NOC 31103: Veterinarians
Veterinarians prevent, diagnose and treat diseases and disorders in animals and advise clients on the feeding, hygiene, housing and general care of animals. They can also perform surgical procedures. They work in private practice or may be employed by animal clinics, farms, laboratories, government or industry.
Last reviewed 2026-11-02 · Sources: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
Quick answer
NOC 31103 (Veterinarians) is a TEER 1 occupation, so it counts as skilled work for Express Entry. It is on IRCC's high-wage list at Level 1: +70 CRS for 12+ months of Canadian work, or 100 for a job offer. It is eligible for Healthcare category draws.
TEER
TEER 1
Skilled for Express Entry
High-wage
Level 1
+70 work · 100 job offer
Category draws
Healthcare
IRCC 2026 lists
| NOC 2021 code | 31103 |
|---|---|
| Title | Veterinarians |
| Broad category | Health occupations |
| TEER | TEER 1 — usually requires a university degree |
Category-based draws
- Healthcare and Social Services Occupations, 2026-Version 3 — have accumulated, within the past 3 years, at least 12 months of full-time work experience (or an equal amount of part-time experience) — this experience does not need to be continuous (in a single occupation listed in the table below (no matter your primary occupation); in Canada or abroad).
CRS points for this occupation
Under the Labour Market Integration factor, IRCC gives you the higher of: your Canadian work-length points plus 70 for 12+ months of qualifying work in a Level 1 occupation, or 100 points for a valid job offer in it. How job offer points work.
Example job titles
- farm veterinarian
- small animal veterinary specialist
- veterinarian
- veterinary inspector
- veterinary pathologist
- veterinary physiologist
- veterinary surgeon
- zoo veterinarian
Main duties
- Diagnose diseases or abnormal conditions in individual animals, herds and flocks through physical examinations or laboratory tests
- Treat sick or injured animals by prescribing medication, setting bones, dressing wounds or performing surgery
- Vaccinate animals to prevent and treat diseases
- Perform routine, emergency and post-mortem examinations
- Advise clients on feeding, housing, behaviour, breeding, hygiene and general care of animals
- Provide a range of veterinary services including obstetrics, dentistry and euthanasia
- May supervise animal health technologists and animal care workers
- May be responsible for overall operation of animal hospital, clinic or mobile service to farms
Your duties should match the lead statement and most of the main duties to use this NOC — check the full profile on the official NOC site.
Related occupations
- NOC 31100 — Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine
- NOC 31101 — Specialists in surgery
- NOC 31102 — General practitioners and family physicians
- NOC 31110 — Dentists
- NOC 31111 — Optometrists
- NOC 31112 — Audiologists and speech-language pathologists
- NOC 31120 — Pharmacists
- NOC 31121 — Dietitians and nutritionists
- NOC 31200 — Psychologists
- NOC 31201 — Chiropractors
← NOC 31102 General practitioners and family physicians · NOC 31110 Dentists →
Calculate your CRS score → · All NOC codes · High-wage list
TEER 1 also matters for work permits: see the spousal open work permit (TEER rules for spouses of workers), LMIA explained and the Atlantic Immigration Program (job offers in TEER 0–4).
Sources: Statistics Canada NOC 2021 V1.0; IRCC high-wage occupations; IRCC category-based selection; IRCC who can apply.
Frequently asked questions
Is NOC 31103 eligible for Express Entry?+
NOC 31103 is a TEER 1 occupation. IRCC counts work in TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 occupations as skilled work experience for the Federal Skilled Worker Program and the Canadian Experience Class, as long as all other program requirements are met.
Is NOC 31103 a high-wage occupation?+
Yes. It's on IRCC's high-wage list at Level 1. From November 3, 2026, 12+ months of qualifying Canadian work in it adds 70 CRS points, or a valid job offer in it is worth 100 points (whichever is higher).
Which Express Entry category draws include NOC 31103?+
As published by IRCC: Healthcare and Social Services Occupations, 2026-Version 3. Candidates generally need have accumulated, within the past 3 years, at least 12 months of full-time work experience (or an equal amount of part-time experience) — this experience does not need to be continuous.