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NOC 12200: Accounting technicians and bookkeepers

Official definition · Statistics Canada NOC 2021 v1.0 · statcan.gc.ca ↗

Accounting technicians and bookkeepers maintain complete sets of books, keep records of accounts, verify the procedures used for recording financial transactions, and provide personal bookkeeping services. They are employed throughout the private and public sectors, or they may be self-employed.

Median Pay$28.02/hrPrevailing median rate
TEER LevelLevel 2Express Entry pool
Priority StreamGeneral StreamCategory draws
Official Titles10 TitlesGovernment aliases
Interactive Reference Letter Tool

Official Main Duties for NOC 12200

Select the duties you perform in your actual job. Under IRCC guidelines, you must perform at least 60% of these duties for a successful work permit or PR reference letter.

10 official aliases
Checklist (6 official duties):Click each to toggle
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IRCC Reference Letter Rule:

Your employer reference letter must confirm you performed the main actions described in the duties above. Avoid copying words directly from the NOC description — officers expect natural job descriptions with specific company context.

Live Match Score⚠ Needs 4 More
0%
0 of 6 selected
0%60% Recommended100%
Below 60% Target (0%)To qualify for NOC 12200, your employer letter should verify at least 4 main duties. Select 4 more to see if your experience matches.
Minimum Needed4 Duties
Current StatusIncomplete

Canadian Labour Market & PR Pathways for NOC 12200

Under Canada's National Occupational Classification (NOC 2021 Version 1.0), Accounting technicians and bookkeepers is categorized under TEER 2. Occupations in this tier typically require completion of a 2- to 3-year post-secondary diploma, apprenticeship training, or specialized technical certifications.

Express Entry Alignment

Qualifies directly for the Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) and Canadian Experience Class (CEC) under Express Entry. Work experience must be full-time (or equivalent part-time) and continuous for at least one year.

Target Category Status

Currently evaluated under standard General and CEC invitation rounds, or targeted through provincial in-demand lists such as Ontario (OINP), British Columbia (BC PNP), or Alberta (AAIP).

NOC 2016 to NOC 2021 Transition & Equivalency

Open Full NOC Converter Tool

Under Canada's previous NOC 2016 classification, this occupation was mapped under the following 4-digit code(s). When preparing your Express Entry profile or work reference letters, you must use the new 5-digit code NOC 12200.

Former NOC 13114-Digit Legacy
Accounting technicians and bookkeepers
VC1 - Code Change
Job Bank Open Data (2025/2026)

Regional Wages Across Canada

Legal Benchmark for LMIA

Under Canadian immigration law, an employer hiring you under an LMIA must pay you at least the median wage listed below for your province.

Province / TerritoryLow WageMedian WageHigh Wage
Canada (National Average)$19.55$28.02/hr$45.07
Newfoundland and Labrador$17/hr$25/hr$40/hr
Prince Edward Island$16.5/hr$25/hr$39.42/hr
Nova Scotia$16.5/hr$24.04/hr$38/hr
New Brunswick$16/hr$25/hr$40/hr
Quebec$20.25/hr$28.02/hr$43.75/hr
Ontario$19.23/hr$28.5/hr$46.15/hr
Manitoba$17/hr$25/hr$40.85/hr
Saskatchewan$18/hr$27.16/hr$43.27/hr
Alberta$20/hr$30/hr$50.96/hr
British Columbia$19.44/hr$28/hr$47.45/hr
Yukon$30/hr$42/hr$48.12/hr
Northwest Territories$27/hr$41.03/hr$50.9/hr
Nunavut$25.86/hr$43/hr$50.3/hr

🏙️Top Metropolitan Cities Wage Rates (ESDC 2025/2026)

Economic Region Benchmarks

Official ESDC prevailing median wages across major Canadian metropolitan regions. Crucial for LMIA prevailing wage compliance and local job offer evaluations.

Montréal
$26.5/hr
$20 - $40
Ottawa
$32.93/hr
$21.54 - $50.98
Toronto
$29.22/hr
$18 - $47.36
Calgary
$30/hr
$18 - $53.85
Edmonton
$30.45/hr
$20 - $45
Vancouver
$28.85/hr
$20 - $45

Employment Requirements

These are the education, training, and certification standards usually required by Canadian employers for this occupation:

  • Completion of secondary school is required.
  • Completion of a college program in accounting, bookkeeping or a related field or Completion of two years (first level) of a recognized professional accounting program (e.g., Chartered Accounting, Certified General Accounting) or Courses in accounting or bookkeeping combined with several years of experience as a financial or accounting clerk are required.

Official Job Titles for NOC 12200

10 Titles Listed

If your current job title matches any of these official examples, this NOC code is likely the right choice for your Express Entry reference letter:

accounting bookkeeperaccounting technicianbookkeeperfinance technicianbookkeeping clerkbudget officerfinance officerfinancial officerfinancial services administrator - Canadian Armed Forcessenior bookkeeper

Exclusions (Similar Jobs with Different Codes)

Check this list to make sure your actual job is not classified under one of these related codes:

  • Accounting and related clerks (See 14200 Accounting and related clerks)View NOC 14200
  • Banking, insurance and other financial clerks (See 14201 Banking, insurance and other financial clerks)View NOC 14201
  • Financial auditors and accountants (See 11100 Financial auditors and accountants)View NOC 11100
  • Payroll administrators (See 13102 Payroll administrators)View NOC 13102

Frequently Asked Questions for NOC 12200 (Accounting technicians and bookkeepers)

Essential answers regarding Express Entry eligibility, LMIA prevailing wage compliance, and official reference letter rules.

Yes. Because NOC 12200 is classified as TEER 2, it qualifies for the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSW) and Canadian Experience Class (CEC) under Express Entry.
For an LMIA work permit, your employer must offer at least the median wage of $28.02/hr (or the prevailing median rate in your specific Canadian province of employment).
Under Section 75(2) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR), your employment reference letter must confirm you perform the actions in the lead statement and a substantial number (recommended at least 60%) of the official main duties listed above. You do not need to perform 100% of the duties.
Under Canada's previous NOC 2016 classification, Accounting technicians and bookkeepers was categorized under NOC 1311 (Accounting technicians and bookkeepers). In NOC 2021, it transitioned to NOC 12200 under TEER 2.
According to official ESDC Job Bank benchmarks, the prevailing median rate for NOC 12200 is $26.5/hr in Montréal, $32.93/hr in Ottawa, $29.22/hr in Toronto, $30/hr in Calgary, $30.45/hr in Edmonton.
Next Steps for NOC 12200

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Calculate your exact Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score for NOC 12200, explore your TEER 2 immigration pathways, and check recent draw cutoffs.

Last verified: September 2026