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NOC 31120 is the Canadian National Occupational Classification code for Pharmacists. It is classified TEER 1 — Usually require a university degree, which meets the skill requirement for Express Entry. An officer decides whether you can claim this code by comparing the duties written in your reference letter against the official main duties below — not by your job title.
Classification
Health
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Definition
Community pharmacists and hospital pharmacists compound and dispense prescribed pharmaceuticals and provide consultative services to both clients and health care providers. They are employed in retail pharmacies and health center pharmacies, or they may be self-employed. Industrial pharmacists participate in the research, development, promotion and manufacture of pharmaceutical products. They are employed in pharmaceutical companies and government departments and agencies.
Main duties
Example job titles
Express Entry category draws
NOC 31120 is in the “Healthcare & social services” group used for category-based Express Entry draws.
Overview
Under the National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021, Pharmacists are classified under code 31120, which is designated as a TEER 1 occupation. This classification includes both community and hospital pharmacists who compound and dispense prescribed pharmaceuticals, advise health care providers on drug interactions, and counsel patients on medication use. To practice as a pharmacist in Canada, candidates must hold a bachelor's degree in pharmacy, complete a period of supervised practical training, and successfully obtain licensure from the pharmacy regulatory authority in their respective province or territory.
For immigration, qualified foreign pharmacists can utilize pathways managed by the Express Entry system, such as the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) and the Canadian Experience Class (CEC). Because healthcare professionals are in high demand across Canada, candidates under NOC 31120 may benefit from Category-Based Selection draws targeting healthcare occupations, as well as various stream-specific Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs). Successfully immigrating requires meeting the education, language, and work experience criteria defined by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
Educational overview summarizing this occupation. Always confirm against the official NOC profile and IRCC before relying on it.
Yes — Pharmacists is TEER 1, and TEER 0–3 occupations meet the skill-level requirement for Express Entry programs such as the Federal Skilled Worker Program and the Canadian Experience Class. Full eligibility also depends on your work experience, language results and other program criteria.
Pharmacists is classified as TEER 1 — Usually require a university degree. Always confirm the exact employment requirements on the official NOC profile before relying on them.
Yes — Pharmacists is regulated in Québec, so practising there requires recognition from the relevant professional body, and Québec immigration programs take this into account.
Yes — it's in the “Healthcare & social services” group. The latest Healthcare & social services round (June 25, 2026) invited 4000 candidates with a CRS cut-off of 475.
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Occupation data: Statistics Canada / ESDC — National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021.