The occupation listed on your Express Entry profile can help you get both a provincial nomination and an Express Entry invitation to apply (ITA).
Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) across Canada have special, Express Entry-aligned (or enhanced) streams, wherein provinces can pick and nominate candidates in the pool based on their immigration and labour market needs.
Gaining a provincial nomination while in the Express Entry pool grants an additional 600 Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points to candidates, all but guaranteeing them an ITA for permanent residence in the next eligible draw.
Assess your eligibility for enhanced PNP streams
If the occupation declared in your Express Entry profile aligns with an enhanced stream’s priority occupations, your chances of being selected through this route are notably strengthened.
This article will cover
Priority occupations
Note that the below is not an exhaustive account of all enhanced PNP streams. Many streams do not have a priority occupation list and rather focus on priority sectors or general eligibility criteria that candidates are required to meet.
To see how you can easily check your eligibility for all enhanced PNP streams at once, click here.
Alberta
Alberta Express Entry stream: Accelerated Tech Pathway
This pathway is part of the Alberta Express Entry stream and targets candidates whose primary occupation falls under Alberta’s defined “tech pathway” National Occupation Classification (NOC) inclusions and who can demonstrate a strong match to Alberta’s tech labour needs across the eight specified sectors.
| Occupation title | NOC code |
|---|---|
| Senior managers – financial, communications and other business services | 00012 |
| Human resources managers | 10011 |
| Advertising, marketing and public relations managers | 10022 |
| Telecommunication carriers managers | 10030 |
| Engineering managers | 20010 |
| Architecture and science managers | 20011 |
| Computer and information systems managers | 20012 |
| Occupation title | NOC code |
|---|---|
| Human resources professionals | 11200 |
| Professional occupations in advertising, marketing and public relations | 11202 |
| Business development officers and market researchers and analysts | 41402 |
| Occupation title | NOC code |
|---|---|
| Mathematicians, statisticians and actuaries | 21210 |
| Data scientists | 21211 |
| Cybersecurity specialists | 21220 |
| Business systems specialists | 21221 |
| Information systems specialists | 21222 |
| Database analysts and data administrators | 21223 |
| Computer systems developers and programmers | 21230 |
| Software engineers and designers | 21231 |
| Software developers and programmers | 21232 |
| Web designers | 21233 |
| Web developers and programmers | 21234 |
| Occupation title | NOC code |
|---|---|
| Computer network and web technicians | 22220 |
| User support technicians | 22221 |
| Information systems testing technicians | 22222 |
| Occupation title | NOC code |
|---|---|
| Civil engineers | 21300 |
| Mechanical engineers | 21301 |
| Electrical and electronics engineers | 21310 |
| Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers) | 21311 |
| Drafting technologists and technicians | 22212 |
| Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians | 22310 |
| Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians | 22301 |
| Industrial engineering and manufacturing technologists and technicians | 22302 |
| Occupation title | NOC code |
|---|---|
| Biological technologists and technicians | 22110 |
| Medical laboratory technologists | 32120 |
| Other medical technologists and technicians | 32129 |
| Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations | 33101 |
| Occupation title | NOC code |
|---|---|
| Biological technologists and technicians | 22110 |
| Medical laboratory technologists | 32120 |
| Other medical technologists and technicians | 32129 |
| Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations | 33101 |
| Occupation title | NOC code |
|---|---|
| Managers – publishing, motion pictures, broadcasting and performing arts | 50011 |
| Producers, directors, choreographers and related occupations | 51120 |
| Graphic designers and illustrators | 52120 |
Alberta Express Entry stream: Dedicated Healthcare pathway
This pathway is contained within the Alberta Express Entry stream and targets candidates working in recognized healthcare professions who can meet Alberta’s healthcare-pathway requirements.
In practice, candidates are required to have recent healthcare experience and credentials aligned to Alberta’s needs.
| Occupation title | NOC code |
|---|---|
| Physicians (specialists; surgeons; general practitioners/family physicians) | 31100 / 31101 / 31102 |
| Occupation title | NOC code |
|---|---|
| Nurse practitioners | 31302 |
| Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses | 31301 |
| Licensed practical nurses | 32101 |
| Occupation title | NOC code |
|---|---|
| Occupational therapists | 31203 |
| Physiotherapists | 31202 |
| Psychologists | 31200 |
Alberta Express Entry stream: Law Enforcement Pathway
This pathway is contained within the Alberta Express Entry stream and targets candidates in policing and related investigative roles who align with Alberta’s specified law-enforcement NOCs (typically active or recently employed police/investigative professionals).
Law enforcement
| Occupation title | NOC code |
|---|---|
| Commissioned (management) police officers and related occupations in public protection services | 40040 |
| Police investigators and other investigative occupations | 41310 |
| Police officers (except commissioned) | 42100 |
Assess your eligibility for enhanced PNP streams
British Columbia
British Columbia Health Authority stream
This stream has both an Express Entry and non-Express Entry aligned (or base) option, and targets candidates with eligible employment in an occupation tied to BC’s health system, often aligned with Health Authorities.
| Occupation title | NOC code |
|---|---|
| Managers in health care | 30010 |
| Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine | 31100 |
| Specialists in surgery | 31101 |
| General practitioners and family physicians | 31102 |
| Veterinarians | 31103 |
| Dentists | 31110 |
| Optometrists | 31111 |
| Audiologists and speech-language pathologists | 31112 |
| Pharmacists | 31120 |
| Dietitians and nutritionists | 31121 |
| Psychologists | 31200 |
| Chiropractors | 31201 |
| Physiotherapists | 31202 |
| Occupational therapists | 31203 |
| Kinesiologists and other professional occupations in therapy and assessment | 31204 |
| Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating | 31209 |
| Nursing coordinators and supervisors | 31300 |
| Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses | 31301 |
| Nurse practitioners | 31302 |
| Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals | 31303 |
| Opticians | 32100 |
| Licensed practical nurses | 32101 |
| Paramedical occupations | 32102 |
| Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists | 32103 |
| Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians | 32104 |
| Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment | 32109 |
| Denturists | 32110 |
| Dental hygienists and dental therapists | 32111 |
| Dental technologists and technicians | 32112 |
| Medical laboratory technologists | 32120 |
| Medical radiation technologists | 32121 |
| Medical sonographers | 32122 |
| Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists | 32123 |
| Pharmacy technicians | 32124 |
| Other medical technologists and technicians | 32129 |
| Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists | 32200 |
| Massage therapists | 32201 |
| Other practitioners of healing | 32209 |
| Dental assistants and dental laboratory assistants* | 33100 |
| Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations | 33101 |
| Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates** | 33102 |
| Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants | 33103 |
| Other assisting occupations in support of health services | 33109 |
| Social workers | 41300 |
| Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies | 41301 |
| Social and community service workers*** | 42201 |
*Those who have been offered a job as a dental assistant under NOC 33100 must have the licence to work in that occupation in BC. Unlicensed dental assistants, such as chairside dental assistants, are not eligible for the BC Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).
**Those who have been offered a job classified under NOC 33102 must be on the BC Care Aide & Community Health Worker registry.
***Those who have been offered a job as a social and community service worker under NOC 42201 must have a diploma or degree in social services or community health services.
Assess your eligibility for enhanced PNP streams
British Columbia Entry Level and Semi-Skilled stream
This stream features an Express Entry and base option. It is meant for candidates in entry-level positions required by businesses and employers in British Columbia—with a focus on accommodation and hospitality occupations.
| Occupation title | NOC code |
|---|---|
| Managers in health care | 30010 |
| Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine | 31100 |
| Specialists in surgery | 31101 |
| General practitioners and family physicians | 31102 |
| Veterinarians | 31103 |
| Dentists | 31110 |
| Optometrists | 31111 |
| Audiologists and speech-language pathologists | 31112 |
| Pharmacists | 31120 |
| Dietitians and nutritionists | 31121 |
| Psychologists | 31200 |
| Chiropractors | 31201 |
| Physiotherapists | 31202 |
| Occupational therapists | 31203 |
| Kinesiologists and other professional occupations in therapy and assessment | 31204 |
| Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating | 31209 |
| Nursing coordinators and supervisors | 31300 |
| Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses | 31301 |
| Nurse practitioners | 31302 |
| Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals | 31303 |
| Opticians | 32100 |
| Licensed practical nurses | 32101 |
| Paramedical occupations | 32102 |
| Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists | 32103 |
| Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians | 32104 |
| Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment | 32109 |
| Denturists | 32110 |
| Dental hygienists and dental therapists | 32111 |
| Dental technologists and technicians | 32112 |
| Medical laboratory technologists | 32120 |
| Medical radiation technologists | 32121 |
| Medical sonographers | 32122 |
| Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists | 32123 |
| Pharmacy technicians | 32124 |
| Other medical technologists and technicians | 32129 |
| Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists | 32200 |
| Massage therapists | 32201 |
| Other practitioners of healing | 32209 |
| Dental assistants and dental laboratory assistants* | 33100 |
| Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations | 33101 |
| Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates** | 33102 |
| Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants | 33103 |
| Other assisting occupations in support of health services | 33109 |
| Social workers | 41300 |
| Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies | 41301 |
| Social and community service workers*** | 42201 |
* Individuals in these occupations must be employed directly by hotels/resorts. For the purposes of the BC PNP, a resort is defined as an accommodation facility that is associated with recreational activities, such as skiing, golfing, boating, fishing, biking, swimming, horseback riding, hiking, or nature-based or interpretive tours.
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia Labour Market Priorities Physicians stream
This stream targets Express Entry candidates who are physicians and meet Nova Scotia’s physician-specific requirements — typically those who can show eligibility for the targeted physician NOCs and align with the province’s healthcare hiring context (including certification from a Nova Scotia health authority).
Physicians
| Occupation title | NOC code |
|---|---|
| Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine | 31100 |
| Specialists in surgery | 31101 |
| General practitioners and family physicians | 31102 |
How you can easily check your eligibility for all enhanced PNP streams at the same time
You can use the new CanadaVisa+ tool to see your eligibility for all Express Entry-aligned PNP streams, in addition to all Express Entry programs and categories.
Simply start your free assessment on the landing page and provide the information asked for.
At the end of the assessment, if you choose to make a free account, you will be able to
- See your eligibility across all enhanced PNP streams;
- Save and adjust your immigration results; and
- View your future immigration outlook based on the information you have provided.
For more information and a detailed overview of the process, visit our dedicated article.
Assess your eligibility for enhanced PNP streams
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