NOC 40021: School principals and administrators of elementary and secondary education
School principals plan, organize, direct, control and evaluate the activities of teachers and other staff of an elementary or secondary school. They are employed by public and private schools. Administrators of elementary and secondary education plan, organize, direct, control and evaluate the academic affairs of a school system. They are employed by school boards.
Official Main Duties for NOC 40021
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 40021
Under Canada's National Occupational Classification (NOC 2021 Version 1.0), School principals and administrators of elementary and secondary education is categorized under TEER 0. 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
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
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 40021.
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) | $36.54 | $55.29/hr | $71.51 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador → | $37.5/hr | $50/hr | $75/hr |
| Prince Edward Island → | $29.74/hr | $52.31/hr | $61.54/hr |
| Nova Scotia → | $33.33/hr | $55.29/hr | $71.15/hr |
| New Brunswick → | $37.5/hr | $49.52/hr | $60.1/hr |
| Quebec → | $38.18/hr | $54.81/hr | $65.93/hr |
| Ontario → | $35.71/hr | $57.14/hr | $72.19/hr |
| Manitoba → | $37.06/hr | $49.44/hr | $62.5/hr |
| Saskatchewan → | $38.46/hr | $53.85/hr | $74.23/hr |
| Alberta → | $39.53/hr | $56.73/hr | $64.16/hr |
| British Columbia → | $30.77/hr | $57.21/hr | $90.38/hr |
| Yukon → | $50.49/hr | $67.24/hr | $83.37/hr |
| Northwest Territories → | $51.62/hr | $70.41/hr | $87.16/hr |
| Nunavut → | $50.82/hr | $72.95/hr | $88.26/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 education is required.
- A master's degree in education may be required.
- Several years of experience as a senior teacher or department head are required.
- A teacher's certificate for the province of employment is required.
- School principals may require a principal's certificate.
- Administrators of elementary and secondary education may require a supervisory officer certificate.
Official Job Titles for NOC 40021
51 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:
- Administrators - post-secondary education and vocational training (See 40020 Administrators - post-secondary education and vocational training)View NOC 40020→
- Education policy researchers, consultants and program officers (See 41405 Education policy researchers, consultants and program officers)View NOC 41405→
- Government managers - education policy development and program administration (See 40012 Government managers - education policy development and program administration)View NOC 40012→
- Senior managers - health, education, social and community services and membership organizations (See 00013 Senior managers - health, education, social and community services and membership organizations)View NOC 00013→
Frequently Asked Questions for NOC 40021 (School principals and administrators of elementary and secondary education)
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 40021, explore your TEER 0 immigration pathways, and check recent draw cutoffs.