NOC 31301: Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses
Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses provide direct nursing care to patients, deliver health education programs and provide consultative services regarding issues relevant to the practice of nursing. They are employed in a variety of settings including hospitals, nursing homes, extended care facilities, rehabilitation centres, doctors' offices, clinics, community agencies, companies, private homes and public and private organizations or they may be self-employed.
Last reviewed 2026-11-02 · Sources: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
Quick answer
NOC 31301 (Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses) is a TEER 1 occupation, so it counts as skilled work for Express Entry. It is on IRCC's high-wage list at Level 2: +40 CRS for 12+ months of Canadian work, or 70 for a job offer. It is eligible for Healthcare category draws.
TEER
TEER 1
Skilled for Express Entry
High-wage
Level 2
+40 work · 70 job offer
Category draws
Healthcare
IRCC 2026 lists
| NOC 2021 code | 31301 |
|---|---|
| Title | Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses |
| 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 40 for 12+ months of qualifying work in a Level 2 occupation, or 70 points for a valid job offer in it. How job offer points work.
Example job titles
- clinical nurse
- community health nurse
- critical care nurse
- emergency care nurse
- intensive care nurse
- nurse researcher
- nursing consultant
- occupational health nurse
Main duties
- General duty registered nurses
- Assess patients to identify appropriate nursing interventions
- Collaborate with members of an interdisciplinary health team to plan, implement, coordinate and evaluate patient care in consultation with patients and their families
- Administer medications and treatments as prescribed by a physician or according to established policies and protocols
- Monitor, assess, address, document and report symptoms and changes in patients' conditions
- Operate or monitor medical apparatus or equipment
- Assist in surgery and other medical procedures
- May supervise licensed practical nurses and other nursing staff
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 31300 — Nursing coordinators and supervisors
- NOC 31302 — Nurse practitioners
- NOC 31303 — Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals
- NOC 31100 — Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine
- NOC 31101 — Specialists in surgery
- NOC 31102 — General practitioners and family physicians
- NOC 31103 — Veterinarians
- NOC 31110 — Dentists
- NOC 31111 — Optometrists
- NOC 31112 — Audiologists and speech-language pathologists
← NOC 31300 Nursing coordinators and supervisors · NOC 31302 Nurse practitioners →
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 31301 eligible for Express Entry?+
NOC 31301 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 31301 a high-wage occupation?+
Yes. It's on IRCC's high-wage list at Level 2. From November 3, 2026, 12+ months of qualifying Canadian work in it adds 40 CRS points, or a valid job offer in it is worth 70 points (whichever is higher).
Which Express Entry category draws include NOC 31301?+
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.