NOC 2021 · 31303 · TEER 1
NOC 31303: Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals
Official NOC 2021, Job Bank and IRCC data · checked 21 October 2026
Physician assistants and midwives provide primary health care and treatment in conjunction with physicians and in collaboration with other health professionals. Physician assistants provide a range of health services to patients delivering preventive and continuous care toward the management of patients' health. Midwives provide full-course care to women and their babies during the pre- and post-natal period. This unit group also includes professionals such as genetic counsellors, orthoptists and pathologists' assistants, who work in collaboration with primary health occupations. Genetic counsellors assess individual or family risk of genetic conditions, and provide information to individuals, families and healthcare providers to promote informed choice. Orthoptists diagnose and treat binocular disorders. Pathologists' assistants assist at autopsies and examinations of surgical specimens, or perform autopsies under a pathologist's supervision. Physician assistants usually work under physicians in private practice, including group or team practices, hospitals and clinics. Midwives are employed in hospitals, clinics, birthing centres or in private practice. Genetic counsellors usually work in private practice, hospitals, clinics and research institutes. Orthoptists work under an ophthalmologist, particularly in private practices or clinics. Pathologists' assistants are usually employed in hospitals and universities.
TEER
TEER 1
Usually needs a university degree
Median wage (Canada)
$46.81 / hour
Job Bank, 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 31303 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 31303 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:
- Physician assistants
- Conduct patient interviews, physical assessments and take medical histories
- Perform or order diagnostic tests and interpret results
- In consultation with a supervising physician, formulate and implement treatment plans and monitor patients' progress
- Perform and assist in minor surgery
- Provide health maintenance education
- May participate in research activities
- May prescribe from a limited list of medications.
- Midwives
- Provide primary, full-course, care to women and their babies during pregnancy, such as physical examinations, screening and diagnostic tests to monitor the health of mother and baby and make referrals to medical specialists as required
- Manage labour and spontaneous normal deliveries
- Care for, assess and monitor the health of newborns and refer infants to appropriate medical services as required
- Provide advice and guidance regarding care for newborns and young infants.
- Genetic counsellors
- Provide information and support to families affected by or at risk of a genetic disorder
- Gather and analyze family history and inheritance patterns, calculate risks of recurrence, and provide information about genetic testing and related procedures
- Develop, implement or coordinate action plans and refer individuals and families to other health professionals
- Design and conduct genetics training programs for other healthcare professionals or the general public
- May conduct research in the field of medical genetics and genetic counselling.
- Orthoptists
- Work alongside ophthalmologists to diagnose and treat eye disorders by performing specialized eye tests to measure and assess defective binocular vision or abnormal eye movement in patients
- Prescribe treatment such as eye exercises or patching regimens.
- Pathologists' assistants
- Prepare for autopsies by obtaining patients' medical records and arranging for radiographic examinations
- Prepare, assist with or perform autopsies and surgical specimen examinations under pathologists' supervision
- Assist with preparation of provisional autopsy report
- Dissect, examine, weigh, photograph and X-ray organs and specimens, collect tissue samples for chemical analysis and record findings
- Discard specimens according to established safety procedures
- Clean and maintain instruments, equipment and supplies
- Develop and maintain processes for laboratory quality control
- May prepare bodies for release to funeral homes following completion of autopsies
- May supervise and train junior resident pathologists and morgue attendants.
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
- genetic counsellor
- midwife
- orthoptist
- pathology assistant
- physician assistant
All 10 job titles in NOC 31303
- chief orthoptist
- clinical orthoptist
- genetic counsellor
- licensed midwife
- midwife
- orthoptist
- pathologists' assistant
- pathology assistant
- physician assistant
- registered midwife (RM)
Requirements
Employment requirements
- Physician assistants
- Physician assistants require completion of a university degree in a physician assistant program.
- Physician assistants require registration with a regulatory body in Manitoba and New Brunswick.
- Midwives
- Midwives require completion of an undergraduate university degree program in midwifery or its equivalent and a period of supervised practical training.
- Registration with a regulatory body is required for midwives in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.
- Genetic counsellors
- Genetic counsellors usually require a master's degree in genetic counselling and the certification with the Canadian Association of Genetic Counsellors (CAGC).
- Orthoptists
- A bachelor's degree and completion of a two-year accredited training program in orthoptics are required.
- Certification with the Canadian Orthoptic Council is required.
- Continuing education is required for recertification with the Canadian Orthoptic Council.
- Pathologists' assistants
- Pathologists' assistants usually require completion of a master's degree in a pathologists' assistant program.
- Certification by the Canadian Certification Council of Pathologists' Assistants, the American Society for Clinical Pathology - Board of Certification, or Pathologists' Assistant Certification Examination is usually required by employers.
- Membership in the national association, Canadian Association of Pathologists, is voluntary, but may be required by some employers.
Additional information
- There is no mobility between these occupations without further training.
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 31303 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 | $24.09 | $46.81 | $60.26 | Small Area Estimation, 2024 |
| Nova Scotia | $34.24 | $46.11 | $58.81 | Small Area Estimation, 2024 |
| New Brunswick | $32.18 | $49.34 | $55.35 | Small Area Estimation, 2024 |
| Quebec | $29.43 | $43.98 | $66.16 | Small Area Estimation, 2024 |
| Ontario | $24.47 | $43.93 | $56.37 | Small Area Estimation, 2024 |
| Manitoba | $35.49 | $49.43 | $63.03 | Small Area Estimation, 2024 |
| Saskatchewan | $34.54 | $43.15 | $49.78 | Small Area Estimation, 2024 |
| Alberta | $24.97 | $38.28 | $53.71 | Small Area Estimation, 2024 |
| British Columbia | $30.77 | $44.20 | $56.00 | 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 Nova Scotia, Ontario, Alberta.
GoodNova Scotia
The employment outlook will be Good for physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals (NOC 31303) 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.
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 physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals in Nova Scotia:
Approximately 100 people worked in this occupation in May 2021.
Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals mainly work in the following sectors:
Hospitals (NAICS 622): 75%
Ambulatory health care services (NAICS 621): 15%
Federal government public administration (NAICS 911): 10%
81% of physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals work all year, while 19% 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 49 weeks compared to 42 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: 9% compared to 12% for all occupations
college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 9% compared to 22% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: 30% compared to 20% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 48% compared to 10% for all occupations
GoodOntario
The employment outlook will be Good for physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals (NOC 31303) 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?
The majority are employed in hospitals
Nursing and residential care facilities
What are the Main Trends Affecting Employment?
Increased need for health-related services to support the growing and aging population in Ontario
Greater demand on the health care system because of the backlog of medical procedures and patient care needs
Major investments in health care facilities
Initiatives to improve home and community-based patient care services
What Skills Do I Need to Succeed?
Registered nurses are regulated by the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO)
The CNO does not regulate or recognize psychiatric nurses as a distinct profession
Psychiatric nurses seeking registration in Ontario are required to first complete programs as a registered nurse (RN) or registered practical nurse (RPN)
What Other Information Will I Find Helpful?
Generally, Bridging Programs are available to assist internationally trained professionals in various fields enter the labour market more quickly in the province.
Here are some key facts about physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals in Ontario:
Approximately 2,600 people work in this occupation.
Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals mainly work in the following sectors:
Hospitals (NAICS 622): 54%
Ambulatory health care services (NAICS 621): 37%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 82% compared to 81% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 18% compared to 19% for all occupations
65% of physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals work all year, while 35% 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 43 weeks compared to 43 weeks for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 22% compared to 52% for all occupations
Women: 78% 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: 8% compared to 22% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: 30% compared to 24% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 59% compared to 13% for all occupations
GoodAlberta
The employment outlook will be Good for physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals (NOC 31303) in Alberta 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.
Alberta’s population and its proportion of residents aged 65+ are predicted to increase over the next decade, contributing to demand for this occupation.
In 2025, Alberta increased total health spending to $28 billion, marking a 5.4% rise from the previous year.
Ongoing healthcare needs and retirements continue to support steady demand across the sector.
Here are some key facts about physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals in Alberta:
Approximately 250 people worked in this occupation in May 2021.
Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals mainly work in the following sectors:
Ambulatory health care services (NAICS 621): 65%
Hospitals (NAICS 622): 22%
Universities (NAICS 6113): 7%
Food, beverage and tobacco product manufacturing (NAICS 311, 312): 6%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 84% compared to 80% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 16% compared to 20% for all occupations
64% of physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals 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 44 weeks compared to 42 weeks for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 9% compared to 53% for all occupations
Women: 91% compared to 47% for all occupations
The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
no high school diploma: less than 5% compared to 10% 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: 16% compared to 19% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: 20% compared to 21% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 54% compared to 9% for all occupations
ModerateQuebec
The employment outlook will be Moderate for physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals (NOC 31303) 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 physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals in Quebec:
Approximately 500 people worked in this occupation in May 2021.
Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals mainly work in the following sectors:
Hospitals (NAICS 622): 73%
Ambulatory health care services (NAICS 621): 17%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 70% compared to 82% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 30% compared to 18% for all occupations
68% of physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals 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 44 weeks compared to 43 weeks 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: less than 5% compared to 12% for all occupations
high school diploma or equivalent: 6% compared to 19% for all occupations
apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 9% compared to 19% for all occupations
college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 13% compared to 22% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: 39% compared to 17% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 33% compared to 11% for all occupations
ModerateManitoba
The employment outlook will be Moderate for physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals (NOC 31303) in Manitoba 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 physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals in Manitoba:
Approximately 200 people worked in this occupation in May 2021.
Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals mainly work in the following sectors:
Hospitals (NAICS 622): 82%
Ambulatory health care services (NAICS 621): 15%
92% of physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals work all year, while 8% 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 49 weeks compared to 43 weeks for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 26% compared to 53% for all occupations
Women: 74% 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: 6% compared to 31% for all occupations
apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: less than 5% compared to 12% 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: 23% compared to 20% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 56% compared to 8% for all occupations
ModerateBritish Columbia
The employment outlook will be Moderate for physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals (NOC 31303) 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.
Labour shortages continue to affect the delivery of health care services in various parts of the province, especially in northern and rural areas.
Here are some key facts about physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals in British Columbia:
Approximately 300 people worked in this occupation in May 2021.
Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals mainly work in the following sectors:
Hospitals (NAICS 622): 55%
Ambulatory health care services (NAICS 621): 33%
Universities (NAICS 6113): 9%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 89% compared to 78% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 11% compared to 22% for all occupations
76% of physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals work all year, while 24% 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.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 16% compared to 52% for all occupations
Women: 84% 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: 9% compared to 13% for all occupations
college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 11% compared to 17% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: 27% compared to 22% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 50% 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.
UndeterminedNew Brunswick
An employment outlook has not been assigned to this occupation in this region due to low levels of employment.
UndeterminedSaskatchewan
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 31303 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.
- 31102 General practitioners and family physicians
- 30010 Managers in health care
- 31302 Nurse practitioners
- 32209 Other practitioners of natural healing
- 31209 Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating
- 31301 Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses
- 31100 Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine
- 31101 Specialists in surgery
- 32200 Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists
Same occupation group
Nursing and allied health professionals
Questions
NOC 31303: common questions
What is the NOC code for physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals?
What TEER category is NOC 31303?
Is NOC 31303 eligible for Express Entry?
Is NOC 31303 a high-wage occupation for Express Entry?
Is NOC 31303 eligible for category-based Express Entry draws?
What is the median wage for NOC 31303 in Canada?
Classification
Where it sits in NOC 2021
- 3Health occupationsBroad Category
- 31Professional occupations in healthMajor Group
- 313Nursing and allied health professionalsSub-major Group
- 3130Nursing and allied health professionalsMinor Group
- 31303Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals
Enquiry
Is NOC 31303 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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