NOC 31302: Nurse practitioners
Nurse practitioners are registered nurses with additional education, advanced knowledge and nursing experience, and a specialty of practice. They provide a range of health services to patients and deliver preventive and continuous care toward the management of patients' health. Nurse practitioners work in conjunction with physicians and collaboratively with other nursing colleagues and health-care providers, or they may work independently. They are employed in community health centres, hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities, and rehabilitation centres. Nurse practitioners may specialize in primary healthcare or acute care.
Last reviewed 2026-11-02 · Sources: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
Quick answer
NOC 31302 (Nurse practitioners) 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 | 31302 |
|---|---|
| Title | Nurse practitioners |
| 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
Main duties
- Examine patients and take their medical histories and consult with physicians and other medical practitioners to evaluate patients' physical and mental health
- Order laboratory tests, X-rays and other diagnostic procedures
- Inoculate and vaccinate patients
- Advise patients and their families on health care including health promotion, disease, illness and accident prevention
- Collaborate with members of an interdisciplinary health team such as family physicians, therapists and nutritionists to plan, implement, coordinate and evaluate patient care in consultation with patients and their families
- Perform a patient advocacy role
- Prescribe and administer medications
- May coordinate or manage primary patient care.
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 31301 — Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses
- 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 31301 Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses · NOC 31303 Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals →
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 31302 eligible for Express Entry?+
NOC 31302 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 31302 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 31302?+
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.