NOC 40021: School principals and administrators of elementary and secondary education
School principals plan, organize, direct, control and evaluate the activities of teachers and other staff of an elementary or secondary school. They are employed by public and private schools. Administrators of elementary and secondary education plan, organize, direct, control and evaluate the academic affairs of a school system. They are employed by school boards.
Last reviewed 2026-11-02 · Sources: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
Quick answer
NOC 40021 (School principals and administrators of elementary and secondary education) is a TEER 0 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 isn't on any current category-based draw list.
TEER
TEER 0
Skilled for Express Entry
High-wage
Level 2
+40 work · 70 job offer
Category draws
None
IRCC 2026 lists
| NOC 2021 code | 40021 |
|---|---|
| Title | School principals and administrators of elementary and secondary education |
| Broad category | Occupations in education, law and social, community and government services |
| TEER | TEER 0 — management occupations |
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
- board of education administrator
- chief superintendent - schools
- director of education - correctional institution
- director of school for the hearing impaired
- district school superintendent
- private school headmaster/mistress
- school principal
- school vice-principal
Main duties
- School principals
- Plan, organize, direct, control and evaluate, through department heads or supervisors, the activities of teachers and support staff
- Review programs to ensure conformance to school board or provincial standards and develop programs within limits of authority
- Coordinate teaching activities of the institution by making personnel assignments, determining class size and preparing timetables
- Organize and maintain procedures for the keeping of records
- Prepare and administer institution or program budget
- Direct and coordinate school maintenance services and the use of school facilities
- May recruit and hire teachers and other 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 40010 — Government managers - health and social policy development and program administration
- NOC 40011 — Government managers - economic analysis, policy development and program administration
- NOC 40012 — Government managers - education policy development and program administration
- NOC 40019 — Other managers in public administration
- NOC 40020 — Administrators - post-secondary education and vocational training
- NOC 40030 — Managers in social, community and correctional services
- NOC 40040 — Commissioned police officers and related occupations in public protection services
- NOC 40041 — Fire chiefs and senior firefighting officers
- NOC 40042 — Commissioned officers of the Canadian Armed Forces
← NOC 40020 Administrators - post-secondary education and vocational training · NOC 40030 Managers in social, community and correctional services →
Calculate your CRS score → · All NOC codes · High-wage list
TEER 0 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 40021 eligible for Express Entry?+
NOC 40021 is a TEER 0 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 40021 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 40021?+
None of IRCC's current category-based selection lists include NOC 40021. Candidates can still be invited in general, program-specific (such as CEC) or PNP rounds.