NOC 21222: Information systems specialists
Information systems specialists analyze, test and assess systems requirements, develop and implement information systems development plans, policies and procedures, and provide advice on a wide range of information systems issues. They are employed in information technology consulting firms and in information technology units throughout the public and private sectors, or they may be self-employed.
Official Main Duties for NOC 21222
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.
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.
Canadian Labour Market & PR Pathways for NOC 21222
Under Canada's National Occupational Classification (NOC 2021 Version 1.0), Information systems specialists is categorized under TEER 1. Occupations in this tier typically require a university degree (bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate) or substantial managerial tenure.
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
Designated under IRCC's STEM Priority Stream →. Candidates with 6 months of qualifying Canadian or foreign experience in this NOC can receive Invitations to Apply (ITAs) at significantly lower CRS cutoff thresholds.
NOC 2016 to NOC 2021 Transition & Equivalency
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 21222.
2171 continues as 21222 and part split off to emerging items 21211, 21220, 21221 and 21233
Regional Wages Across Canada
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 / Territory | Low Wage | Median Wage | High Wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada (National Average) | $28.85 | $46.15/hr | $68.68 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador → | $23.08/hr | $40.3/hr | $54.53/hr |
| Prince Edward Island → | $24.04/hr | $40/hr | $61.54/hr |
| Nova Scotia → | $29.33/hr | $43.75/hr | $63.46/hr |
| New Brunswick → | $25.65/hr | $38.46/hr | $54.95/hr |
| Quebec → | $30/hr | $46.15/hr | $63.19/hr |
| Ontario → | $28.59/hr | $47/hr | $72.6/hr |
| Manitoba → | $25.7/hr | $42.31/hr | $62.5/hr |
| Saskatchewan → | $28.21/hr | $45.13/hr | $63.46/hr |
| Alberta → | $27.13/hr | $48.08/hr | $68/hr |
| British Columbia → | $29.99/hr | $46.15/hr | $75.44/hr |
| Yukon → | $36.93/hr | $46.43/hr | $75.66/hr |
| Northwest Territories → | $40.31/hr | $53.28/hr | $73.25/hr |
| Nunavut → | $45.68/hr | $62.06/hr | $80.31/hr |
🏙️Top Metropolitan Cities Wage Rates (ESDC 2025/2026)
Economic Region BenchmarksOfficial ESDC prevailing median wages across major Canadian metropolitan regions. Crucial for LMIA prevailing wage compliance and local job offer evaluations.
Employment Requirements
These are the education, training, and certification standards usually required by Canadian employers for this occupation:
- A bachelor's degree in computer science, computer systems engineering, software engineering, business administration or a related discipline or completion of a college program in computer science is usually required.
- Experience as a computer programmer is usually required.
- Certification or training provided by software vendors may be required by some employers.
- A professional certification such as Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA), Certified Information Security Manager (CISM), Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) or another related information technology (IT) designation.
Official Job Titles for NOC 21222
40 Titles ListedIf your current job title matches any of these official examples, this NOC code is likely the right choice for your Express Entry reference letter:
Exclusions (Similar Jobs with Different Codes)
Check this list to make sure your actual job is not classified under one of these related codes:
- Computer and information systems managers (See 20012 Computer and information systems managers)View NOC 20012→
- Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers) (See 21311 Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers))View NOC 21311→
- Computer systems developers and programmers (See 21230 Computer systems developers and programmers)View NOC 21230→
- Data scientists (See 21211 Data scientists)View NOC 21211→
- Database analysts and data administrators (See 21223 Database analysts and data administrators)View NOC 21223→
- Financial auditors and accountants (See 11100 Financial auditors and accountants)View NOC 11100→
- Professional occupations in business management consulting (See 11201 Professional occupations in business management consulting)View NOC 11201→
- Software developers and programmers (See 21232 Software developers and programmers)View NOC 21232→
- Software engineers and designers (See 21231 Software engineers and designers)View NOC 21231→
- Web designers (See 21233 Web designers)View NOC 21233→
- Web developers and programmers (See 21234 Web developers and programmers)View NOC 21234→
Frequently Asked Questions for NOC 21222 (Information systems specialists)
Essential answers regarding Express Entry eligibility, LMIA prevailing wage compliance, and official reference letter rules.
Check Your Express Entry Score & Latest Cutoffs
Calculate your exact Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score for NOC 21222, explore your TEER 1 immigration pathways, and check recent draw cutoffs.