NOC 41301: Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies
Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies assist individuals and groups of clients to identify, understand and overcome personal problems and achieve personal objectives. They can be specialized to work on specific problems and they may practice psychotherapy. They are employed by counselling centres, social service agencies, group homes, government agencies, family therapy centres, and educational, health care and rehabilitation facilities, or they may work in private practice.
Official Main Duties for NOC 41301
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 41301
Under Canada's National Occupational Classification (NOC 2021 Version 1.0), Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies 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
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 41301.
3144 continues as 31204 and part transferred to 41301
4151 continues as 31200 and part transferred to 41301
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) | $23 | $34/hr | $50 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador → | $26/hr | $31/hr | $43.96/hr |
| Prince Edward Island → | $20/hr | $31.5/hr | $43.34/hr |
| Nova Scotia → | $20/hr | $30.67/hr | $43/hr |
| New Brunswick → | $18.9/hr | $32/hr | $48.81/hr |
| Quebec → | $27.3/hr | $38/hr | $48/hr |
| Ontario → | $23/hr | $33/hr | $48/hr |
| Manitoba → | $24.61/hr | $36/hr | $51.37/hr |
| Saskatchewan → | $25/hr | $37/hr | $53/hr |
| Alberta → | $22.45/hr | $38.46/hr | $54/hr |
| British Columbia → | $25/hr | $39.5/hr | $51.15/hr |
| Yukon → | $31.9/hr | $47.69/hr | $50.3/hr |
| Northwest Territories → | $28.89/hr | $53.15/hr | $70.12/hr |
| Nunavut → | $42/hr | $54.95/hr | $60/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 or master's degree in the field of counselling, therapy, mental health, psychology or a related social service discipline is required and a period of supervised clinical work with clients may be required.
- A master's degree in the field of therapy is required for art therapist, music therapist, and dance therapists.
- Membership with a provincial or federal association is usually required by employers.
- Registration with a regulatory body is required in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick for counselling therapists.
- To practise psychotherapy, a permit is required in Quebec and registration with the appropriate regulatory body is required in Ontario.
Official Job Titles for NOC 41301
65 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:
- Career development practitioners and career counsellors (except education) (See 41321 Career development practitioners and career counsellors (except education))View NOC 41321→
- Educational counsellors (See 41320 Educational counsellors)View NOC 41320→
- Kinesiologists and other professional occupations in therapy and assessment (See 31204 Kinesiologists and other professional occupations in therapy and assessment)View NOC 31204→
- Managers in social, community and correctional services (See 40030 Managers in social, community and correctional services)View NOC 40030→
- Social and community service workers (See 42201 Social and community service workers)View NOC 42201→
- Social workers (See 41300 Social workers)View NOC 41300→
Frequently Asked Questions for NOC 41301 (Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies)
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 41301, explore your TEER 1 immigration pathways, and check recent draw cutoffs.