2025-2027 period.
The following factors contributed to this outlook:
Employment growth will lead to a few new positions.
A moderate number of positions will become available due to retirements.
There are a small number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.
High employee turnover in this occupation could lead to additional employment opportunities.
Due to the seasonal nature of this occupation, employment opportunities tend to be more favourable during the summer months.
Employment opportunities may be impacted by digital transformation initiatives, including the availability of online services, artificial intelligence (for example virtual agents), and the automation of back-office processes (for example data entry).
Key trends for this occupation include the use of advanced software and automation which may result in more complex tasks and fewer positions in the future.
Here are some key facts about architects in British Columbia:
Approximately 3,350 people work in this occupation.
Architects mainly work in the following sectors:
Architectural, engineering and design services (NAICS 5413): 88%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 91% compared to 78% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 9% compared to 22% for all occupations
79% of architects work all year, while 21% work only part of the year, compared to 61% and 39% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 47 weeks compared to 42 weeks for all occupations.
32% of architects are self-employed compared to an average of 17% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 67% compared to 52% for all occupations
Women: 33% compared to 48% for all occupations
The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
no high school diploma: less than 5% compared to 8% for all occupations
high school diploma or equivalent: less than 5% compared to 28% for all occupations
apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: less than 5% compared to 13% for all occupations
college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 8% compared to 17% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: 31% compared to 22% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 59% compared to 12% for all occupations
UndeterminedNewfoundland and Labrador
An employment outlook has not been assigned to this occupation in this region due to low levels of employment.
UndeterminedPrince Edward Island
An employment outlook has not been assigned to this occupation in this region due to low levels of employment.
UndeterminedNorthwest Territories
An employment outlook has not been assigned to this occupation in this region due to low levels of employment.
UndeterminedNunavut
An employment outlook has not been assigned to this occupation in this region due to low levels of employment.
Source: ESDC Job Bank, 3-year employment outlooks 2025–2027 (released December 2025).
Provinces
Provincial Nominee Programs
A provincial nomination adds 600 CRS points. Most provinces run occupation-targeted draws or in-demand lists, and some accept TEER 4 and 5 occupations that Express Entry does not.
Provincial lists change often, sometimes between draws. We check whether NOC 21200 is being targeted by any province as part of a consultation.
Similar occupations
Related NOC codes
Classified elsewhere
If your duties fit one of these better, use that code instead.
Same occupation group
Architects, urban planners and land surveyors
Questions
NOC 21200: common questions
What is the NOC code for architects?
What TEER category is NOC 21200?
Is NOC 21200 eligible for Express Entry?
Is NOC 21200 a high-wage occupation for Express Entry?
Is NOC 21200 eligible for category-based Express Entry draws?
What is the median wage for NOC 21200 in Canada?
Classification
Where it sits in NOC 2021
- 2Natural and applied sciences and related occupationsBroad Category
- 21Professional occupations in natural and applied sciencesMajor Group
- 212Professional occupations in applied sciences (except engineering)Sub-major Group
- 2120Architects, urban planners and land surveyorsMinor Group
- 21200Architects
Enquiry
Is NOC 21200 your occupation? Ask us about your options.
Tell us your duties, experience and language scores. We will confirm your NOC code and the Canadian routes that fit.
Sources: Statistics Canada, NOC 2021 Version 1.0, Job Bank wages (2025), Job Bank outlooks 2025–2027 and IRCC. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Checked 21 October 2026.
NOC 2026 is due from Statistics Canada in December 2026. IRCC still uses NOC 2021 codes, and this page will show any change once IRCC switches.
This page is general information, not immigration advice. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Government of Canada, IRCC or ESDC.
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