Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses

What this NOC covers

Provide direct nursing care to patients, deliver health education programs and provide consultative services regarding issues relevant to the practice of nursing.

TEER 1 classification

TEER 1 — Bachelor's degree typically required. The TEER (Training, Education, Experience, Responsibilities) system replaced the old Skill Type/Skill Level structure in NOC 2021. Most economic immigration programs accept TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 occupations as “skilled.” Read the full TEER explanation in our glossary →

Immigration eligibility for NOC 31301

Eligible for FSW, CEC; high-priority healthcare-targeted draws. Provincial licensing required.

How NOC 31301 fits into Express Entry

Your NOC code matters in two places during Express Entry: (1) determining which stream you qualify for (CEC, FSW, or FSTP — each accepts specific TEER tiers), and (2) targeted-draw eligibilitywhen IRCC issues category-specific invitations (for instance the periodic STEM, healthcare, and trades draws). When you create your profile, you select the NOC that best matches your work experience based on the main duties listed on the official NOC website. Discrepancies between your stated duties and the NOC's main duties are a common refusal reason.

Provincial Nominee Programs that target NOC 31301

Several PNPs have streams specifically aimed at occupations in this NOC's tier. The BC PNP Tech, Ontario OINP Employer Job Offer Tech, Alberta AAIP Tech Pathway, and Saskatchewan SINP all run draws restricted to TEER 0/1/2 occupations, with software, healthcare, and engineering NOCs frequently appearing on in-demand lists.

How to verify your NOC code

Don't rely on the job title alone. Open the official NOC 2021 search at noc.esdc.gc.ca and compare the main dutieslisted under your target NOC against your actual reference letter. If 4 of the 6 main duties match, you can safely claim that code. If they don't, an officer can refuse the application even if the title sounds right.