NOC 2021 · 33101 · TEER 3
NOC 33101: Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations
Official NOC 2021, Job Bank and IRCC data · checked 21 October 2026
Medical laboratory assistants and workers in related technical occupations perform pre-analysis and pre-testing tasks such as collecting blood and other samples, processing specimens, and preparing special chemicals called reagents for use in testing. They conduct routine medical laboratory tests and set up, clean and maintain medical laboratory equipment. They are employed in medical laboratories in hospitals, clinics, research facilities, post-secondary educational institutions and government research laboratories.
TEER
TEER 3
Usually needs a college diploma, an apprenticeship of less than 2 years, or more than 6 months of on-the-job training
Median wage (Canada)
$27.00 / hour
Job Bank, 2023-2024
High-wage tier (from 3 Nov 2026)
Not on the list
No high-wage CRS points
Express Entry categories
Healthcare and social services
Category-based draws (2026)
Express Entry
How NOC 33101 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 33101 is not one of IRCC's 186 high-wage occupations, so Canadian work or a job offer in it earns no high-wage points. Your usual Canadian work-length points still count.
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:
- Collect, label, sort and prepare blood, tissue and other samples from patients
- Log and validate patient samples and prepare them for testing
- Set up medical laboratory equipment
- Prepare chemical reagents to be combined with biological samples for testing
- Conduct routine laboratory tests and sample analyses
- Perform quality assurance of testing techniques and record results
- Clean and maintain medical laboratory and medical laboratory equipment.
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
- medical laboratory aide
- medical laboratory assistant
- medical laboratory technician
- phlebotomist
- phlebotomy aide
All 14 job titles in NOC 33101
- blood bank technician
- clinical laboratory technician
- community health technician - medical laboratory
- histology technician
- laboratory assistant - medical
- medical laboratory aide
- medical laboratory assistant
- medical laboratory helper
- medical laboratory technical assistant
- medical laboratory technician
- phlebotomist
- phlebotomy aide
- renal technician
- technical assistant - medical laboratory
Also includes: blood bank technician, renal technician.
Requirements
Employment requirements
- Medical laboratory assistants and related technical workers require completion of a college certificate program in medical laboratory science.
- Certification by the Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science is usually required by employers.
Additional information
- Some employers may require medical laboratory technicians to have a diploma.
- Medical laboratory technicians may progress to supervisory or technologist positions with a combination of additional education, 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 33101 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 | $19.18 | $27.00 | $36.11 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $21.00 | $26.50 | $33.00 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
| Prince Edward Island | $20.00 | $28.00 | $35.74 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
| Nova Scotia | $20.00 | $25.00 | $33.00 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
| New Brunswick | $23.00 | $25.20 | $34.00 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
| Quebec | $21.55 | $29.02 | $37.03 | Small Area Estimation, 2024 |
| Ontario | $17.62 | $26.25 | $36.00 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
| Manitoba | $16.00 | $26.00 | $37.95 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
| Saskatchewan | $22.00 | $25.75 | $39.22 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
| Alberta | $23.72 | $28.62 | $35.54 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
| British Columbia | $20.50 | $28.00 | $31.00 | 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 Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Saskatchewan.
GoodNova Scotia
The employment outlook will be Good for medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations (NOC 33101) 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 medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations in Nova Scotia:
Approximately 750 people work in this occupation.
Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations mainly work in the following sectors:
Hospitals (NAICS 622): 71%
Ambulatory health care services (NAICS 621): 27%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 76% compared to 82% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 24% compared to 18% for all occupations
72% of medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations 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 45 weeks compared to 42 weeks for all occupations.
Less than 5% of medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations are self-employed compared to an average of 11% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 19% compared to 51% for all occupations
Women: 81% compared to 49% 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: 11% compared to 27% for all occupations
apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 23% compared to 12% for all occupations
college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 37% compared to 22% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: 25% compared to 20% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: less than 5% compared to 10% for all occupations
GoodNew Brunswick
The employment outlook will be Good for medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations (NOC 33101) 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.
Population growth and an ageing population will support demand for these positions, going forward, as this will generate an increasing need for medical laboratory tests.
Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations workers require completion of a college certificate program in medical laboratory science.
In New Brunswick, Medical Laboratory Assistants and related technical occupations are not required to be certified. However, they can be certified via a voluntary process set up by the Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science (CSMLS). Certification may also be an asset when seeking employment.
Medical Laboratory Assistants and related technical occupations work in laboratory environments where they may spend a considerable amount of time standing or sitting, performing tasks that may be repetitive. They must observe safety precautions to reduce the risk of exposure to infectious body fluids, dangerous chemicals or hazardous radiation.
Here are some key facts about medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations in New Brunswick:
Approximately 750 people work in this occupation.
Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations mainly work in the following sectors:
Hospitals (NAICS 622): 78%
Ambulatory health care services (NAICS 621): 19%
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
78% of medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations 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 46 weeks compared to 42 weeks for all occupations.
Less than 5% of medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations are self-employed compared to an average of 10% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 8% compared to 52% for all occupations
Women: 92% 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: 9% compared to 30% for all occupations
apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 15% compared to 12% for all occupations
college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 64% compared to 23% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: 10% compared to 16% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: n/a
GoodSaskatchewan
The employment outlook will be Good for medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations (NOC 33101) in Saskatchewan 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 medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations in Saskatchewan:
Approximately 850 people work in this occupation.
Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations mainly work in the following sectors:
Hospitals (NAICS 622): 68%
Ambulatory health care services (NAICS 621): 32%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 76% compared to 81% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 24% compared to 19% for all occupations
65% of medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations work all year, while 35% 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 43 weeks compared to 43 weeks for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 12% compared to 53% for all occupations
Women: 88% compared to 47% for all occupations
The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
no high school diploma: less than 5% compared to 11% for all occupations
high school diploma or equivalent: 6% compared to 33% for all occupations
apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 27% compared to 15% for all occupations
college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 34% compared to 17% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: 24% compared to 18% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 8% compared to 7% for all occupations
ModerateNewfoundland and Labrador
The employment outlook will be Moderate for medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations (NOC 33101) 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 moderate number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.
Here are some key facts about medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations in Newfoundland and Labrador:
Approximately 300 people worked in this occupation in May 2021.
Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations mainly work in the following sectors:
Hospitals (NAICS 622): 72%
Ambulatory health care services (NAICS 621): 23%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 83% compared to 83% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 17% compared to 17% for all occupations
57% of medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations work all year, while 42% 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 41 weeks compared to 40 weeks for all occupations.
Less than 5% of medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations are self-employed compared to an average of 8% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 12% compared to 51% for all occupations
Women: 88% 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: 17% compared to 27% for all occupations
apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 30% compared to 17% for all occupations
college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 43% compared to 23% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: 5% compared to 14% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: n/a
ModerateQuebec
The employment outlook will be Moderate for medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations (NOC 33101) 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 medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations in Quebec:
Approximately 3,550 people work in this occupation.
Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations mainly work in the following sectors:
Hospitals (NAICS 622): 56%
Ambulatory health care services (NAICS 621): 13%
Other professional, scientific and technical services (NAICS 5414, 5416-5419): 9%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 83% compared to 82% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 17% compared to 18% for all occupations
73% of medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations work all year, while 27% 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 45 weeks compared to 43 weeks for all occupations.
Less than 5% of medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations are self-employed compared to an average of 12% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 23% compared to 52% for all occupations
Women: 77% 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: 10% compared to 19% for all occupations
apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 7% compared to 19% for all occupations
college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 57% compared to 22% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: 16% compared to 17% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 9% compared to 11% for all occupations
ModerateOntario
The employment outlook will be Moderate for medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations (NOC 33101) in Ontario 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 medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations in Ontario:
Approximately 13,200 people work in this occupation.
Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations mainly work in the following sectors:
Ambulatory health care services (NAICS 621): 51%
Hospitals (NAICS 622): 38%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 77% compared to 81% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 23% compared to 19% for all occupations
67% of medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations work all year, while 33% 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.
Less than 5% of medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations are self-employed compared to an average of 15% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 15% compared to 52% for all occupations
Women: 85% 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: 10% compared to 25% for all occupations
apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 15% compared to 8% for all occupations
college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 40% compared to 22% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: 25% compared to 24% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 10% compared to 13% for all occupations
ModerateManitoba
The employment outlook will be Moderate for medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations (NOC 33101) 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.
Here are some key facts about medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations in Manitoba:
Approximately 950 people work in this occupation.
Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations mainly work in the following sectors:
Ambulatory health care services (NAICS 621): 51%
Hospitals (NAICS 622): 49%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 76% compared to 81% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 24% compared to 19% for all occupations
66% of medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations work all year, while 34% 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 43 weeks compared to 43 weeks for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 15% compared to 53% for all occupations
Women: 85% compared to 47% 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: 14% compared to 31% for all occupations
apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 26% compared to 12% for all occupations
college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 26% compared to 17% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: 28% compared to 20% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: less than 5% compared to 8% for all occupations
ModerateAlberta
The employment outlook will be Moderate for medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations (NOC 33101) in Alberta 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 medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations in Alberta:
Approximately 4,400 people work in this occupation.
Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations mainly work in the following sectors:
Ambulatory health care services (NAICS 621): 75%
Hospitals (NAICS 622): 21%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 72% compared to 80% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 28% compared to 20% for all occupations
67% of medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations work all year, while 33% 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 43 weeks compared to 42 weeks for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 16% compared to 53% for all occupations
Women: 84% 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: 10% compared to 28% for all occupations
apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 25% compared to 13% for all occupations
college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 25% compared to 19% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: 30% compared to 21% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 9% compared to 9% for all occupations
ModerateBritish Columbia
The employment outlook will be Moderate for medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations (NOC 33101) 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 medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations in British Columbia:
Approximately 5,500 people work in this occupation.
Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations mainly work in the following sectors:
Hospitals (NAICS 622): 59%
Ambulatory health care services (NAICS 621): 36%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 72% compared to 78% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 28% compared to 22% for all occupations
67% of medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations work all year, while 33% 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 43 weeks compared to 42 weeks for all occupations.
Less than 5% of medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations are self-employed compared to an average of 17% 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 8% for all occupations
high school diploma or equivalent: 9% compared to 28% for all occupations
apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 30% compared to 13% for all occupations
college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 31% compared to 17% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: 23% compared to 22% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 7% compared to 12% for all occupations
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 33101 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.
- 22110 Biological technologists and technicians
- 22100 Chemical technologists and technicians
- 32120 Medical laboratory technologists
Same occupation group
Assisting occupations in support of health services
- 33100 Dental assistants and dental laboratory assistants
- 33102 Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates
- 33103 Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants
- 33109 Other assisting occupations in support of health services
Questions
NOC 33101: common questions
What is the NOC code for medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations?
What TEER category is NOC 33101?
Is NOC 33101 eligible for Express Entry?
Is NOC 33101 a high-wage occupation for Express Entry?
Is NOC 33101 eligible for category-based Express Entry draws?
What is the median wage for NOC 33101 in Canada?
Classification
Where it sits in NOC 2021
- 3Health occupationsBroad Category
- 33Assisting occupations in support of health servicesMajor Group
- 331Assisting occupations in support of health servicesSub-major Group
- 3310Assisting occupations in support of health servicesMinor Group
- 33101Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations
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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