NOC 2021 · 50012 · TEER 0
NOC 50012: Recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors
Official NOC 2021, Job Bank and IRCC data · checked 21 October 2026
Recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors plan, organize, direct, control and evaluate the operations of comprehensive recreational, sports and fitness programs and services, national or provincial sports governing agencies and professional athletic teams. They are employed by municipalities, community and private recreational and fitness organizations, sports governing agencies and professional athletic team organizations.
TEER
TEER 0
Management occupations
Median wage (Canada)
$36.63 / hour
Job Bank, 2023-2024
High-wage tier (from 3 Nov 2026)
Tier 3
+20 CRS for Canadian work, or 50 for a job offer
Express Entry categories
None
General and program draws only
Express Entry
How NOC 50012 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 50012 is in tier 3 of IRCC's high-wage list, in effect from 3 November 2026.
| 12+ months of Canadian work | +20 points on top of work-length points |
|---|---|
| Qualifying job offer (no LMIA) | 50 points |
You get whichever option scores higher, not both.
See all 186 high-wage occupationsCategory-based draws
NOC 50012 is not on any of IRCC's 2026 occupation categories. You can still be invited through general, program-specific or French-language draws.
IRCC category listsDuties
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Plan, organize, direct, control and evaluate the operations of recreation, sports and fitness programs and services
- Provide technical and professional advice on recreation, sports and fitness matters
- Prepare budget estimates and develop policies and procedures to implement programs
- Manage the operations of a sports governing agency
- Organize and administer national and provincial training, coaching, officiating and other programs associated with a particular sport
- Manage the operations of a professional athletic team
- Recruit professional coaches and athletes
- Direct fundraising drives and arrange for sponsorships from public and private organizations
- Develop long range plans and negotiate business contracts.
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
- director of recreation
- professional football team manager
- professional hockey team manager
- professional track and field team manager
- sports administration director - government
- sports association director
- sports federation director
- sports program director
- YMCA (Young Men's Christian Association) programs director
All 86 job titles in NOC 50012
- amateur sport manager
- bingo hall manager
- casino operations manager
- cruise ship director
- director of fitness administration - government
- director of leisure
- director of leisure and sports
- director of recreation
- director of recreation and sports
- director of sports administration - government
- director of sports and leisure
- director of sports and recreation
- entertainment, sports and leisure director
- entertainment, sports and recreation director
- fitness administration director - government
- fitness centre manager
- fitness club manager
- fitness programs director
- health club manager
- health studio manager
- horse racing director
- leisure administrator
- leisure administrator in chief
- leisure and sports director
- leisure centre director
- leisure centre sports director
- leisure chief administrator
- leisure director
- leisure establishment director
- leisure establishment managing supervisor
- leisure head administrator
- leisure manager
- leisure programs director
- leisure programs manager
- leisure service director
- leisure service manager
- municipal director of leisure
- municipal director of recreation
- municipal leisure director
- municipal leisure manager
- municipal manager of leisure
- municipal manager of recreation
- municipal recreation director
- municipal recreation manager
- physical education programs director
- physical training director
- professional athletes team manager
- professional football team manager
- professional hockey team manager
- professional sport team general manager
- professional sport team manager
- professional track and field team general manager
- professional track and field team manager
- racetrack director
- recreation administrator
- recreation administrator in chief
- recreation and sports director
- recreation centre director
- recreation centre sports director
- recreation chief administrator
- recreation director
- recreation establishment director
- recreation establishment managing supervisor
- recreation head administrator
- recreation manager
- recreation programs director
- recreation programs manager
- recreation service director
- recreation service manager
- sport federation director general
- sport federation general director
- sport governing agency executive director
- sport governing body executive director
- sport program administrative coordinator
- sports administration director - government
- sports and leisure director
- sports and recreation director
- sports association director
- sports director
- sports federation director
- sports program director
- sports-service sports programs director
- track and field director
- YMCA (Young Men's Christian Association) general director
- YMCA (Young Men's Christian Association) general secretary
- YMCA (Young Men's Christian Association) programs director
Requirements
Employment requirements
- A university degree in recreology, physical education, sports administration or a related field or A college diploma in recreation management or sports administration is usually required.
- Several years of experience in an occupation related to recreation and sports administration, consulting or programming are usually required.
- Some directors of recreation may be required to have a Municipal Recreation Director's Certificate.
- Executive directors of sports governing agencies may be required to have coaching certification in a particular sport.
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 50012 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 | $22.00 | $36.63 | $76.92 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $22.66 | $32.13 | $55.72 | Small Area Estimation, 2024 |
| Prince Edward Island | $25.34 | $32.69 | $62.40 | Small Area Estimation, 2024 |
| Nova Scotia | $20.83 | $35.71 | $70.33 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
| New Brunswick | $20.00 | $39.00 | $88.82 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
| Quebec | $26.75 | $41.38 | $66.67 | Small Area Estimation, 2024 |
| Ontario | $25.00 | $37.50 | $60.10 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
| Manitoba | $21.37 | $32.45 | $62.94 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
| Saskatchewan | $28.85 | $35.77 | $45.13 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
| Alberta | $22.00 | $42.74 | $75.00 | Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024 |
| British Columbia | $23.08 | $39.90 | $107.69 | 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's 3-year employment outlook for this occupation, by province and territory.
ModerateNova Scotia
The employment outlook will be Moderate for recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors (NOC 50012) 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.
Here are some key facts about recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors in Nova Scotia:
Approximately 450 people worked in this occupation in May 2021.
Recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors mainly work in the following sectors:
Arts, entertainment and recreation (NAICS 71): 72%
Nursing and residential care facilities (NAICS 623): 13%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 93% compared to 82% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 7% compared to 18% for all occupations
66% of recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors work all year, while 34% 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 42 weeks for all occupations.
7% of recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors are self-employed compared to an average of 11% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 46% compared to 51% for all occupations
Women: 54% 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: 18% compared to 27% 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: 26% compared to 22% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: 42% compared to 20% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 12% compared to 10% for all occupations
ModerateSaskatchewan
The employment outlook will be Moderate for recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors (NOC 50012) in Saskatchewan for the 2025-2027 period.
The following factors contributed to this outlook:
Employment growth will lead to a moderate number of new positions.
A moderate number of positions will become available due to retirements.
Here are some key facts about recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors in Saskatchewan:
Approximately 500 people worked in this occupation in May 2021.
Recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors mainly work in the following sectors:
Arts, entertainment and recreation (NAICS 71): 71%
Nursing and residential care facilities (NAICS 623): 6%
Local, municipal, regional, aboriginal and other public administration (NAICS 913-919): 5%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 93% compared to 81% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 7% compared to 19% for all occupations
64% of recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors work all year, while 36% 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 44 weeks compared to 43 weeks for all occupations.
11% of recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors are self-employed compared to an average of 16% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 48% compared to 53% for all occupations
Women: 52% 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: 35% compared to 33% for all occupations
apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 9% compared to 15% for all occupations
college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 24% compared to 17% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: 25% compared to 18% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: less than 5% compared to 7% for all occupations
ModerateAlberta
The employment outlook will be Moderate for recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors (NOC 50012) 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 recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors in Alberta:
Approximately 1,750 people worked in this occupation in May 2021.
Recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors mainly work in the following sectors:
Arts, entertainment and recreation (NAICS 71): 76%
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 80% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 12% compared to 20% for all occupations
62% of recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors work all year, while 38% 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 42 weeks compared to 42 weeks for all occupations.
18% of recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors are self-employed compared to an average of 15% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 56% compared to 53% for all occupations
Women: 44% 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: 26% compared to 28% for all occupations
apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 8% compared to 13% for all occupations
college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 24% compared to 19% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: 31% compared to 21% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 8% compared to 9% for all occupations
LimitedOntario
The employment outlook will be Limited for recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors (NOC 50012) in Ontario for the 2025-2027 period.
The following factors contributed to this outlook:
Employment growth will lead to a few new positions.
A moderate number of positions will become available due to retirements.
Here are some key facts about recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors in Ontario:
Approximately 2,500 people work in this occupation.
Recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors mainly work in the following sectors:
Arts, entertainment and recreation (NAICS 71): 74%
Other schools and instruction (NAICS 6115-6117): 6%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 88% compared to 81% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 12% compared to 19% for all occupations
56% of recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors work all year, while 43% 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 40 weeks compared to 43 weeks for all occupations.
20% of recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors are self-employed compared to an average of 15% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 52% compared to 52% for all occupations
Women: 48% 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: 23% 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: 25% compared to 22% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: 34% compared to 24% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 10% compared to 13% for all occupations
LimitedManitoba
The employment outlook will be Limited for recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors (NOC 50012) in Manitoba 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 several unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.
Here are some key facts about recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors in Manitoba:
Approximately 500 people worked in this occupation in May 2021.
Recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors mainly work in the following sectors:
Arts, entertainment and recreation (NAICS 71): 69%
Other schools and instruction (NAICS 6115-6117): 9%
Nursing and residential care facilities (NAICS 623): 8%
Hospitals (NAICS 622): 6%
Religious, grant-making, civic, and professional and similar organizations (NAICS 813): 5%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 84% compared to 81% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 16% compared to 19% for all occupations
67% of recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors work all year, while 33% 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.
15% of recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors are self-employed compared to an average of 12% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 45% compared to 53% for all occupations
Women: 55% 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: 25% compared to 31% for all occupations
apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 9% compared to 12% for all occupations
college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 31% compared to 17% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: 30% compared to 20% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: less than 5% compared to 8% for all occupations
LimitedBritish Columbia
The employment outlook will be Limited for recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors (NOC 50012) in British Columbia for the 2025-2027 period.
The following factors contributed to this outlook:
Employment growth will lead to a few new positions.
A moderate number of positions will become available due to retirements.
There are a moderate number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.
Employment will see the most gains in regions with high population growth, such as parts of the Lower Mainland and the Okanagan.
Here are some key facts about recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors in British Columbia:
Approximately 2,150 people worked in this occupation in May 2021.
Recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors mainly work in the following sectors:
Arts, entertainment and recreation (NAICS 71): 76%
Other schools and instruction (NAICS 6115-6117): 5%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 87% compared to 78% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 13% compared to 22% for all occupations
64% of recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors 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.
21% of recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors are self-employed compared to an average of 17% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 52% compared to 52% for all occupations
Women: 48% 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: 28% compared to 28% for all occupations
apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 8% compared to 13% for all occupations
college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 22% compared to 17% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: 32% compared to 22% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 10% compared to 12% for all occupations
Very limitedQuebec
The employment outlook will be Very limited for recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors (NOC 50012) in Quebec for the 2025-2027 period.
The following factors contributed to this outlook:
Employment growth will lead to a few new positions.
A moderate number of positions will become available due to retirements.
There are several unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.
Here are some key facts about recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors in Quebec:
Approximately 2,300 people worked in this occupation in May 2021.
Recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors mainly work in the following sectors:
Arts, entertainment and recreation (NAICS 71): 59%
Local, municipal, regional, aboriginal and other public administration (NAICS 913-919): 16%
The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
Full-time workers: 92% compared to 82% for all occupations
Part-time workers: 8% compared to 18% for all occupations
63% of recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors work all year, while 37% 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 43 weeks compared to 43 weeks for all occupations.
15% of recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors are self-employed compared to an average of 12% for all occupations.
The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
Men: 60% compared to 52% for all occupations
Women: 40% compared to 48% for all occupations
The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
no high school diploma: 5% compared to 12% for all occupations
high school diploma or equivalent: 11% compared to 19% for all occupations
apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 8% compared to 19% for all occupations
college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 26% compared to 22% for all occupations
bachelor's degree: 34% compared to 17% for all occupations
university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 15% compared to 11% 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.
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 50012 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.
- 53201 Coaches
- 54100 Program leaders and instructors in recreation, sport and fitness
- 41406 Recreation, sports and fitness policy researchers, consultants and program officers
- 53202 Sports officials and referees
Same occupation group
Managers in art, culture, recreation and sport
Questions
NOC 50012: common questions
What is the NOC code for recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors?
What TEER category is NOC 50012?
Is NOC 50012 eligible for Express Entry?
Is NOC 50012 a high-wage occupation for Express Entry?
Is NOC 50012 eligible for category-based Express Entry draws?
What is the median wage for NOC 50012 in Canada?
Classification
Where it sits in NOC 2021
- 5Occupations in art, culture, recreation and sportBroad Category
- 50Specialized middle management occupations in art, culture, recreation and sportMajor Group
- 500Specialized middle management occupations in art, culture, recreation and sportSub-major Group
- 5001Managers in art, culture, recreation and sportMinor Group
- 50012Recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors
Enquiry
Is NOC 50012 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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