NOC 2021 · 31203 · TEER 1
NOC 31203: Occupational therapists
Official NOC 2021, Job Bank and IRCC data · checked 21 October 2026
Occupational therapists develop individual and group programs with people affected by illness, injury, developmental disorders, emotional or psychological problems and aging to maintain, restore or increase their ability to care for themselves and to engage in work, school or leisure. They also develop and implement health promotion programs with individuals, community groups and employers. They are employed in health care facilities, in schools, and by private and social services agencies, or they may be self-employed.
TEER
TEER 1
Usually needs a university degree
Median wage (Canada)
$46.00 / hour
Job Bank, 2023-2024
High-wage tier (from 3 Nov 2026)
Tier 2
+40 CRS for Canadian work, or 70 for a job offer
Express Entry categories
Healthcare and social services
Category-based draws (2026)
Express Entry
How NOC 31203 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 31203 is in tier 2 of IRCC's high-wage list, in effect from 3 November 2026.
| 12+ months of Canadian work | +40 points on top of work-length points |
|---|---|
| Qualifying job offer (no LMIA) | 70 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:
- Analyse clients' capabilities and expectations related to life activities through observation, interviews and formal assessments
- Develop intervention programs to address clients' needs related to self-care, work and leisure activities
- Maintain clients' records
- Establish personalized care plans working as a member of an interdisciplinary team
- Consult and advise on health promotion programs to prevent disabilities and to maximize independent function in all activities of life
- May supervise support personnel and students and provide training.
- Occupational therapists may specialize in working with specific populations such as children or adults, or persons with distinct problems such as dementia, traumatic brain injury and chronic pain, or provide special interventions such as return-to-work programs.
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
- case manager occupational therapist
- clinical occupational therapist
- community occupational therapist
- occupational therapist (OT)
- occupational therapy rehabilitation consultant
- research and development occupational therapist
All 12 job titles in NOC 31203
- case manager occupational therapist
- clinical occupational therapist
- clinical occupational therapy specialist
- community occupational therapist
- community practice occupational therapist
- home care occupational therapist
- occupational therapist (OT)
- occupational therapist vocational evaluator
- occupational therapy rehabilitation consultant
- research and development occupational therapist
- research occupational therapist
- vocational evaluator occupational therapist
Requirements
Employment requirements
- A university degree in occupational therapy including supervised fieldwork is required.
- Completion of a national or provincial certification examination is required.
- Licensure with a regulatory body is required in all provinces and territories.
- Membership in the national association, Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists, is required in some provinces.
- Occupational therapists may obtain expertise in a particular area through additional training or experience.
Additional information
- Occupational therapists may progress to management or administrative positions through further training and 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 31203 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 | $36.17 | $46.00 | $55.00 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $37.60 | $45.70 | $51.39 | Small Area Estimation, 2024 |
| Prince Edward Island | $36.00 | $39.46 | $47.56 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
| Nova Scotia | $33.28 | $42.80 | $49.74 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
| New Brunswick | $38.00 | $45.00 | $50.00 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
| Quebec | $37.00 | $46.00 | $55.00 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
| Ontario | $33.33 | $45.00 | $55.90 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
| Manitoba | $38.00 | $39.90 | $48.08 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
| Saskatchewan | $32.00 | $45.00 | $50.00 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
| Alberta | $39.00 | $48.08 | $52.25 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
| British Columbia | $30.00 | $50.00 | $66.91 | 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, Saskatchewan, Alberta.
GoodPrince Edward Island
The employment outlook will be Good for occupational therapists (NOC 31203) 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.
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 occupational therapists in Prince Edward Island:
Approximately 50 people worked in this occupation in May 2021.
Occupational therapists mainly work in the following sectors:
Hospitals (NAICS 622): 56%
Nursing and residential care facilities (NAICS 623): 32%
Ambulatory health care services (NAICS 621): 10%
80% of occupational therapists work all year, while 20% 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 45 weeks compared to 41 weeks for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: less than 5% compared to 51% for all occupations
Women: more than 95% 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: 50% compared to 17% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 40% compared to 8% for all occupations
GoodNova Scotia
The employment outlook will be Good for occupational therapists (NOC 31203) 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.
Demand for occupational therapists (OTs) has been increasing due to a variety of factors, such as the aging population and rising number of individuals in long-term care, as well as the growing inclusion of non-physician health practitioners in collaborative primary care settings. Opportunities arise regularly in all areas of the province and overtime is common for OTs in fields with a shortage of workers.
Roles in occupational therapy exist in diverse settings in both the public and private sectors. Positions in hospitals often relate to rehabilitation or mental health and addiction services, while jobs with large private employers such as long-term care homes are also common. Further, a single position in a rural area may serve multiple facilities. Many OTs move from employment to self-employment mid-career.
Graduates from master’s degree programs are considered generalists but will still have decent employment prospects. Even so, they may benefit from additional training in a certain specialization of their interest.
Here are some key facts about occupational therapists in Nova Scotia:
Approximately 700 people work in this occupation.
Occupational therapists mainly work in the following sectors:
Hospitals (NAICS 622): 56%
Ambulatory health care services (NAICS 621): 28%
Nursing and residential care facilities (NAICS 623): 10%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 86% compared to 82% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 14% compared to 18% for all occupations
68% of occupational therapists work all year, while 32% 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 42 weeks compared to 42 weeks for all occupations.
11% of occupational therapists are self-employed compared to an average of 11% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 10% compared to 51% for all occupations
Women: 90% 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: 41% compared to 20% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 57% compared to 10% for all occupations
GoodNew Brunswick
The employment outlook will be Good for occupational therapists (NOC 31203) 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.
There are a small number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.
Here are some key facts about occupational therapists in New Brunswick:
Approximately 550 people work in this occupation.
Occupational therapists mainly work in the following sectors:
Hospitals (NAICS 622): 42%
Ambulatory health care services (NAICS 621): 34%
Insurance Carriers and related activities (NAICS 524, 526): 9%
Federal government public administration (NAICS 911): 5%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 84% compared to 84% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 16% compared to 16% for all occupations
74% of occupational therapists work all year, while 26% 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.
9% of occupational therapists are self-employed compared to an average of 10% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: less than 5% compared to 52% for all occupations
Women: more than 95% 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: less than 5% compared to 23% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: 51% compared to 16% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 47% compared to 7% for all occupations
GoodOntario
The employment outlook will be Good for occupational therapists (NOC 31203) in Ontario 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.
There are a small number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.
What Types of Employers Are Out There?
Hospitals
Occupational therapy clinics and offices
What are the Main Trends Affecting Employment?
Keeping the aging population in their place of choice is generating demand for occupational therapy services
Focus on self-management of chronic conditions
Efforts to reduce opioid misuse by supporting alternative approaches to managing acute or chronic pain
What Skills Do I Need to Succeed?
Registration with the College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario (COTO) is required.
Here are some key facts about occupational therapists in Ontario:
Approximately 7,350 people work in this occupation.
Occupational therapists mainly work in the following sectors:
Hospitals (NAICS 622): 49%
Ambulatory health care services (NAICS 621): 37%
Social assistance (NAICS 624): 7%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 81% compared to 81% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 19% compared to 19% for all occupations
70% of occupational therapists work all year, while 30% 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 45 weeks compared to 43 weeks for all occupations.
19% of occupational therapists are self-employed compared to an average of 15% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 9% compared to 52% for all occupations
Women: 91% 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: less than 5% compared to 22% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: 30% compared to 24% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 67% compared to 13% for all occupations
GoodSaskatchewan
The employment outlook will be Good for occupational therapists (NOC 31203) 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.
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 occupational therapists in Saskatchewan:
Approximately 350 people worked in this occupation in May 2021.
Occupational therapists mainly work in the following sectors:
Hospitals (NAICS 622): 68%
Ambulatory health care services (NAICS 621): 21%
Elementary and secondary schools (NAICS 6111): 6%
Nursing and residential care facilities (NAICS 623): 5%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 80% compared to 81% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 20% compared to 19% for all occupations
68% of occupational therapists work all year, while 32% 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.
12% of occupational therapists are self-employed compared to an average of 16% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 11% compared to 53% for all occupations
Women: 89% 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: 45% compared to 18% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 51% compared to 7% for all occupations
GoodAlberta
The employment outlook will be Good for occupational therapists (NOC 31203) 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.
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 occupational therapists in Alberta:
Approximately 3,200 people work in this occupation.
Occupational therapists mainly work in the following sectors:
Hospitals (NAICS 622): 42%
Ambulatory health care services (NAICS 621): 28%
Nursing and residential care facilities (NAICS 623): 10%
Elementary and secondary schools (NAICS 6111): 8%
Social assistance (NAICS 624): 8%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 78% compared to 80% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 22% compared to 20% for all occupations
64% of occupational therapists work all year, while 36% 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.
7% of occupational therapists are self-employed compared to an average of 15% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 11% compared to 53% for all occupations
Women: 89% 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: less than 5% compared to 13% for all occupations
college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: less than 5% compared to 19% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: 39% compared to 21% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 57% compared to 9% for all occupations
ModerateNewfoundland and Labrador
The employment outlook will be Moderate for occupational therapists (NOC 31203) in Newfoundland and Labrador for the 2025-2027 period.
The following factors contributed to this outlook:
Employment decline will lead to the loss of a few 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 occupational therapists in Newfoundland and Labrador:
Approximately 200 people worked in this occupation in May 2021.
Occupational therapists mainly work in the following sectors:
Hospitals (NAICS 622): 83%
Ambulatory health care services (NAICS 621): 9%
Social assistance (NAICS 624): 6%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 91% compared to 83% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 9% compared to 17% for all occupations
72% of occupational therapists work all year, while 28% work only part of the year, compared to 56% and 43% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 43 weeks compared to 40 weeks for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 15% compared to 51% for all occupations
Women: 85% 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: 47% compared to 14% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 49% compared to 7% for all occupations
ModerateQuebec
The employment outlook will be Moderate for occupational therapists (NOC 31203) in Quebec 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 occupational therapists in Quebec:
Approximately 7,550 people work in this occupation.
Occupational therapists mainly work in the following sectors:
Hospitals (NAICS 622): 55%
Ambulatory health care services (NAICS 621): 27%
Nursing and residential care facilities (NAICS 623): 7%
Social assistance (NAICS 624): 6%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 81% compared to 82% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 19% compared to 18% for all occupations
78% of occupational therapists 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 47 weeks compared to 43 weeks for all occupations.
Less than 5% of occupational therapists are self-employed compared to an average of 12% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 7% compared to 52% for all occupations
Women: 93% 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: 45% compared to 17% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 54% compared to 11% for all occupations
ModerateManitoba
The employment outlook will be Moderate for occupational therapists (NOC 31203) 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.
Not many positions will become available due to retirements.
There are a small number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.
Demand for this occupation is driven by the province's growing and aging population.
There is a growing role for non-physician health practitioners, particularly those that can help people adapt and remain independent.
Key trends include the expansion of telehealth and integration of new technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR), and wearable devices.
Here are some key facts about occupational therapists in Manitoba:
Approximately 900 people work in this occupation.
Occupational therapists mainly work in the following sectors:
Hospitals (NAICS 622): 65%
Ambulatory health care services (NAICS 621): 20%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 79% compared to 81% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 21% compared to 19% for all occupations
73% of occupational therapists work all year, while 27% 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.
5% of occupational therapists are self-employed compared to an average of 12% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 8% compared to 53% for all occupations
Women: 92% 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: 28% compared to 20% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 71% compared to 8% for all occupations
ModerateBritish Columbia
The employment outlook will be Moderate for occupational therapists (NOC 31203) 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.
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 occupational therapists in British Columbia:
Approximately 3,250 people work in this occupation.
Occupational therapists mainly work in the following sectors:
Hospitals (NAICS 622): 48%
Ambulatory health care services (NAICS 621): 36%
Social assistance (NAICS 624): 8%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 77% compared to 78% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 23% compared to 22% for all occupations
71% of occupational therapists 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.
19% of occupational therapists are self-employed compared to an average of 17% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 10% compared to 52% for all occupations
Women: 90% 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: less than 5% compared to 17% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: 34% compared to 22% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 63% compared to 12% for all occupations
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 31203 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
Therapy and assessment professionals
- 31200 Psychologists
- 31201 Chiropractors
- 31202 Physiotherapists
- 31204 Kinesiologists and other professional occupations in therapy and assessment
- 31209 Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating
Questions
NOC 31203: common questions
What is the NOC code for occupational therapists?
What TEER category is NOC 31203?
Is NOC 31203 eligible for Express Entry?
Is NOC 31203 a high-wage occupation for Express Entry?
Is NOC 31203 eligible for category-based Express Entry draws?
What is the median wage for NOC 31203 in Canada?
Classification
Where it sits in NOC 2021
- 3Health occupationsBroad Category
- 31Professional occupations in healthMajor Group
- 312Therapy and assessment professionalsSub-major Group
- 3120Therapy and assessment professionalsMinor Group
- 31203Occupational therapists
Enquiry
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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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