NOC 41320: Educational counsellors
Educational counsellors advise current and prospective students on educational issues, career planning and personal development, and coordinate the provision of counselling services to students, parents, teachers, faculty and staff. They are employed by school boards and post-secondary educational institutions.
Official Main Duties for NOC 41320
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 41320
Under Canada's National Occupational Classification (NOC 2021 Version 1.0), Educational counsellors 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 41320.
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) | $23.25 | $40.84/hr | $53.57 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador → | $25.38/hr | $43.96/hr | $71.23/hr |
| Prince Edward Island → | $31.05/hr | $42.55/hr | $56.27/hr |
| Nova Scotia → | $17.09/hr | $41.91/hr | $50.48/hr |
| New Brunswick → | $22.77/hr | $43.27/hr | $55.38/hr |
| Quebec → | $28/hr | $44/hr | $50.56/hr |
| Ontario → | $22/hr | $40/hr | $55.63/hr |
| Manitoba → | $22/hr | $36.72/hr | $52.88/hr |
| Saskatchewan → | $23.25/hr | $40.51/hr | $49.06/hr |
| Alberta → | $26.12/hr | $39.76/hr | $54.89/hr |
| British Columbia → | $23/hr | $37.69/hr | $51.32/hr |
| Yukon → | $34.73/hr | $53.53/hr | $72.02/hr |
| Nunavut → | $39.03/hr | $51.5/hr | $69.7/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 counselling, career development, education or social sciences is required for counsellors in school settings.
- A master's degree in counselling psychology or a related field such as educational psychology, developmental psychology or social work is usually required.
- Educational counsellors in post-secondary settings require an undergraduate degree and may require a graduate degree. A particular academic specialization may also be required.
- In Quebec, membership in l'Ordre des conseillers et conseillères d'orientation is mandatory to use the titles ''vocational counsellor'', "guidance counsellor" and "vocational guidance counsellor".
- A teacher's certificate in the province of employment and some teaching experience is usually required for counsellors in school settings.
- Educational counsellors in colleges and universities may require licensing from a provincial regulatory body governing psychologists, educational counsellors or social workers.
Official Job Titles for NOC 41320
33 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→
- School psychologist (See 31200 Psychologists)View NOC 31200→
- Secondary school teachers (See 41220 Secondary school teachers)View NOC 41220→
- Social workers (See 41300 Social workers)View NOC 41300→
- Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies (See 41301 Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies)View NOC 41301→
Frequently Asked Questions for NOC 41320 (Educational counsellors)
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 41320, explore your TEER 1 immigration pathways, and check recent draw cutoffs.