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NOC 33103 is the Canadian National Occupational Classification code for Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants. It is classified TEER 3 — College diploma, shorter apprenticeship or 6+ months training, 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
Pharmacy technical assistants perform technical tasks related to preparing medications under a pharmacist's supervision. They also assist in filling prescriptions and managing patient files. Pharmacy assistants perform clerical functions and assists pharmacists and pharmacy technicians with drug dispensing tasks. Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants are employed in retail and hospital pharmacies, long-term care facilities and by pharmaceutical manufacturers.
Main duties
Example job titles
Express Entry category draws
NOC 33103 is in the “Healthcare & social services” group used for category-based Express Entry draws.
Overview
NOC 33103 designates pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants within Canada's National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 system. Classified under TEER 3, this occupation is eligible for key federal economic immigration programs managed through the Express Entry system, such as the Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) program and the Canadian Experience Class (CEC). Given the ongoing demand in the Canadian healthcare sector, candidates with experience under NOC 33103 may also qualify for targeted Express Entry category-based selection draws and specialized Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) streams.
According to the Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) classification, pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants help pharmacists and regulated pharmacy technicians prepare, package, and distribute medications. Daily duties include compounding medications, filling prescriptions under supervision, maintaining medical profiles, managing inventory, and handling clerical tasks such as billing and registry management. They are employed in retail pharmacies, hospital pharmacies, and community clinics.
Employment requirements for pharmacy technical assistants typically include the completion of a college program in pharmacy technical assistance, while pharmacy assistants generally require secondary school graduation and several months of on-the-job training. Note that this occupation is distinct from regulated Pharmacy Technicians, which fall under a different NOC code.
Educational overview summarizing this occupation. Always confirm against the official NOC profile and IRCC before relying on it.
Commonly confused codes
Yes — Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants is TEER 3, 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.
Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants is classified as TEER 3 — College diploma, shorter apprenticeship or 6+ months training. Always confirm the exact employment requirements on the official NOC profile before relying on them.
Applicants most often mix up 33103 with 32124 (Pharmacy technicians). If your real day-to-day duties fit one of those codes better, that mismatch is exactly what an officer flags — double-check before you submit.
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.