NOC 31303: Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals
Physician assistants and midwives provide primary health care and treatment in conjunction with physicians and in collaboration with other health professionals. Physician assistants provide a range of health services to patients delivering preventive and continuous care toward the management of patients' health. Midwives provide full-course care to women and their babies during the pre- and post-natal period. This unit group also includes professionals such as genetic counsellors, orthoptists and pathologists' assistants, who work in collaboration with primary health occupations. Genetic counsellors assess individual or family risk of genetic conditions, and provide information to individuals, families and healthcare providers to promote informed choice. Orthoptists diagnose and treat binocular disorders. Pathologists' assistants assist at autopsies and examinations of surgical specimens, or perform autopsies under a pathologist's supervision. Physician assistants usually work under physicians in private practice, including group or team practices, hospitals and clinics. Midwives are employed in hospitals, clinics, birthing centres or in private practice. Genetic counsellors usually work in private practice, hospitals, clinics and research institutes. Orthoptists work under an ophthalmologist, particularly in private practices or clinics. Pathologists' assistants are usually employed in hospitals and universities.
Official Main Duties for NOC 31303
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 31303
Under Canada's National Occupational Classification (NOC 2021 Version 1.0), Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals 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 Healthcare 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 31303.
3124 continues as 31303 and part transferred to 32103 and part split off to emerging item 31302
3125 continues as 31209 and part split off to emerging item 31303
3212 continues as 33101 and part transferred to 31303 and 32120
4153 continues as 41301 with part transferred to 31303 and 41321
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) | $24.09 | $46.81/hr | $60.26 |
| Nova Scotia → | $34.24/hr | $46.11/hr | $58.81/hr |
| New Brunswick → | $32.18/hr | $49.34/hr | $55.35/hr |
| Quebec → | $29.43/hr | $43.98/hr | $66.16/hr |
| Ontario → | $24.47/hr | $43.93/hr | $56.37/hr |
| Manitoba → | $35.49/hr | $49.43/hr | $63.03/hr |
| Saskatchewan → | $34.54/hr | $43.15/hr | $49.78/hr |
| Alberta → | $24.97/hr | $38.28/hr | $53.71/hr |
| British Columbia → | $30.77/hr | $44.2/hr | $56/hr |
Employment Requirements
These are the education, training, and certification standards usually required by Canadian employers for this occupation:
- Physician assistants
- Physician assistants require completion of a university degree in a physician assistant program.
- Physician assistants require registration with a regulatory body in Manitoba and New Brunswick.
- Midwives
- Midwives require completion of an undergraduate university degree program in midwifery or its equivalent and a period of supervised practical training.
- Registration with a regulatory body is required for midwives in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.
- Genetic counsellors
- Genetic counsellors usually require a master's degree in genetic counselling and the certification with the Canadian Association of Genetic Counsellors (CAGC).
- Orthoptists
- A bachelor's degree and completion of a two-year accredited training program in orthoptics are required.
- Certification with the Canadian Orthoptic Council is required.
- Continuing education is required for recertification with the Canadian Orthoptic Council.
- Pathologists' assistants
- Pathologists' assistants usually require completion of a master's degree in a pathologists' assistant program.
- Certification by the Canadian Certification Council of Pathologists' Assistants, the American Society for Clinical Pathology - Board of Certification, or Pathologists' Assistant Certification Examination is usually required by employers.
- Membership in the national association, Canadian Association of Pathologists, is voluntary, but may be required by some employers.
Official Job Titles for NOC 31303
10 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:
- General practitioners and family physicians (See 31102 General practitioners and family physicians)View NOC 31102→
- Managers in health care (See 30010 Managers in health care)View NOC 30010→
- Nurse practitioners (See 31302 Nurse practitioners)View NOC 31302→
- Other practitioners of natural healing (See 32209 Other practitioners of natural healing)View NOC 32209→
- Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating (See 31209 Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating)View NOC 31209→
- Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses (See 31301 Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses)View NOC 31301→
- Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine (See 31100 Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine)View NOC 31100→
- Specialists in surgery (See 31101 Specialists in surgery)View NOC 31101→
- Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists (See 32200 Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists)View NOC 32200→
Frequently Asked Questions for NOC 31303 (Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals)
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 31303, explore your TEER 1 immigration pathways, and check recent draw cutoffs.