NOC 2021 · 31103 · TEER 1
NOC 31103: Veterinarians
Official NOC 2021, Job Bank and IRCC data · checked 21 October 2026
Veterinarians prevent, diagnose and treat diseases and disorders in animals and advise clients on the feeding, hygiene, housing and general care of animals. They can also perform surgical procedures. They work in private practice or may be employed by animal clinics, farms, laboratories, government or industry.
TEER
TEER 1
Usually needs a university degree
Median wage (Canada)
$60.00 / hour
Job Bank, 2023-2024
High-wage tier (from 3 Nov 2026)
Tier 1
+70 CRS for Canadian work, or 100 for a job offer
Express Entry categories
Healthcare and social services
Category-based draws (2026)
Express Entry
How NOC 31103 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 31103 is in tier 1 of IRCC's high-wage list, in effect from 3 November 2026.
| 12+ months of Canadian work | +70 points on top of work-length points |
|---|---|
| Qualifying job offer (no LMIA) | 100 points |
You get whichever option scores higher, not both.
See all 186 high-wage occupationsCategory-based draws
- Healthcare and social services
At least 12 months of full-time work experience (or equal part-time) in the past 3 years in one listed occupation, plus Express Entry eligibility and the round instructions.
IRCC category listsDuties
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Diagnose diseases or abnormal conditions in individual animals, herds and flocks through physical examinations or laboratory tests
- Treat sick or injured animals by prescribing medication, setting bones, dressing wounds or performing surgery
- Vaccinate animals to prevent and treat diseases
- Perform routine, emergency and post-mortem examinations
- Advise clients on feeding, housing, behaviour, breeding, hygiene and general care of animals
- Provide a range of veterinary services including obstetrics, dentistry and euthanasia
- May supervise animal health technologists and animal care workers
- May be responsible for overall operation of animal hospital, clinic or mobile service to farms
- May conduct veterinary research related to areas such as animal nutrition, health care products development and disease prevention and control
- May enforce government regulations in disease control and food production including animal or animal-based food inspection.
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
- farm veterinarian
- small animal veterinary specialist
- veterinarian
- veterinary inspector
- veterinary pathologist
- veterinary physiologist
- veterinary surgeon
- zoo veterinarian
All 41 job titles in NOC 31103
- animal behavior veterinarian
- animal pathologist
- avian veterinarian
- companion animal veterinarian
- doctor of veterinary medicine
- emergency and intensive care veterinarian
- equine veterinarian
- farm veterinarian
- food animal veterinarian
- laboratory animal veterinarian
- large animal veterinary internist
- poultry veterinarian
- preventive medicine veterinarian
- research veterinarian
- small animal veterinarian
- small animal veterinary internist
- small animal veterinary specialist
- veterinarian
- veterinarian practitioner
- veterinary anatomist
- Veterinary anesthesiologist
- veterinary bacteriologist
- veterinary dentist
- veterinary dermatologist
- veterinary epidemiologist
- veterinary inspector
- veterinary internist
- veterinary laboratory diagnostician
- veterinary microbiologist
- veterinary neurologist
- veterinary oncologist
- veterinary ophthalmologist
- veterinary parasitologist
- veterinary pathologist
- veterinary pharmacologist
- veterinary physiologist
- veterinary radiologist
- veterinary surgeon
- veterinary theriogenologist
- veterinary virologist
- zoo veterinarian
Requirements
Employment requirements
- Doctor of veterinary medicine
- Two years of pre-veterinary university studies or completion of a college program in health science and a four to five year university degree in veterinary medicine and successful completion of an examination leading to a national certification are required.
- A provincial licence to practice is required.
- Veterinary specialists
- Completion of a degree in veterinary medicine and three to four years of additional postgraduate studies or residency program in the specialty of their choice are required.
- Veterinary specialists must be accredited by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) or the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (ABVP). In Quebec, they must be accredited by the Ordre des médecins vétérinaires du Québec and only 18 specialties are recognized.
- A provincial license to practice is required.
- Research veterinarian
- Two years of pre-veterinary university studies or completion of a college program in health science and a four to five year university degree in veterinary medicine and successful completion of an examination leading to a national certification are required.
- Entry into research positions may require postgraduate study.
- A provincial licence to practice is required.
Additional information
- The duties of veterinarians performing research may be similar to those of some biologists.
- In its regulations, the 'Ordre des médecins vétérinaires du Québec (OMVQ)' recognizes only the following specialties: Animal behavioural medicine; Laboratory animal medicine; Large animal internal medicine; Large animal surgery; Pet internal medicine; Pet surgery; Veterinary anesthesiology; Veterinary clinical pathology; Veterinary dermatology; Veterinary emergency and intensive care; Veterinary medical imaging; Veterinary microbiology; Veterinary neurology; Veterinary oncology; Veterinary ophthalmology; Veterinary pathology; Veterinary theriogenology; and Zoological medicine.
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 31103 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 | $34.15 | $60.00 | $84.13 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $40.13 | $57.35 | $76.72 | Small Area Estimation, 2024 |
| Prince Edward Island | $29.33 | $51.82 | $71.23 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
| Nova Scotia | $49.31 | $52.20 | $71.23 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
| New Brunswick | $29.33 | $51.82 | $71.23 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
| Quebec | $25.00 | $64.10 | $70.00 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
| Ontario | $29.81 | $60.00 | $86.54 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
| Manitoba | $38.46 | $50.48 | $72.12 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
| Saskatchewan | $38.65 | $52.88 | $65.00 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
| Alberta | $40.75 | $62.50 | $88.94 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
| British Columbia | $35.58 | $60.00 | $86.54 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
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 Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta.
GoodPrince Edward Island
The employment outlook will be Good for veterinarians (NOC 31103) in Prince Edward Island 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.
Here are some key facts about veterinarians in Prince Edward Island:
Approximately 100 people worked in this occupation in May 2021.
Veterinarians mainly work in the following sectors:
Other professional, scientific and technical services (NAICS 5414, 5416-5419): 39%
Universities (NAICS 6113): 28%
Wholesale trade (NAICS 41): 14%
Federal government public administration (NAICS 911): 12%
Other schools and instruction (NAICS 6115-6117): 8%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 90% compared to 84% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 10% compared to 16% for all occupations
67% of veterinarians work all year, while 33% work only part of the year, compared to 59% and 41% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 46 weeks compared to 41 weeks for all occupations.
17% of veterinarians are self-employed compared to an average of 13% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 26% compared to 51% for all occupations
Women: 74% 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: n/a
bachelor's degree: n/a
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: more than 95% compared to 8% for all occupations
GoodNova Scotia
The employment outlook will be Good for veterinarians (NOC 31103) in Nova Scotia 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.
Recent graduates from fields of study related to this occupation have found it easy to find work.
Here are some key facts about veterinarians in Nova Scotia:
Approximately 300 people worked in this occupation in May 2021.
Veterinarians mainly work in the following sectors:
Other professional, scientific and technical services (NAICS 5414, 5416-5419): 94%
Religious, grant-making, civic, and professional and similar organizations (NAICS 813): 6%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 88% compared to 82% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 13% compared to 18% for all occupations
78% of veterinarians work all year, while 22% 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.
28% of veterinarians are self-employed compared to an average of 11% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 28% compared to 51% for all occupations
Women: 72% 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: n/a
bachelor's degree: n/a
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: more than 95% compared to 10% for all occupations
GoodNew Brunswick
The employment outlook will be Good for veterinarians (NOC 31103) in New Brunswick for the 2025-2027 period.
The following factors contributed to this outlook:
Employment growth will lead to several new positions.
Not many positions will become available due to retirements.
Veterinarians are usually employed by farmers, aquaculture facilities, and animal hospitals. Self-employment is also common in this occupation, and many veterinarians run their own clinics.
Veterinarian shortages—in both the small and farm animal fields—have been an issue throughout the province. Increasing numbers of pet adoptions and livestock will continue to support demand for this occupation, but limited training positions in the veterinary college in Atlantic Canada means that these professionals are in limited supply.
A Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree and registration with the New Brunswick Veterinary Medical Association is required.
Employment opportunities will be greater for individuals who are available to work in rural areas and have access to a vehicle, as veterinarians working with livestock often need to travel to and from various farms. However, veterinary clinics for small animals are often located in the province’s major urban areas.
These jobs are typically physically demanding, as veterinarians often need to lift heavy animals.
Opportunities will be greater for those who are willing to work a flexible schedule, as working evenings, weekends, and holidays is common. Some veterinarians are also required to be on-call in case of emergencies.
Here are some key facts about veterinarians in New Brunswick:
Approximately 200 people worked in this occupation in May 2021.
Veterinarians mainly work in the following sectors:
Other professional, scientific and technical services (NAICS 5414, 5416-5419): 78%
Federal government public administration (NAICS 911): 12%
Provincial and territorial public administration (NAICS 912): 5%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 85% compared to 84% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 15% compared to 16% for all occupations
75% of veterinarians work all year, while 25% 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 42 weeks for all occupations.
24% of veterinarians are self-employed compared to an average of 10% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 14% compared to 52% for all occupations
Women: 86% 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: n/a
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: more than 95% compared to 7% for all occupations
GoodOntario
The employment outlook will be Good for veterinarians (NOC 31103) in Ontario for the 2025-2027 period.
The following factors contributed to this outlook:
Employment is expected to remain relatively stable.
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 of these professionals work in veterinary services
Self-employment is relatively high in this profession
What are the Main Trends Affecting Employment?
Favourable levels of consumer spending on veterinary and related services, and a growing pet population
Opportunities to support biosecurity and livestock disease prevention
The use of telemedicine technologies under certain circumstances is expected to expand business prospects
What Skills Do I Need to Succeed?
The College of Veterinarians of Ontario (CVO) regulates this profession, which means candidates must be licensed by the College to practise veterinary medicine in the province.
Here are some key facts about veterinarians in Ontario:
Approximately 4,600 people work in this occupation.
Veterinarians mainly work in the following sectors:
Other professional, scientific and technical services (NAICS 5414, 5416-5419): 91%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 86% compared to 81% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 14% compared to 19% for all occupations
75% of veterinarians work all year, while 25% 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 47 weeks compared to 43 weeks for all occupations.
42% of veterinarians are self-employed compared to an average of 15% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 35% compared to 52% for all occupations
Women: 65% 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: n/a
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: more than 95% compared to 13% for all occupations
GoodManitoba
The employment outlook will be Good for veterinarians (NOC 31103) in Manitoba 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 veterinarians in Manitoba:
Approximately 400 people worked in this occupation in May 2021.
Veterinarians mainly work in the following sectors:
Other professional, scientific and technical services (NAICS 5414, 5416-5419): 83%
Federal government public administration (NAICS 911): 10%
Provincial and territorial public administration (NAICS 912): 6%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 87% compared to 81% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 13% compared to 19% for all occupations
79% of veterinarians work all year, while 21% 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 48 weeks compared to 43 weeks for all occupations.
34% of veterinarians are self-employed compared to an average of 12% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 27% compared to 53% for all occupations
Women: 73% 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: n/a
bachelor's degree: n/a
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: more than 95% compared to 8% for all occupations
GoodAlberta
The employment outlook will be Good for veterinarians (NOC 31103) 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 veterinarians in Alberta:
Approximately 1,750 people work in this occupation.
Veterinarians mainly work in the following sectors:
Other professional, scientific and technical services (NAICS 5414, 5416-5419): 87%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 88% compared to 80% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 12% compared to 20% for all occupations
73% of veterinarians work all year, while 27% 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 45 weeks compared to 42 weeks for all occupations.
37% of veterinarians are self-employed compared to an average of 15% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 40% compared to 53% for all occupations
Women: 60% 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: n/a
bachelor's degree: n/a
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: more than 95% compared to 9% for all occupations
ModerateQuebec
The employment outlook will be Moderate for veterinarians (NOC 31103) in Quebec for the 2025-2027 period.
The following factors contributed to this outlook:
Employment is expected to remain relatively stable.
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 veterinarians in Quebec:
Approximately 2,550 people work in this occupation.
Veterinarians mainly work in the following sectors:
Other professional, scientific and technical services (NAICS 5414, 5416-5419): 85%
Federal government public administration (NAICS 911): 6%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 89% compared to 82% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 11% compared to 18% for all occupations
77% of veterinarians work all year, while 23% 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 43 weeks for all occupations.
33% of veterinarians are self-employed compared to an average of 12% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 32% compared to 52% for all occupations
Women: 68% 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: n/a
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: more than 95% compared to 11% for all occupations
ModerateSaskatchewan
The employment outlook will be Moderate for veterinarians (NOC 31103) in Saskatchewan for the 2025-2027 period.
The following factors contributed to this outlook:
Employment is expected to remain relatively stable.
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 veterinarians in Saskatchewan:
Approximately 500 people work in this occupation.
Veterinarians mainly work in the following sectors:
Other professional, scientific and technical services (NAICS 5414, 5416-5419): 67%
Universities (NAICS 6113): 20%
Federal government public administration (NAICS 911): 6%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 85% compared to 81% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 15% compared to 19% for all occupations
74% of veterinarians work all year, while 26% 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.
25% of veterinarians are self-employed compared to an average of 16% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 30% compared to 53% for all occupations
Women: 70% 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: n/a
bachelor's degree: n/a
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: more than 95% compared to 7% for all occupations
ModerateBritish Columbia
The employment outlook will be Moderate for veterinarians (NOC 31103) in British Columbia 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 veterinarians in British Columbia:
Approximately 2,550 people work in this occupation.
Veterinarians mainly work in the following sectors:
Other professional, scientific and technical services (NAICS 5414, 5416-5419): 93%
Federal government public administration (NAICS 911): 6%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 84% compared to 78% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 16% compared to 22% for all occupations
71% of veterinarians work all year, while 28% 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 46 weeks compared to 42 weeks for all occupations.
42% of veterinarians are self-employed compared to an average of 17% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 37% compared to 52% for all occupations
Women: 63% 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: n/a
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: more than 95% 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.
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 31103 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
Physicians and veterinarians
Questions
NOC 31103: common questions
What is the NOC code for veterinarians?
What TEER category is NOC 31103?
Is NOC 31103 eligible for Express Entry?
Is NOC 31103 a high-wage occupation for Express Entry?
Is NOC 31103 eligible for category-based Express Entry draws?
What is the median wage for NOC 31103 in Canada?
Classification
Where it sits in NOC 2021
- 3Health occupationsBroad Category
- 31Professional occupations in healthMajor Group
- 311Health treating and consultation services professionalsSub-major Group
- 3110Physicians and veterinariansMinor Group
- 31103Veterinarians
Enquiry
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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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