Skip to main content

NOC 42201: Social and community service workers

Official definition ยท Statistics Canada NOC 2021 v1.0 ยท statcan.gc.ca โ†—

Social and community service workers administer and implement a variety of social assistance programs and community services, and assist clients to deal with personal and social problems. They are employed by social service and government agencies, mental health agencies, group homes, shelters, substance abuse centres, school boards, correctional facilities and other establishments.

Median Pay$26/hrPrevailing median rate
TEER LevelLevel 2Express Entry pool
Priority StreamHealthcare PriorityCategory draws
Official Titles110 TitlesGovernment aliases
Interactive Reference Letter Tool

Official Main Duties for NOC 42201

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.

110 official aliases
Checklist (17 official duties):Click each to toggle
๐Ÿ’ก
IRCC Reference Letter Rule:

Your employer reference letter must confirm you performed the main actions described in the duties above. Avoid copying words directly from the NOC description โ€” officers expect natural job descriptions with specific company context.

Live Match Scoreโš  Needs 11 More
0%
0 of 17 selected
0%60% Recommended100%
Below 60% Target (0%)To qualify for NOC 42201, your employer letter should verify at least 11 main duties. Select 11 more to see if your experience matches.
Minimum Needed11 Duties
Current StatusIncomplete

Canadian Labour Market & PR Pathways for NOC 42201

Under Canada's National Occupational Classification (NOC 2021 Version 1.0), Social and community service workers is categorized under TEER 2. Occupations in this tier typically require completion of a 2- to 3-year post-secondary diploma, apprenticeship training, or specialized technical certifications.

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 โ†’. 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

Open Full NOC Converter Toolโ†’

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 42201.

Former NOC 41554-Digit Legacy
Probation and parole officers and related occupations
RC5 - Transfer

4155 continues as 41311 and part transferred to 42201

Former NOC 42124-Digit Legacy
Social and community service workers
VC1 - Code Change
Job Bank Open Data (2025/2026)

Regional Wages Across Canada

Legal Benchmark for LMIA

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 / TerritoryLow WageMedian WageHigh Wage
Canada (National Average)$19$26/hr$36.06
Newfoundland and Labrador โ†’$17/hr$24.86/hr$34.71/hr
Prince Edward Island โ†’$20/hr$27/hr$33/hr
Nova Scotia โ†’$18.29/hr$23.32/hr$33.27/hr
New Brunswick โ†’$18/hr$23.08/hr$32.85/hr
Quebec โ†’$19.27/hr$26.59/hr$36/hr
Ontario โ†’$19.79/hr$26.5/hr$37.23/hr
Manitoba โ†’$16/hr$21/hr$36.34/hr
Saskatchewan โ†’$17.31/hr$23.08/hr$33.33/hr
Alberta โ†’$18/hr$24.23/hr$37.21/hr
British Columbia โ†’$21/hr$27/hr$35/hr
Yukon โ†’$25/hr$30/hr$44.62/hr
Northwest Territories โ†’$16.7/hr$32/hr$45.75/hr
Nunavut โ†’$22/hr$35/hr$51/hr

๐Ÿ™๏ธTop Metropolitan Cities Wage Rates (ESDC 2025/2026)

Economic Region Benchmarks

Official ESDC prevailing median wages across major Canadian metropolitan regions. Crucial for LMIA prevailing wage compliance and local job offer evaluations.

Montrรฉal
$26.35/hr
$19 - $37
Ottawa
$27/hr
$20 - $37
Toronto
$26.15/hr
$19.79 - $38
Calgary
$24.23/hr
$19.12 - $33.65
Edmonton
$24/hr
$17.14 - $40.3
Vancouver
$27.5/hr
$21.5 - $38.05

Employment Requirements

These are the education, training, and certification standards usually required by Canadian employers for this occupation:

  • Completion of a college or university program in social work, child and youth care, psychology or other social science or health-related discipline is usually required.
  • Previous work experience in a social service environment as a volunteer or in a support capacity may replace formal education requirements for some occupations in this unit group.
  • Social service workers may be required to be a member of a provincial regulatory body in some provinces.

Official Job Titles for NOC 42201

110 Titles Listed

If your current job title matches any of these official examples, this NOC code is likely the right choice for your Express Entry reference letter:

Aboriginal outreach workeraddictions workerchild and youth workercommunity development workercommunity service workercrisis intervention workerdevelopmental service workerdrop-in centre workerfamily service workergroup home workerincome maintenance officer - social serviceslife skills instructormental health workerrehabilitation worker - social servicessocial services workerveteran services officerwelfare and compensation officerwomen's shelter supervisoryouth workerAboriginal centre coordinatorAboriginal outreach officer - social servicesaddictions worker - compulsive gamblingcase aide - social servicescertified return-to-work coordinator - disability managementcertified return-to-work facilitator - disability managementchild life specialistchild welfare workerchild-care worker (except day care)community and social services workercommunity animatorcommunity centre coordinatorcommunity centre workercommunity counsellor - social servicescommunity liaison workercommunity mental health workercommunity organization workercommunity rehabilitation workercommunity services officer - social servicescommunity workercorrectional program officerdetention home workerdevelopment service workerdisability management workerdrug addiction workereligibility coordinator - social assistanceeligibility coordinator - welfareexceptional-child-care worker (except day care)financial assistance officer - social assistancefinancial assistance worker - social servicesgroup home operatorhalfway house supervisorhalfway house workerhelp centre supervisor - social serviceshostel coordinatorhostel outreach workerindependent living instructorintellectual disabilities workeritinerant support service workerlife coachlife skills coachmeals-on-wheels workermental health proctormental health support workerNative centre coordinatorNative community workerNative outreach officer - social servicesNative outreach workerneighbourhood worker - social servicesneuro-linguistic programming coachpeer support workerpersonal skills development instructor - social servicespsychological assistantregistered social service workerrehabilitation officer - social servicesrehabilitation service workerresidence coordinator - group homeresidential counsellor - group homereturn-to-work coordinator - disability managementreturn-to-work facilitator - disability managementsettlement worker - community servicesshelter supervisor - social servicesshelter workshop supervisorsocial aid officersocial animatorsocial assistance officersocial rehabilitation officersocial rehabilitation techniciansocial rehabilitation workersocial services assistantsocial services volunteer coordinatorsocial welfare officerspecial education technician - social and community servicesstreet outreach workerstreetworker - social servicessubstance abuse workersupervised access workertransition home worker - social servicestransition house worker - social servicesveterans' affairs field officervolunteer managerwelfare organization supervisorwelfare workerwomen's centre coordinator - social serviceswomen's centre program supervisor - social serviceswomen's centre supervisor - social serviceswomen's shelter supervisor - social servicesyouth development coordinatoryouth hostel coordinatoryouth services workeryouth worker - social services

Exclusions (Similar Jobs with Different Codes)

Check this list to make sure your actual job is not classified under one of these related codes:

  • Activities leader - seniors (See 54100 Program leaders and instructors in recreation, sport and fitness)View NOC 54100โ†’
  • Educational counsellors (See 41320 Educational counsellors)View NOC 41320โ†’
  • Instructors of persons with disabilities (See 42203 Instructors of persons with disabilities)View NOC 42203โ†’
  • Managers in social, community and correctional services (See 40030 Managers in social, community and correctional services)View NOC 40030โ†’
  • Social workers (See 41300 Social workers)View NOC 41300โ†’
  • Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies (See 41301 Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies)View NOC 41301โ†’

Frequently Asked Questions for NOC 42201 (Social and community service workers)

Essential answers regarding Express Entry eligibility, LMIA prevailing wage compliance, and official reference letter rules.

Yes. Because NOC 42201 is classified as TEER 2, it qualifies for the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSW) and Canadian Experience Class (CEC) under Express Entry.
For an LMIA work permit, your employer must offer at least the median wage of $26/hr (or the prevailing median rate in your specific Canadian province of employment).
Under Section 75(2) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR), your employment reference letter must confirm you perform the actions in the lead statement and a substantial number (recommended at least 60%) of the official main duties listed above. You do not need to perform 100% of the duties.
Under Canada's previous NOC 2016 classification, Social and community service workers was categorized under NOC 4155 (Probation and parole officers and related occupations) and 4212 (Social and community service workers). In NOC 2021, it transitioned to NOC 42201 under TEER 2.
According to official ESDC Job Bank benchmarks, the prevailing median rate for NOC 42201 is $26.35/hr in Montrรฉal, $27/hr in Ottawa, $26.15/hr in Toronto, $24.23/hr in Calgary, $24/hr in Edmonton.
No. You do not need a provincial medical or nursing license just to submit your Express Entry profile or receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA). However, you must complete foreign credential evaluation (ECA) and will need licensing after landing in Canada to practice clinically.
Next Steps for NOC 42201

Check Your Express Entry Score & Latest Cutoffs

Calculate your exact Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score for NOC 42201, explore your TEER 2 immigration pathways, and check recent draw cutoffs.

Last verified: September 2026